Colts Hire Award-Winning Defensive Line Coach
It looks like the Indianapolis Colts have found a new defensive line coach according to Football Scoop.
"The Colts are hiring one of college football's best defensive line coaches," Football Scoop broke on X. "Charlie Partridge was selected twice by prior winners the FootballScoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year in '20 & '22."
Partridge has been a defensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers since 2017. He added co-defensive coordinator to his responsibilities in 2018.
While Aaron Donald preceded him at Pitt, Partridge had his hand in the development of several outstanding players for the Panthers.
According to Partridge's Pittsburgh Panthers Bio:
Partridge has twice been recognized by FootballScoop as the National Defensive Line Coach of the Year. He was the 2022 honoree after overseeing the development of tackle Calijah Kancey, a unanimous All-American and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.Kancey led the nation’s interior defenders with 14.5 tackles for loss. He was the only player in the country to be selected a 2022 finalist for both the Outland Trophy (nation’s best interior lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (national defensive player of the year).Kancey was selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Additionally, Partridge’s starting defensive end duo of Deslin Alexandre (New York Jets) and Habakkuk Baldonado (New York Giants) signed NFL contracts. Partridge was also honored by FootballScoop in 2020, when he produced the country's top defensive end duo in Patrick Jones II and Rashad Weaver. Both players earned consensus All-America honors—the first time since 1977 that Pitt had two defensive players earn consensus status in the same season. In 2019, tackle Jaylen Twyman was named a second team All-American by six different outlets after compiling a team-high 10.5 sacks. -- Pittsburgh Panthers
Partridge will have plenty of talent to work with in Indianapolis after taking over for former defensive line coach Nate Ollie, whose contract was not renewed this offseason. Grover Stewart is a priority free agent for the Colts, and DeForest Buckner is one of the best interior defensive linemen in football.
