Indianapolis Colts Football

ANDREW LUCK AND REGGIE WAYNE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF SECOND-YEAR RECEIVERS

Posted by Kevin Bowen on June 13, 2013 – 7:30 am

There is a quartet of second-year receivers who Reggie Wayne labeled as “smurfs” last season.

Yes, the group might be small in stature but when it comes to production, Wayne knows their importance in 2013 and beyond.

Wayne has spoken to the young speedsters and the message was brief, but powerful.

“Just to get better,” Wayne said.

“We don’t have room right now to stay the same. You want to see everybody continue to grow, get better and build off of the year that they had last year.

Wayne includes himself in that group, yet it’s obvious that the other receivers have a ways to go before they achieve the numbers that No. 87 has piled up in 13 seasons.

During OTAs, LaVon Brazill, T.Y. Hilton, Nathan Palmer and Griff Whalen have all seen ample playing time with the first unit.

For Brazill, it’s his first full offseason after academic obligations forced him to miss OTAs last season.

Hilton has been a frequent target of Andrew Luck’s the past month and the electric receiver/returner has put on some weight this offseason in an effort to sustain an entire NFL season.

Similar to Brazill, Palmer is getting his first taste of an offseason with the Colts after he was signed off the 49ers practice squad last September.

Then there’s Whalen, who feels right at home in an offense he played in at Stanford while also feeling healthy after a foot injury sidelined him in 2012.

Luck was not bashful when describing how important his fellow second-year targets will be come September.

“Incredibly,” Luck said. “They are going to be a big, big part of this offense. They were a big part of it last year. They caught a lot of balls, a lot of big balls. For us to be productive we are going to have to have every man on the offensive side of the ball contribute.”

Just two lockers down from Luck, Wayne nods is head in agreement when he hears the need for young receivers to continue to grow.

Expectations in the Colts locker room include plans to play into late January and beyond.

For that to happen, it’s going to take a collective effort from players young and “old.”

“As a team, we set that bar so high, it is going to be tough. But if there is anybody that can do it, it is this coaching staff, it’s these guys in this locker room, it’s this whole organization,” Wayne said of the team’s lofty aspirations.

“We feel like we can go out there and can get better and have a better outcome this year.”

Tags: Andrew Luck, Griff Whalen, LaVon Brazill, nathan palmer, Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton
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COLTS DAILY HEADLINES: JUNE 7TH EDITION

Posted by Kevin Bowen on June 7, 2013 – 8:58 am

Each morning Colts.com will take a look at the top headlines surrounding the Indianapolis Colts from around the globe. What is the local and national media saying about the Colts?

Take a look below at the top five pieces from Friday, June 7^th.

Colts welcome arrival of Wayne for offseason work

By: Mike Marot Associated Press

Marot takes a look at the 34-year old Wayne and how the six-time Pro Bowler is adjusting to another offseason with new faces and a new scheme.

With faces continuing to change around Wayne, he remains one of the most experienced Colts on the entire roster.

“The last few years my main focus on Day 1 has been just getting to know my teammates, getting to know their names, getting to figure out where everybody comes from and then going into the playbook because at the end of the day, you are out there with them and they are out there with you and you are doing whatever you got to do for each other. So I think it would be bad to go out there and not know the guy next to you, his first and last name,” Wayne said. “It has been a challenge, but I’m getting it done. It’s a little new to me still, but it’s cool.”

Finding the Fits: John Boyett could be solution to Colts’ secondary

By: Rob Rang, CBS Sports

CBS Sports is taking a look at some of the more intriguing draft picks from this April’s draft and Boyett fits the mold for Indianapolis.

Rang analyzes Boyett’s knee injuries that are currently holding him out of OTAs and how that will impact his future at the safety position.

As a sixth-round pick, Boyett isn’t likely to overtake Antoine Bethea or Landry as a starting safety for the Colts this season. His reliable open-field tackling and passion, however, could make him a special teams demon and valuable backup as a rookie. Considering that Landry hasn’t started all 16 games since 2008, Boyett’s readiness could be tested earlier than anyone expects.

