Indianapolis Colts Football

NFL Combine: Carson Wiggs

Representing the only player from Indiana or Purdue University at this week’s NFL Combine, Boilermakers kicker Carson Wiggs is taking a brief break from his second semester senior year to pursue the next level.

With 12 hours left to graduate, Wiggs is hoping to write the next chapter of his life on the NFL gridiron.

“Senior year (of high school) when I was getting recruited, I realized football was working out for me and I had a chance at the college level,” Wiggs said. “The NFL crept into the back of my mind and it got bigger every day.”

That chance has turned into a reality as Wiggs finished his four-year career at Purdue as the program’s all-team leading field goal kicker percentage wise.

Wiggs has one of the strongest legs of any kicker eligible for the draft and kicked a 67-yarder during Purdue’s Spring Game in 2011.

The 67-yard field goal would have tied an NCAA record and the Texas native would go on to make his final nine field goals of his 2011 season.

One of the unique aspects that Wiggs brings with him to this week’s combine is he spent time as a kicker and a punter at Purdue.

“I always sit down at the table and hear, ‘Oh, we get a dual threat guy’ which is good for me to hear that they are actually noticing that,” Wiggs said. “If I do make a team, I can step in, and if the punter gets hurt, I can step in and get it done.”

Still two months away from the NFL Draft, Wiggs said he is hearing that he could be a seventh round pick but just the opportunity to have his name called is an accomplishment in itself.

“It just blows my mind that I could get drafted,” Wiggs said. “Watching those guys in New York get drafted, obviously I’m not going to be there, but just seeing that kind of situation that I have a chance to be in similar shoes that they are is very exciting.”

Kevin Bowen
24 February 2012

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS COMPLETE COACHING STAFF WITH ADDITIONS

Chuck Pagano – Head Coach

Bruce Arians – Offensive Coordinator

Greg Manusky – Defensive Coordinator

Harold Goodwin – Offensive Line

Joe Gilbert – Asst. Offensive Line

Charlie Williams – WRs

Alfredo Roberts – TEs

Gary Emanuel – Defensive Line

Jeff FitzGerald – LBs

Mike Gillhamer – Secondary

Roy Anderson – Secondary/Safeties

Marwan Maalouf – Special Teams

Brant Boyer – Asst. Special Teams

Roger Marandino -  Strength and Conditioning

Frank Giufre – Quality Control Offense

Brad White – Quality Control Defense

Be sure to check Colts.com in the coming hours for full bios, pictures, and more!

Misguided Fans, in Their Effort to Save Peyton, Disrespects Andrew Luck

Every week Colts.com features a blog written by one of our fans. This week’s blog was submitted by UndecidedFrog

A website is selling t-shirts that proudly states:

“Who needs Luck when we have Manning” in bold white lettering on a Colts-Blue background.

I was wondering if this is the message that Indianapolis Colts fans want to send to a highly-rated draft QB prospect that the team is considering as a candidate for their number 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft. How should Andrew Luck react to such a sentiment? Should he make himself available to be drafted by a team whose fans feel that he is not needed? Should he consider providing the Colts with an Eli-Manning-like statement similar to how one highly-rated Stanford QB once did? How could any of this be in the best interests of the Colts?

Maybe a better question to ask these Colts fans is: Why do you think that Peyton Manning’s nerve can be regenerated faster/better by disrespecting a draft prospect being considered by the Colts? If the Colts end up drafting Mr. Luck, is this the kind of welcome reception that the Colts fans would be proud to provide?

Peyton Manning’s nerve will or will not regenerate to the point where he can throw like the pre-injury Peyton Manning. Drafting Andrew Luck will have nothing to do with that.

I think it is time to stop the histrionics. We should recognize that our emotions are running away from us, and that cooler heads need to prevail. Otherwise the resultant damage may be incalculable. Shame on us.

Indiana Connections

6 February 2012

Kevin Bowen

Colts.com takes a look back at the games of the players with Indiana connections at Super Bowl XLVI.

