Andrew Luck Talks Colts’ New Head Coach Frank Reich

Andrew Luck took a couple minutes off from rehabbing his shoulder to chat with Colts.com writer Andrew Walker about his thoughts on the hiring of Frank Reich as the new head coach of the Colts. As you might expect, Luck isn’t going to say much. He has never been the guy who gives exciting or entertaining quotes, and he is known for an absurd level of humility that most will find silly given his talent. This was not much different. Luck’s quotes are pretty innocuous, and he delivered them with the feel of someone who is very cautious about every word.

All the same, it was interesting to hear some of Luck’s comments with regard to Reich. Luck immediately spoke about Reich’s history as a quarterback himself. That is something that is likely to be valuable because he will be coached by a guy who has experienced the position in the same way Luck has and found success to a degree doing it.

“Going back to (Reich’s) playing days, he’s incredibly successful, and he’s been around some awesome quarterbacks,” Luck said. “And I hope I can learn from him and ask him how Peyton or Carson or Philip did it, and find the best way for me or for whatever Colt quarterback way that is. I hope I can give him the most that I can give, and that he can help me get out of me the most that’s there.”

If you are like me, there is a section of that quote that makes you a little bit uncomfortable. You know, the part where Luck says or whatever Colt quarterback way that is. Look, I get that Luck is one of the most unassuming guys in the game. He didn’t start for a whole season and has a new head coach. For someone who might actually buy Reich and Ballard’s line that he is just one of the 53, I get the sentiment.

But let’s be real: if Andrew Luck is healthy, he is the most important player on this roster. Jacoby Brissett could make a massive leap from year one with the Colts to year two, and Luck would still be head and shoulders a better quarterback.

We could read a lot into Luck’s tentative language here, but I don’t think that would be wise. I would love for him to be confident and be able to say with certainty that he will be back and just as good as he ever way. However, he isn’t throwing a football yet. He probably doesn’t have a lot of confidence at this point, because his shoulder was supposed to be healed a long time ago.

Add that with his generally unassuming nature and you have a guy who is not going to declare himself the starter or speak definitively about anything. If you want to take it and freak out, be my guest. I’m not getting on that train just yet.

As far as the way Luck feels about the potential of the offense to be more attacking and up-tempo, Luck had a moment that almost felt like honesty.

“I know all the best offenses that I’ve been a part of in my career we’ve not been static and we’ve attacked. And I’m sure he’ll have a great flavor and we’ll involve as many people as we can, and attacking defenses is what it’s all about.”

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Luck has to have been frustrated over the course of his time in Indianapolis with some of the stagnant and unimaginative offenses he has been a part of. He is a smart guy and knows that his talent has thrived the most in those faster, attacking style offenses. While he might be the master of coach-speak, this feels like as close to criticism of the slower offense he has had to work with over the past couple years as you are ever likely to get out of him.

The thing I take away from this is the same as almost any time I hear Andrew talk. The guy is all about learning and growing. As long as his shoulder recovers like it is supposed to and he is able to resume throwing, I have no doubts about his work ethic or ability to thrive in a Frank Reich offense. Luck will be hungry to learn and to prove to both himself and others that he can overcome this injury.

Until he is throwing and doing so regularly at normal levels we will have reason for concern, but we are inching slowly closer to getting Luck back on the field and paired up with a Super Bowl winning offensive mind. The NFL is immeasurably better with Luck in it, and personally, I cannot wait to see it.