The article also takes a look at first round pick Bjoern Werner and fifth round selection Montori Hughes.

Indianapolis Colts must run the ball better in 2013

By: Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star

On a day when the Colts news centered around Ahmad Bradshaw visiting the team’s complex, Chappell took a look at the running back position in Indianapolis.

For more than a decade, the Colts have been more prone to go through the air than carving up yardage on the ground.

While the attempts are one thing, Colts coaches look at another stat when evaluating the running game.

“It’s not necessarily how many yards we rush for, it’s … how efficient we are when we’re doing certain things,” said running backs coach David Walker. “If we run it 30 times but only gain 30 yards, we really didn’t do much.

“If we run it 30 times with 120, 130 (yards), then we’ve probably won the game and allowed other parts of our offense to open up.”

Ahmad Bradshaw, if healthy, would boost Colts’ running game

By: Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star

In Chappell’s blog, he takes a closer look at Bradshaw and how his potential addition may impact the Colts backfield.

Chappell believes that Bradshaw would “bolster” the position and says the following about the former Giants running back.

Bradshaw, 27, is a proven commodity. He rushed for 4,232 yards and 32 touchdowns in six seasons with the Giants, and topped the 1,000-yard mark in two of his last three seasons (1,015 yards in 2012, a career-high 1,235 in ’10).

Breakout Player to Watch: Vick Ballard

By: Chris Burke, Sports Illustrated

Burke is running a series on players he expects to breakout in 2013 and Ballard was one of his selections.

The article takes a look at a number of reasons on why Burke believes Ballard’s numbers will rise in 2013, including being involved in Pep Hamilton’s scheme.

Simply entering the season as the No. 1 back puts Ballard in position for a statistical boost. Ballard averaged just 5.8 carries per game and a measly 13.4 yards from Weeks 1 through 5; over the Colts’ final 11 contests, those numbers bumped to 16.5 and 67.9, respectively. Those averages, extrapolated out over a full season, put Ballard at nearly 1,100 yards.

How underrated? Well, just for discussion’s sake, Ballard was the 31st running back taken in Sports Illustrated‘s offseason fantasy mock draft (on shelves in our annual Fantasy Football magazine soon), behind such players as Baltimore backup Bernard Pierce, oft-injured Chargers starter Ryan Mathews, rookies Le’Veon Bell and Eddie Lacy, and unproven Jets back Chris Ivory.

Ballard has a very realistic shot to soar past the production of any player listed there — his 67.9 yards-per-game average in his final 11 outings would have been a top-20 mark were it not for his lack of carries in games 1 through 5.

The Colts have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Joseph Addai ran for 1,072 yards back in 2007. If he stays healthy and the Colts do not freeze him out of the offense, Ballard should break that drought.

Tags: ahmad bradshaw, Andrew Luck, antoine bethea, Bjoern Werner, David Walker, Delone Carter, donald brown, Hugh Thornton, john boyett, justice cunningham, kerwynn williams, khaled holmes, laron landry, Montori Hughes, Pep Hamilton, Reggie Wayne, vick ballard
Posted in Colts Blog, COLTS DAILY HEADLINES | No Comments »

COLTS DAILY HEADLINES: JUNE 6TH EDITION

Posted by Kevin Bowen on June 6, 2013 – 8:51 am

Each morning Colts.com will take a look at the top headlines surrounding the Indianapolis Colts from around the globe. What is the local and national media saying about the Colts?

Take a look below at the top five pieces from Thursday, June 6^th.

Colts looking for improvement at receiver

By: Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star

Chappell takes a look at a pair of second-year receivers in T.Y. Hilton and LaVon Brazill and what they bring to the receiver position in 2013.

Hilton was at the top, or near it, in virtually every rookie receiving category but there’s one area he is looking to improve this fall.

“Right now I’m focusing on my drops from last year,” he said Wednesday. “I had way too many. That’s not like me.”

“That’s what bothered me,” he said. “I rarely drop passes. When they happen, I really get down on myself.”

Chappell’s notebook also takes a look at Brazill moving down in the locker room next to 13-year veteran Reggie Wayne.