New York Giants

James Brewer-The rookie offensive tackle from Indiana University was inactive for Sunday’s game.

Mathias Kiwanuka-The Indianapolis native finally tasted the playing field during a Super Bowl after missing the Giants 17-14 victory over the Patriots back in 2008. Kiwanuka attended Cathedral High School in Indianapolis before moving on to Boston College University.

-“It’s a great city and then to have everybody talking so great about Indianapolis, hospitality, organization, all that kind of stuff is amazing,” Kiwanuka said after the game.

Justin Tuck-The Notre Dame product made his presence felt on his first snap of the game by pressuring Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in route to a safety. It was just the seventh safety in Super Bowl history. Tuck had both of the Giants sacks on Sunday night including one on the game’s final drive.

Steve Weatherford-For the Terre Haute native, it was definitely a week and game to remember. Three of Weatherford’s four punts were downed inside the 10-yard line, which is a Super Bowl record.

-“I can’t wait to share the rest of this with everybody back home,” Weatherford said. “This is so special, especially to do it back here.”

New England Patriots

Sergio Brown-The second year safety out of Notre Dame played on all four special teams units for the Patriots and did not record a tackle.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis-The former Indiana University running back was a key cog on two of the Patriots scoring drives. On the Patriots opening scoring drive, Green-Ellis carried the ball three times and had a catch for seven yards. To start the second half, once again Green-Ellis was productive with an eight-yard grab and a 17-yard run, the longest of the evening for the Patriots. He finished the game with seven carries for 37 yards and two catches for 15 yards.

Matt Light-The Purdue University (1996-2000) left tackle started his fourth Super Bowl blocking the blindside for quarterback Tom Brady on Sunday.

Niko Koutouvides-Playing in his second Super Bowl (Seattle in 2006), Koutouvides did not record a tackle in special teams appearances. The Patriots linebacker played his college football at Purdue University from 2000-2003.

Rob Ninkovich-Playing on the defensive line for a majority of the game, the former Purdue linebacker (2004-2006) had four tackles and a half sack. His half sack came late in the third quarter on a 3^rd and 8, which forced a Giants field goal.

Madonna

Kevin Bowen

​As the Giants and Patriots headed to the locker room at halftime in a one-point game, the two teams cleared the field for Academy Award winning singer Madonna to take the stage for the Super Bowl XLVI halftime performance.

​Under dimmed lights at Lucas Oil Stadium, Madonna and a group of dancers dazzled the crowd during halftime.

​Madonna wasn’t alone in the act as throughout the show other musical artists including Cee Lo Green, LMFAO, M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj took their turn singing with the 53-year old native of Michigan.

​Support staff worked frantically to set up the stage and surroundings for Madonna’s performance.

​The 31-minute halftime is more than double the time of a normal halftime during the regular season of 12 minutes.

​The final song Madonna performed before the crowd was ‘Like a Prayer’ with the words ‘World Peace’ spelled out at the conclusion of the song.

​

Super Bowl Parties

                    Kevin Bowen

5 February 2012

​With Super Bowl week nearing an end, the last few parties before the main event took place Sunday afternoon at the Indiana Convention Center.

​NBC Sports hosted a party for various advertising clines and other friends of the company in the SagamoreBallroom.

​Live music accompanied those attending the party, which was held in the largest ballroom in the state of Indiana.​

​Along with all the food and drinks one could imagine, guests also could entertain themselves by playing foosball, ping-pong and pop-a-shot basketball in the lobby area.

​The largest gathering place in the Convention Center on Sunday was the Super Bowl XLVI Tailgate 2012 party.

​A handful of exhibit halls were decorated for thousands of fans with tailgate passes and game tickets.

​The party included chances to have your picture taken with the Lombardi Trophy, observe past Super Bowl rings and mimic walking across the stage at a mock NFL Draft.

​Fans were decked out in their Giants and Patriots gear and toured the different rooms while getting a taste of some NFL history in the exhibits.

