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Last evening, the Indianapolis Colts announced five new assistant coaches as they continue to fill out their coaching staff. Among them was Lee Hull, the former Morgan State head coach who left to become the Colts' wide receivers coach.
The problem with that hire is that the Colts already have a wide receivers coach. Jim Hostler is still listed on the staff as the team's wide receivers coach, the same position that Lee Hull is listed at. This led to uncertainty when the moves were announced, especially since a report recently from FOX Sports' Alex Marvez indicated that it was unclear whether Hostler would be changing roles or not.
We now have some clarity as to what's going on, as the Indianapolis Star's Stephen Holder reports that the Colts will now have two wide receivers coaches and that Hostler and Hull will share the duties:
I was told Hostler's role is unchanged, so #Colts presumably will have two WR coaches. Did the same at OL last year.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) February 9, 2016
I remember Ryan Grigson telling me last year they were really excited to get Hostler. He is highly regarded.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) February 9, 2016
As Holder noted, the Colts did this with the offensive line last year, so it's not without precedent. At the same time, it's rather unusual for a skill-position to have two coaches, but that doesn't mean it's a bad move by the Colts. The position is a crucial one for the team, and they have plenty of young talent with T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, and Phillip Dorsett. Getting the most out of them and continually developing them is very important, so they will now have two people working with the position. In addition, the team's new assistant to the head coach Andrew Hayes-Stoker was previously the wide receivers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so he too has coached receivers and can work with the position. What the moves tell me is that the Colts are really focusing on developing their wideouts and capitalizing on the talent they have, which is why they brought in another coach at the receiver position. The hope now just has to be that the two can work together in the same role.
Hostler just finished his first season as the Colts' wide receivers coach after one season as the Bills' offensive assistant (2014) and six seasons as the Ravens' wide receivers coach (2008-13). Hull now joins him on the staff, making his NFL coaching debut (he previously interned with the Chargers). The fact that both will be remaining as receivers coach means that the tight end coach position is still open, the only vacancy left on the Colts' new coaching staff.