Old Wayne learning new tricks with Colts

By: George Bremer, Anderson Herald Bulletin

Reggie Wayne was back in Indianapolis on Wednesday to take part in this week’s portion of OTAs for the Colts.

Over his 13 years in the NFL, Wayne has bounced back and forth between Miami and Indianapolis during this time of year but this week he felt the need to be up north.

It’s the second season that Wayne has worked with quarterback Andrew Luck and the Pro Bowl receiver continues to be amazed about how developed the signal caller is at the age of 23.

“He’s my quarterback so I’m going to be biased,” Wayne said. “It’s like he’s a seven-, eight-, nine-year vet. He’s handled everything extraordinarily well. He’s doing a great job. He’s talking in meetings, and he has a little hand up on everybody with this offense, and that’s even better. But he’s doing what a quarterback should. He’s being a leader and showing everybody what to do.”

Last year, Wayne talked about how the season made him feel young again with all the new faces and a new offensive scheme.

The calendar might have turned to 2013 but that feeling still runs deep with Wayne and he’s eager for a strong 2013.

“Last year opened my eyes a little bit,” Wayne said. “A lot of people think since you’ve got a young team, you are not going to do so well. But we were able to show a couple people what a young team can do. And I feel like we can do the same thing this year. If I’m not mistaken, we got like 32, 36 new faces again. So we just got to follow that same diagram as last year. And we got to top that one.”

Colts Notebook: Young WRs making strides

By: George Bremer, Anderson Herald Bulletin

In Bremer’s notebook, he also takes a look at the young receivers and how vital they will be in the Colts offense.

“They are going to be a big, big part of this offense,” Luck said of the young receivers. “They were a big part last year. They caught a lot of balls, a lot of big balls. For us to be productive, we are going to have to have every man on the offensive side of the ball contribute.”

Bremer goes on to share Colts first round pick Bjoern Werner’s excitement to head to Lucas Oil Stadium next Wednesday for the open minicamp practice.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “It’s the first time in the stadium so I can’t wait just to be in there. It’s the first time fans can see me practice, pretty pumped up.”

Colts in harmony with new coordinator Hamilton

By: Tom James, Terre Haute Tribune

The theme of Wednesday’s ninth OTA was Luck and Wayne, and James followed suit with a look at the progress of the offense in general.

“I think we’re rolling. I definitely think that we’ll take advantage of the rest of the OTAs [organized team activities] and what we have left. But heading into [mandatory] mini-camp [next week] will be big for us,” the Colts’ signal-caller said after Wednesday’s team workout.

“It will be nice to be out there. It’s been a positive segment so far. Let’s finish this segment [OTA workouts] out well and go to the next one [mandatory mini-camp].”

James also throws in notes about Bjoern Werner hanging out with the German National Soccer team and Andrew Luck’s trip to London.

Tags: Andrew Luck, Bjoern Werner, LaVon Brazill, Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton
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YOUNG COLTS RECEIVERS GET CHANCE TO SHINE DURING OTAs

Posted by Kevin Bowen on May 31, 2013 – 7:40 am

A total of 18 years of NFL experience was missing from the Colts wide receiver corps on Wednesday afternoon.

With Darrius Heyward-Bey and Reggie Wayne not participating in the Colts fifth OTA, the opportunity was there for first and second year receivers to make an impression with the first unit.

T.Y. Hilton highlighted the afternoon but it was a couple of other second year receivers who relished the chance to work extensively with Andrew Luck.

“Right now it’s valuable to get into a good relationship with Andrew,” LaVon Brazill said. “With DHB and Reggie not here, that will just build our confidence and build the trust with Andrew.”

Brazill caught 11 passes for 186 yards in his rookie campaign but now is in the process of learning a new offensive scheme in his first full set of OTAs after balancing school last offseason.

The offense is still a learning process for Brazill but he has shown flashes with some impressive catches over the past month.

CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF WEDNESDAY’S OTA

At the other end of the locker room is fellow second year receiver Nathan Palmer.

Last season, Palmer joined the Colts off the 49ers practice squad in late September and played in five games as an undrafted free agent.