​Once again live music was a big hit at the party as The Fray performed in front of the crowd.

​The Indiana Convention Center also housed the Game Day Fan Plaza that was open to ticket holders and was held in the tented area that was previously for the NFL Experience during the week.

​

​

Steve Weatherford

 Kevin Bowen

3 February 2012

 Steve Weatherford shuns the typical stereotype surrounding punters.

A three-sport athlete in high school, Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes calls his holder the ‘best pound-for-pound’ athlete on New York’s roster.

That athleticism has brought Weatherford back to the state where he excelled in high school playing four sports and setting school records at Terre Haute North.

“I’m so excited,” Weatherford said. “What an opportunity, what a blessing, to do it in pretty much my home town is amazing.”

Born in Crown Point, Indiana, Weatherford lived in Louisiana until the age of 13. His family then moved to Terre Haute where Weatherford starred in high school before accepting a scholarship to the University of Illinois.

Terre Haute has put up a billboard wishing luck to Weatherford and the Giants. Since joining the NFL seven years ago, Weatherford has been active in giving back to the Terre Haute community.

After each game he often packages up little used cleats or other various clothing and equipment items he sees lying around the locker to send them back to Indiana.

“They gave so much to me,” Weatherford said of Terre Haute. “Being from Terre Haute with the poverty level double the state average there’s a lot of people in need, and there’s a lot of good people there that support me there and they were influential in my sports career and my upbringing. To be able to have the opportunity to be put in the position to give back so generously is a no brainer for me.”

On Sunday, Weatherford will have another opportunity to give back by capturing his first Super Bowl Title.

Weatherford said when the Super Bowl 2012 bid was announced years ago for Indianapolis his grandmother said how ‘cool’ it would be to watch her son play just 75 miles away from Terre Haute.

At the time Weatherford laughed off the pipedream but after the Giants have rattled off five in a row to end the regular season and start the playoffs his grandmother’s afterthought is 60 minutes away from becoming a reality.

James Brewer

Kevin Bowen

3 February 2012

 One year of high school football.

That is all Giants offensive tackle James Brewer needed to earn a plethora of major Division 1 scholarships before ultimately signing with Indiana University.

A basketball player early in his high school career, Brewer said Arlington High School Athletic Director Larry Nicks convinced the 6-foot 8-inch senior to hit the gridiron for his final year.

With only one year of game film to show potential suitors, Brewer is curious what might have happened if he put the pads on earlier in his career.

“I do wonder, but at the same I think it worked out it how it was supposed to,” Brewer said of playing just one year of high school football. “I think if anything I probably could have gotten some more exposure at the high school level but I definitely wouldn’t have changed anything.”

Brewer battled injuries at IU but started 21 games in his final two seasons before being drafted in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Returning to Indianapolis this weekend, Brewer is perfectly fine with the circumstances he is under in coming home.

“To be back home for a cause such as the Super Bowl as opposed to coming home because the season is over is an added bonus,” Brewer said.

Along with linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, Brewer makes up the only two Indianapolis natives in the Super Bowl

“My mother works downtown so I was able to go hangout with her and see her yesterday,” Brewer said. “It’s just nice to be home in a comfortable setting.”

Five years ago Brewer was getting his first taste of competitive football and now the rookie has the chance to play for the Lombardi Trophy in his hometown.

“My main focus was first making the team and learning as much as I could,” Brewer said. “Coming out of the lockout I wasn’t even thinking about the Super Bowl, I was thinking I’ve got to learn my plays. The past couple of weeks have truly been really awesome.”

Posted by: Kevin Bowen

Purdue meet New England

 Kevin Bowen

3 February 2012

It is a unique connection.

Purdue meet New England. New England meet Purdue.

With three players hailing from West Lafayette, Purdue is tied with the University of Florida for the most players from one college on the Patriots roster.

Left tackle Matt Light is the longest tenured Boilermaker that will wear a Patriots uniform on Sunday.

