What Traits is Chris Ballard Looking for in Colts' Next Head Coach?
Chris Ballard made it very clear this week that the search for the next coach of the Indianapolis Colts would be extensive.
“I don’t care if it takes until mid-February to hire the head coach,” Ballard said. “It’s about getting it right.”
The general manager knows the gravity of the task in front of him. The Colts limped their way to a 4-12-1 record, losing seven straight games to end the season. Interim head coach Jeff Saturday had some momentum after winning his first game at the helm but quickly cooled off as the team looked worse by the week.
Saturday was hired as the interim head coach in the middle of the season by Colts’ owner Jim Irsay, albeit against the advice of Ballard and other Colts’ executives. Despite their concerns, Irsay moved forward with the decision anyway, interfering once again in a major organizational decision. The results were predictable, and the Colts looked like the worst team in the NFL by the season’s end.
Because of Irsay’s more frequent meddling, many wondered if Ballard would be the one to lead the head coaching search. Ballard made it clear who would be charged with finding the next head coach of the Colts.
“I’ll lead the search,” Ballard said on Tuesday. “Ultimately, Mr. Irsay makes the final call. There’s 32 teams, 32 owners. They own the team. We give him, here’s our thoughts, and Mr. Irsay is a good listener. Ultimately, he’ll make the final call but he will lean heavily on our work and what we do to get the coaching candidates in place.”
Ballard has already begun his search. As of Friday morning, the Colts have eight candidates for the head coaching position. Two of those candidates are internal, including Saturday, while the other six are coordinators around the NFL.
Bubba Ventrone (Colts special teams coordinator), Ejiro Evero (Denver Broncos defensive coordinator), and Eric Bieniemy (Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator) have already conducted their first interviews. Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions offensive coordinator) and Raheem Morris (Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator) will interview on Friday, while Shane Steichen (Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator) will interview on Saturday.
As Ballard meets with each candidate, and there will be more, what is he looking for from these candidates? What are the traits that Ballard values in his head coach?
© Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
The first is the ability to get the best out of their players. When looking at almost all of the candidates the Colts have interviews lined up with, they have done a great job ensuring they put their players in the best position to play well. The results have shown on the field as well.
From an offensive perspective, the candidate’s teams ranked first (Bieniemy), third (Steichen), and fourth (Johnson) in total offense this season. The defensive candidates had more variety, ranking seventh (Evero), 19th (Morris), and 32nd(Aaron Glenn, Lions defensive coordinator). Ventrone has consistently had the Colts ranked inside the top ten in special teams production since he arrived in 2018.
The best coaches in the NFL consistently get the best out of their players. The Colts want to have that for their next headman.
Another important factor for the next head coach will be how they can develop a plan around the Colts’ next starting quarterback. It is a foregone conclusion that the Colts will use their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on a quarterback. Whether the Colts are picking at No.4 overall where they are currently slated or trade up to get their guy remains to be seen.
A rookie quarterback needs support around him to succeed. It takes most young quarterbacks time to develop, including the superstars we see on an NFL field every Sunday. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Trevor Lawrence all took time to adjust to the NFL game and develop into what they are today.
The trick will be surrounding the young quarterback with a plan so he can be successful as he continues to develop. Ballard was very clear this week that the right head coach needs to be able to win without a superstar quarterback carrying the load every Sunday.
“I think the ability to win,” Ballard said when asked what he was looking for in a head coach. “Alright, so we know there’s the elite of the elite (quarterbacks). We know that when you walk out on game day, when you’ve got one of the elite of the elite, the field all of a sudden it just feels different. But you’ve got to be able to win with average to above-average quarterback play. You’ve got to be able to find a way to win.
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
“So it’s going to be very important whether it’s an offensive coach, defensive coach or special teams coach – the ability to build a plan around how we’re going to win, what our identity is going to be and how we’re going to win with who is playing quarterback is important. I think there is a way to win every game. I think you just look across the league right now and teams that might not be getting superstar quarterback play, but solid quarterback play are finding ways to win.”
When thinking about having a plan in place for a young quarterback, you automatically think an offensive mind would be best for the job. Now while that may be the case in some instances, it is not a requirement.
A perfect example of this is Sean McDermott, the head coach for the Buffalo Bills. McDermott surrounded Allen with great offensive coaches when he was drafted in 2018, that worked with Allen on his mechanics and the mental processing of the game. Those coaches, combined with Allen’s work ethic, have helped him grow from an incredibly raw prospect to one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Ballard and the Colts are going into the head coaching search with an open mind. The Colts’ general manager realizes how important this decision is to get the Colts back on track. He is using his past experiences from the head coaching search in 2018 to help him with this go-around.
“A lot of times what happens is you get a vision of what you want before – you’ve made your mind up and then you might ignore somebody that’s really freaking good right in front of your face,” Ballard admitted. “We’ve got a very detailed process put together on the traits and attributes we’re looking for in the head coach. Don’t care which side of the ball. And then to be patient and take your time and make sure we have a thorough interview with everybody.”
The candidate that can show he can get the best out of his players and has a clear plan for how they will build around and support a young quarterback will likely be the favorite for the job. Ballard will vet all of the candidates thoroughly before he gives his recommendation to Irsay. Irsay will make the final call but will lean heavily on Ballard’s process and recommendation.
Whoever they choose better be the right pick as they will help shape the direction of this franchise for years to come.
Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!
Follow Andrew on Twitter @AndrewMooreNFL.