Palmer feels like he’s on even ground in 2013 as he enters his first offseason with an offense virtually all at the same learning curve.

“I get to start fresh with everybody, instead of just right into the fire into the middle of things,” Palmer said. “I get to learn the offense from the ground-up, on the same pace as everyone else.”

Before long DHB and Wayne will return and the young, speedy receivers will be blended in with the veterans to complete Luck’s targets.

But for Wednesday, it was a youth movement on the Colts practice field and that was just fine with Palmer.

“Anytime you get a chance to step up in the absence of guys that are starting, it’s a good time to get out there, get more reps than you normally don’t get and just try to take advantage of the opportunity that you have,” Palmer said.

Tags: Andrew Luck, darrius heyward-bey, LaVon Brazill, nathan palmer, Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton
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COLTS WITH TWO FANTASTIC GRABS AMONG NFL’S TOP 100 PLAYS FROM 2012

Posted by Kevin Bowen on May 22, 2013 – 7:40 am

Beginning a little over two weeks ago, “NFL AM” started a countdown of the top 100 plays from the 2012 season. The morning show on NFL Network airs every weekday at 6 a.m. and this week will end with the top 50 plays left.

The Colts have already found themselves on the list twice with the entries below.

99. Hilton scores go-ahead touchdown

-During his stellar rookie campaign, it was Hilton’s speed that usually highlighted his touchdown catches. But in this instance, the 5-9 receiver showcased his leaping ability in out jumping a pair of Dolphins defensive backs for a 36-yard touchdown to give the Colts a 20-17 lead late in the third quarter, in a game that pitted two teams with 4-3 records in the thick of the AFC playoff picture.

81. Wayne doesn’t need two hands

-There was just something about those orange gloves on that early October afternoon. Wayne set a career-high with 13 catches for 212 yards with this one-handed snag among the highlights. On a third-and-six, Wayne got past All-Pro cornerback Charles Woodson and was able to locate the ball while extending his left hand to haul in Andrew Luck’s pass.

Tags: Andrew Luck, Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton
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ANDREW LUCK JOINS NFL NETWORK CREW FOR INTERVIEW ON OTA’s

Posted by Kevin Bowen on May 10, 2013 – 7:50 am

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was a guest on NFL Network’s Total Access on Wednesday evening for an interview with Scott Hanson.

This time last season Luck was balancing finishing up courses at Stanford while trying to find time for his first round of OTAs at the NFL level.

In 2013, it’s all football this time of year for Luck and Hanson covered that topic and a few others with the Colts signal caller.

Below is the full Luck interview and some of his quotes are under the video link.

Andrew Luck’s NFL Total Access Interview

On the Colts’ improvement last season and what that means for this season:

“Great for last year, glad we did some positive things. What we did last year doesn’t have any bearing – the good things, the bad things – on what is going on this year. It is nice, personally, to have a year under the belt and a little experience, but we know the road gets that much harder and we are trying to improve.”

On feeling more comfortable being in the NFL heading into his second season compared to last year:

“I am 100% more comfortable. On this day last year, I was probably sitting in class ready to get out of there and go to a rookie minicamp. It is nice to be able to have the full offseason with the team. We have changed [offensive] coordinators, but I have had a great relationship with Pep Hamilton from before. To be around him and talk his style of offense has been great. It is just nice to be around the guys.”

On the hiring of new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton:

“I do remember someone asking my opinion of Coach Hamilton way early on, right after Coach Bruce Arians left. I gave him 100% endorsement. I am really glad he is here and really happy for Coach Arians down in Arizona as well. What a wonderful opportunity for him. I don’t think anybody else deserves to be a head coach in this league more than he does. But I am glad Pep is coming in, I’m glad I don’t have to learn a completely new playbook. I think he is going to do great with us here.”

On if the Colts offense will be different under Hamilton:

“His offense is different; like B.A.’s, every coordinators offense has its own intricacies. It is too early to say [the biggest difference.] I think we will start to have a feel for that during OTAs when we can go against a defense. There will be different plays, but in the end, it is still football. You still have to go out there and make the plays.”

