The Colts have finally announced the coaching changes that we have all known about for weeks. Larry Coyer is the new defensive coordinator for the Colts. Also new to the team is Ray Rychleski, who is now Indy's special team's coordinator. The Colts have also promoted wide receivers coach Clyde Christensen to Assistant Head Coach.
Coyer and Rychleski replace Ron Meeks and Russ Purnell, respectively. Though Meeks stepped down and Purnell's contract was not renewed, the consensus among most is that they were fired. Clyde Christensen takes the AC job that Jim Caldwell had under Tony Dungy. They might be grooming Christensen for offensive coordinator when Tom Moore retires. Christensen did interview for the 49ers then-vacant offensive coordinator job, and was once Tony Dungy's OC down in Tampa Bay.
I guess the big question is, Why did this take so long?
Perhaps the Colts were waiting to hear what Herm Edwards wanted to do after Kansas City fired him. Perhaps they wanted to know if Cardinals DB coach Teryl Austin wanted to leave the desert and run Indy's defense. Austin may join new KC coach Todd Haley. Regardless, the hold up may have been related to all the moves Scott Pioli is doing as the new GM for the Chiefs. Now that KC has its coach, and Herm Edwards has decided to spew nonsense for ESPN, the Colts have settled on Coyer and Rychleski.
Both these new hires are strong. Coyer is a well respected teacher who ran a Tampa-2 styled defense in Denver. He was also Monte Kiffin's d-line coach in Tampa Bay a few years ago, and was the Assistant Head Coach there up until very recently. He will likely bring more blitzing to the Colts defense, something he did well in Denver. Rychleski comes to Indy with a very respected resume from the college ranks. We profiled him a week or so ago. South Carolina fans are very upset he left. He was one of the best coaches they had on their staff.
Now that the coaching ranks are filled, we can finally start speculating on what kind of team Bill Polian will look to build this April.