Advanced analytics show that Frank Reich is one of the best coaches in NFL

Nov 21, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The Indianapolis Colts have one of the league’s best head coaches in Frank Reich and that’s a claim supported by advanced analytics.

Last season, the Indianapolis Colts failed to make the postseason but head coach Frank Reich is rarely blamed for that. Instead, he’s still respected around the league as a head coach and is often commended for what he’s been able to do in Indy with the Colts.

Since arriving in 2018, Reich has a 37-28 coaching record and has led Indianapolis to the playoffs twice, compiling a 1-2 postseason record. He’s been able to navigate the franchise through some tough times and is now set up with possibly his best roster yet.

Where does Reich rank among the other coaches in the NFL? That’s a hard list to put together because there are so many factors that go into a coach’s success. Obviously, coaches play a part in wins and losses, but their rosters and surrounding circumstances also impact winning.

That’s why Conor McQuiston and PFF worked to create a model that can evaluate coaches if they were dealt a similar hand. The determining question was “How many wins would each NFL coach have with an average roster?”

After a lot of math and models, it was determined that Frank Reich is the ninth-best coach in the NFL. With an “average roster”, Reich’s record would be 9.7-7.3 per PFF’s model. Reich would also have the 10th-best offensive rank and eighth-best defensive rank.

Frank Reich ranked as ninth-best coach in NFL

This shows that Frank Reich has been doing a great job with whatever comes his way. The Colts do have several talented players but having a new quarterback every season is no easy task. However, Reich has been able to keep Indianapolis competitive.

He will enter next season with a roster that is better than average and the expectations for Reich and Indy will be far more than nine wins. That’s the same amount of wins the Colts had last season and it wasn’t enough.

Indianapolis will be focused on winning the AFC South and at least 10 games so that Reich can return to the playoffs. From that point, Frank Reich will look to win his first Super Bowl as a head coach.

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