There’s a coaching staff change that might be coming in Indianapolis, but it’s regarding the wide receivers coach. According to ESPN’s Adam Caplan, Lee Hull won’t be back next year:
#Colts WRs Lee Hull will not return for 2017 season, sources said. At least 3-4 teams now looking WRs coach.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) January 19, 2017
Hull was the head coach at Morgan State before joining the Colts last offseason, and in two years at Morgan State he went 11-12. But in 2014, the team made the FCS playoffs for the first time in school history and they set or tied 57 school records. He won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award for his efforts in 2014. Before becoming the head coach at Morgan State, he was the wide receivers coach for Maryland (2008-2013) and Oregon State (2005-2007) and coached Darrius Heyward-Bey and Torrey Smith, among others. He also has spent time coaching running backs in college (he coached Steven Jackson, among others).
T.Y. Hilton had a massive season and led the NFL in receiving yards, but the other receivers – namely, Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett – didn’t really take the steps forward that a lot of people had hoped. Chester Rogers had a nice season as an undrafted free agent as the fourth wideout, but it’s possible the lack of development of guys like Dorsett could be the reason Hull won’t be returning.
It is worth noting that Jim Hostler, who was previously the wide receivers coach for the Colts before Hull took over last year, is still on the staff as the tight ends coach. He did good work with the unit in 2016 as Jack Doyle and Erik Swoope really stepped up and had career years, so the Colts might opt to leave him as the tight ends coach, but that’s at least worth mentioning.
It seems the Colts will be looking for a new wide receivers coach, however, and Caplan’s tweet seems to have caught the attention of Reggie Wayne:
— Reggie Wayne (@ReggieWayne_17) January 19, 2017
Hey, maybe that’s where the Colts could start their search for a new wide receivers coach!