On the improvement of the Colts this season due to himself, T.Y Hilton, Vick Ballard, among others, gaining more experience and building off last season’s success:

“Hopefully we can build off the experience us young guys and the old guys – and continue to get better. I think we are very fortunate to have to great veteran leadership – Robert Mathis, Reggie Wayne, Cory Redding, Antoine Bethea – that really have set the standard here and know how to win. We just try to follow their lead but hopefully us second and third year guys improve and help the team out.”

Tags: Andrew Luck, antoine bethea, cory redding, Pep Hamilton, Reggie Wayne, robert mathis, T.Y. Hilton, vick ballard
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COLTS HEADLINES: MAY 9TH EDITION

Posted by Kevin Bowen on May 9, 2013 – 9:15 am

Each morning Colts.com will take a look at the top headlines surrounding the Indianapolis Colts from around the globe. What is the local and national media saying about the Colts?

Take a look below at the top five pieces from Thursday, May 9th:

Indianapolis Colts Add to Young, Interesting Receiving Corps

By: Eric Ivie, Yahoo! Sports

Ivie breaks down the 10 receivers that are currently on the Colts roster.

He points out that the Colts have just two receivers with more than two years of experience in the NFL (Reggie Wayne and Darrius Heyward-Bey).

It will be an extremely competitive summer for this Colts position group as one would think that second-year receivers T.Y. Hilton and LaVon Brazill have a firm grip on their roster spots (along with Wayne and Heyward-Bey).

The final few spots at the receiver position will be up for grabs with returnees Griff Whalen and Nathan Palmer competing with four newcomers to complete a position group that has a variety of options.

1,000 Colts season tickets going on sale

By: Mike Chappel, Indianapolis Star

At 10:00 a.m. this morning, the Colts will have 1,000 upper-level season tickets for sale to the public.

The season ticket sales for the Colts have been in high demand this offseason.

Fans can head to www.colts.com to take a virtual tour of Lucas Oil Stadium and see the seats remaining.

To purchase tickets, fans can either go online to www.colts.com or call (317) 299-4946.

Tags: darrius heyward-bey, Griff Whalen, LaVon Brazill, nathan palmer, Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton
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WEEK THREE OF OTA’S IN THE BOOKS

Posted by Kevin Bowen on May 3, 2013 – 7:50 am

It seemed fitting that after a less than pleasant start to the spring season, the sun was shining brightly down on the Colts practice field this week.

The third week of OTAs allows for players to get onto the field with coaches and take the installation process to another level.

CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY OF ON THE FIELD WORK

While the on the field work is critical this time of year, Colts veterans see the value away from the gridiron as well.

“It builds team’s chemistry,” outside linebacker Robert Mathis said of OTAs. “Also, it’s very important getting to know the type of team you have. We have the majority of the guys here and it’s beneficial to our success.”

Mathis is joined in the front seven of the defense by another 11-year veteran in Cory Redding.

This is Redding’s second season in a Colts uniform and while camaraderie is a vital aspect of OTAs, getting on the field allows for players to get acclimated into life in the fray.

“Guys are getting out there communicating, how to talk to one another, getting a feel for how a play is going to go when you’re out in the fire,” Redding said.

“You can talk one way in the classroom, but you’ve got to get guys in situations where they have to communicate, outside of what the coaches told them. Those are the things that are not taught in the classroom, they have to come with experience and the players out there getting a feel for one another.”

While the defensive side of the football is in year two with the same scheme, the other side of the football is busy learning a new offensive system for a second straight season.

The lone veteran returnee on the offense with more than seven years of NFL experience is Reggie Wayne.

With new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton (38 years old) implementing a new offense, Wayne (34 years old) joked that the two aren’t very far separated in age.

The relationship between offensive coordinator and Pro Bowl receiver is still in the early stages but Wayne believes that this year’s learning curve isn’t as steep as last year’s offense.

“I’ve heard some pretty good things about (Hamilton) and he definitely wants us to succeed, be positive and do great things because he’s out there in the classroom teaching, telling us to ask questions,” Wayne said.

Tags: cory redding, Pep Hamilton, Reggie Wayne, robert mathis
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