Quick Hits: Kevin Mawae Joining Colts 'Just Felt Right'

Among all the coaching additions the Indianapolis Colts have made this year, one stands out above the rest when it comes to notoriety.

New assistant offensive line coach Kevin Mawae joins forces with Colts offensive line coach Chris Strausser after 16 years in the NFL as a center with the Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans.

Since then, Mawae has gotten into the coaching ranks, entering his fifth year, previously working as an assistant offensive line coach with the Chicago Bears and an offensive analyst with Arizona State University.

Mawae recently spoke with reporters for the first time since joining the Colts.

These are the quick hits.

Mawae has been working his way up to this opportunity: Mawae unexpectedly entered coaching after his playing career, and he's worked his way up in that time.

Ultimately, when he foresaw an opportunity opening up with the Colts, he reached out to Colts head coach Frank Reich.

I’m excited about this opportunity. When I retired after the 2009 season, I dabbled in coaching waiting for my kids to get out of high school and an opportunity opened up. I went to training camp with the Bears in ’16 and they hired me for the season. Then that gig ran out, ended up at ASU because my daughter was recruited there. I tried to make my way up the ranks. I was really excited about being at ASU, and this opportunity came about and I couldn’t turn it down.

Full circle now, being back in the NFL is something we’re really excited about. My wife and I were like – everybody talks about the NFL grind for 20-something weeks but it’s a schedule that we’re very familiar with being a former player. It’s all ball and I’m excited about it. Back in the AFC South, so I’m sure I’ll get some glares and snares when I go down south to some of those teams but I’m looking forward to it...

I didn’t know Frank. I sent him a cold text when I heard that Klayton (Adams) might be leaving. Ironically enough, Klayton was going to take the job at ASU that I thought I was going to get, so through a mutual friend of mine and Frank’s I got his cell phone, shot him a text and said, ‘Hey, I know Klayton is leaving. I would be interested.’ He said, ‘If that happens, hit me back up.’

Well it happened 24 hours later and then of course we kind of started talking on the phone. It was the first time I’d ever talked to him. I knew of him. I grew up in college when he played in the Super Bowl with the Buffalo Bills, so I knew of him as a player. I kind of missed him by a year when he was with the Jets and I got there as a player. But the first time we were on the phone, we hit it off. I think we are like-minded in both what we believe in personally and professionally. It just worked. I can’t explain it to you other than it just felt right. It’s the same thing Frank kept telling me. He goes, ‘I don’t know, this just feels right.’ I was pretty happy about that.

I had a couple loose relationships within the building. I had met Coach Chris Strausser through Howard Mudd, whom I played for. Then I was very close teammates with Dave Thornton who is in-house as well. Other than that, it was a cold text to a guy I never met before but who I’ve respected as a coach and as a player over the past.

One conversation led to another, to another. I finally talked to Chris Ballard and then got an interview and it just worked out. I know the biggest thing that I’ve learned about this organization is about the right fit and about having the right people at the right place and the culture and continuing that culture that Frank and this staff has built. I’m just fortunate that Frank felt like I fit the culture of this program and hopefully I can bring some positivity and bring some good stuff to this team.

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

Mawae knows a good center when he sees one, and the Colts have one in Ryan Kelly: As a Hall-of-Fame center, Mawae gets to work with a center who's no slouch himself in All-Pro Ryan Kelly.

I think he’s a great player. I’ve watched him – I’m an LSU guy, so I don’t like him from that standpoint because he’s an Alabama kid but he was a great player coming out of college and he has all the tools to be a pretty special player, a unique player. He’s a smart guy. I watched him on film, and I know what he is capable of doing but he’s a guy that could be that pivot guy for many years in this league.

Shifting spots isn't as easy as it seems for offensive linemen: There has been a good amount of talk regarding Colts offensive linemen moving to left tackle this offseason, whether it's left guard Quenton Nelson or right tackle Braden Smith. Mawae explained the difficulty of such a move.

I just think in general, not specifically about this team but just in general, it’s not as easy as everybody thinks it is. I think everybody is like, ‘Just plug them in at guard.’ Well that just doesn’t happen like that.

I think there are unique tools and attributes that a guard has to have versus a tackle and a center and just to plug and play is not the right way to go about it. I think obviously, you want to put the best five guys on the field talent wise but also you want to put the best five combination out there. I know that is what the goal is of this organization and we have some talented offensive linemen. It has been fun watching their film and getting to meet them as they trickle in and out of the building from time to time.

It’s not as easy as saying, ‘Move this guy to that spot.’ There is a comfortability level athletic wise. There are guys that can do it and then mentally wise there are some guys that can and can’t. There is always that challenge. But I think the biggest goal of any organization is to make sure you have the best five guys available that work the best together.

What are your thoughts on Mawae being added to the Colts coaching staff? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!

Follow Jake on Twitter and Facebook @JakeArthurNFL.

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and Twitter.

Add us as a preferred source on Google