He has blocked the blindside for Patriot quarterbacks in 153 of the past 155 regular season games.

The three-time Pro Bowler’s accolades extends back to his days at Purdue when he was a two-time All-Big Ten selection.

In his final season as a Boilermaker, Light helped lead Purdue to its first Big Ten Championship since 1967.

Light’s career at Purdue ended in 2000 and overlapped just one season with linebacker Niko Koutouvides.

Flash forward to 2011 and the two former Boilermakers have been re-united in another championship run.

When linebacker Niko Koutouvides got the call he had been waiting for this season, he was out working in his yard.

Koutouvides had been waiting for that call for two months after the Patriots cut him on Sept. 3.

The former All-Big 10 linebacker at Purdue has made the most of his opportunity to re-join the Patriots.

He is expected to play on all special teams units this Sunday while playing in his second ever Super Bowl (played with Seattle in 2006).

“You started your career here and now you’re back trying to win a Super Bowl here,” Koutouvides said of being back in Indiana. “It’s awesome. You see some similar places. You see some people you haven’t seen in a while. It’s a fun experience.”

The occasional smack talk goes around the Patriots locker room involving the three Boilermakers.

A fourth round draft pick of Seattle in 2004, Koutouvides started 32 games during his four years at Purdue.

For Koutouvides the chance to play for the Super Bowl would not have been possible without his tenure in West Lafaytte.

“The opportunity to play was there right away,” Koutouvides said. “I didn’t redshirt so I came in and actually played. The education was there. When I went there I met with the coaches and I felt like that was the spot to me.”

Posted by: Kevin Bowen

Rob Ninkovich

Kevin Bowen

3 February 2012

For Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich the road from construction worker to Super Bowl starter isn’t one travelled by many of the players that will take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.

A stop at Joliet Junior College preceded Ninkovich’s career at Purdue University which helped pave the way to a member of the Patriots linebacker corps.

The days of junior college seems like light years away for Ninkovich as he fielded questions at Super Media Day on Tuesday.

Prior to deciding to attend Joliet Junior College, Ninkovich worked from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. during the summer with his dad’s construction company.

Even though he will be on the game’s grandest stage come this weekend he will never forget what he has gone through for the opportunity that presents itself on Sunday.

“Coming out of high school I really wasn’t the biggest guy so I had to put on some weight, really develop, mature,” Ninkovich said. “That was the best option for me was to go to JJC and it made you really appreciate everything because I had my high school pads on. I had to buy my cleats, one pair of gloves the whole season, drive to practice every day, drive to games. It really just made me more hungry to continue.”

After two seasons at Joliet, Ninkovich made the move to Division 1 electing to play at Purdue University.  During Ninkovich’s two seasons in West Lafayette, he made five starts and was named second team All-Big Ten during his senior year.

Despite playing behind future NFL defensive ends Ray Edwards and Anthony Spencer, Ninkovich’s dream never wavered.

“I think that Purdue is obviously a great program and we’ve got a lot of guys in the NFL, a lot of defensive ends that were a little bit undersized and moved to the outside linebacker spot,” Ninkovich said. “It’s a great school, and I had great memories of being at Purdue.”

A native of Blue Island, Ill., Ninkovich will be playing just a few hours away from his hometown this weekend.

Ticket demand has been high for Ninkovich but he cut the list at five before the chaos became too immense.

“Just my family, mom, dad, sister, nephew, fiancé that’s it, because once you give a ticket to a cousin, everybody else wants one too, can’t open the floodgates,” Ninkovich said.

The professional career for Ninkovich has also been well traveled as he has bounced with three teams since 2007 before finding his niche in New England.

He has started every game this season at outside linebacker and now he hopes all the hard work will lead to the opportunity to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

“I’ve always had to prove people wrong I guess,” Ninkovich said. “My whole life I’ve been turning heads, guys just kind of overlook you and you go out there and just perform, because really your performance is what defines you as a player.”

Posted by: Kevin Bowen