Shane Steichen is now the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, and if he wants success, he must prioritize addressing these issues.
The Indianapolis Colts officially introduced Shane Steichen as the team’s next head coach on Tuesday. Jim Irsay and Chris Ballard raved about Steichen as they explained why they selected him out of a deep and talented pool of candidates. Steichen also displayed the kind of emotional leadership that he coaches with during his statements throughout the press conference.
Many people are applauding the hire of Steichen, and there’s a sense of optimism surrounding the Colts. Much has been made about Steichen’s work with young quarterbacks and how he should be able to revitalize Indy’s offense. While everything is positive right now, the Colts were 4-12-1 and looking for a head coach for a reason. Steichen has a tough road ahead of him and there are several things he needs to address before the Colts can be considered contenders again.
While Indianapolis is lucky to have landed Steichen, and Steichen is lucky to join a team with a fair share of pieces in place, Indy’s work still isn’t done. Here are three things that Shane Steichen needs to immediately address in order to turn the Colts around.
3. Shane Steichen must make life easy for a rookie quarterback
Although Chris Ballard said there’s no guarantee that the Colts will select a quarterback in the upcoming draft, it’s a pretty safe bet that they will. Indianapolis hasn’t been in a position to select one of the top quarterbacks at the top of the draft in years, and the hope is that they won’t be in the coming years either. That means this is the year to go for it. Indy must pair a rookie quarterback with Steichen, even if it means trading up to the No. 1 pick.
Steichen, on the other hand, along with Chris Ballard, must help create the best set of circumstances so that the transition is relatively easy for a rookie quarterback. Fortunately, Shane Steichen has experience with that. Steichen was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers when they drafted Justin Herbert. Under Steichen, Herbert broke just about every rookie passing record.
What exactly can Steichen do to help a young quarterback? Well, first it starts with Ballard assembling the best roster possible. A quality defense, offensive weapons, and a good offensive line make any quarterback’s job easy. Steichen must be willing to play off the offense’s strengths and not put more on a rookie quarterback’s plate than he can handle. Whether it’s leaning on Jonathan Taylor a lot, allowing the quarterback to utilize his athleticism, or gradually increasing the size of the playbook, Steichen must be prepared to lead a rookie quarterback’s transition into the NFL.