Colts Have Contingency Plan For Everything Looking Ahead
INDIANAPOLIS — If everything goes according to plan, and granted that’s a big “if,” the Indianapolis Colts expect to have players reporting for training camp at the team complex on July 28.
But as Indianapolis Colts third-year head coach Frank Reich reminded on Monday, there’s always the caveat that plans are “subject to change.”
The most unusual of NFL offseasons, with facilities closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and offseason training activities being altered to virtual Zoom video conference calls, has required continual adjustment.
Reich said his players have been advised to be prepared as if training camp — which per an NFL mandate will be at the facility with no fans — as well as the preseason will proceed as scheduled.
But the coach admits he’s had constant conversations with general manager Chris Ballard on how the rest of the summer, as well as the 2020 regular season, could play out.
Until anyone knows what will happen, it’s a matter of trust. The players must trust Ballard and Reich have planned for every possible contingency. And Ballard and Reich trust the players will be ready for anything.
“The approach the whole offseason has been it’s going to be a normal offseason. We’re going to start (OTAs on) April 20,” Reichs said. “We did start April 20. We couldn’t be together, but we had a plan to start April 20 and we started April 20. Our plan is we’re going to start training camp on time. We’re going to play four preseason games and then we’re starting Week 1 against Jacksonville – so be ready for that. Let’s not be caught by surprise by what is normal because right now, what is normal is everything that is not normal. Let’s not be surprised and caught off guard if all of a sudden, the NFL says, ‘Hey, by the way, we’re on.’
“The last thing I would say about that is as the head coach, the only thing I do is I assure the guys that we have made a plan for every contingency that we can possible think of that the NFL will bring us. Chris and I sit down and talk about this stuff day and night. I sit and talk about it and plan it with the coaches – particularly the coordinators – how we’re going to install what we’re going to do, all those things. The players need to trust us and I think they do trust us that whatever we have to do to adjust as leadership, we’ll do. We need to trust them that they will be ready mentally and physically. We do trust them.”
The NFL sent a Monday memo to teams that outlined protocols and procedures for when players report to facilities. That included everyone needing to wear masks at all times, setting up a social-distancing space of six feet between lockers as well as other areas such as weight rooms and the cafeteria, and how everything from shoulder pads and mouthpieces to field turf will require daily inspection.
The memo announced a three-tiered system for personnel and their access to areas in the building as well as the implementation of an Infection Disease Emergency Response (IDER) Plan for how to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak.
How teams should handle testing and treatment of an infected player in addition to team travel guidelines are still being discussed, per the memo.
“So here’s the calendar,” Reich said. “Obviously, this is all subject to change but I’ll give you guys what I have. This is our last week of Zoom OTAs so to speak. Then the next week, I believe the players are doing something to get together on their own, but that’s what I’m hearing – to do some things and work out some stuff. Not only on a smaller scale but on a bigger scale, but I don’t know how that’s going to play out. So, they’re working on a couple things.
“I’m going to leave a two-week window after this week for position coaches to have one-on-one Zoom meetings with young players. Even though we’re finished and there will be no team meetings, there will still be some positional meetings for two more weeks after this week just on a as-needed basis more so with the focus on the young guys. Then July 22is the tentative start date for our rookies to return to camp. Then (Mike Chappell) as you said, July 28 is the tentative report date for the vets.”
Reich smiled and said he wasn’t in a rush for coaches to return to the complex because the Colts have smoothly adjusted to the virtual offseason routine.
“Yeah we are in a rhythm,” he said. “With only really one more week of team stuff going – some guys have been in, a few guys have been and will be in and out this week. But really putting the emphasis on staying in the same rhythm. Really what guys are going in for is more to kind of make sure they have everything for the summer – any last notes or things they need to bring with them for getting away for a few weeks. That’s really been the focus. We’ll be in and out a little bit, but we’ll mostly stay in the same rhythm.”
Reich admitted this offseason has been a challenge, but he’s stayed upbeat and confident the Colts have put in the necessary work to be prepared.
“I’m not going to say it was easy,” he said. “It’s never easy, but what makes it exciting and what makes the challenge exciting is A) the organization – having the support of the organization including Chris Ballard and I being lockstep in everything that we do.
“Then really more importantly, it’s the leadership of our players. How do you overcome adversity? I can promise you it’s not any one speech. Sometimes we give long speeches like today. There is a time and a place and sometimes it’s the right time, sometimes it’s not. In the course of when you go through things, we’ll talk about things, but it’s not the speeches it’s the action. The dialogue is important and the dialogue from our players is important on how we’re going to respond whether it’s a 1-5 start or what we’re going through right now or whether it’s the COVID thing. The dialogue and participation of the players is really central and important.”
(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)
