:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71846503/1455334562.0.jpg)
Indianapolis Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday met with the media today during his end of season press conference.
Jeff Saturday wrapping up his 8-game run: "It's been a true honor ..."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 9, 2023
Looking back, he calls it "an incredible learning experience. Learned a ton about myself, my leadership style, how you carry yourself in difficult times."
Saturday began his press conference talking about his 8 game stretch as the Colts interim head coach and looking back on what he calls a learning experience on himself and his leadership. Saturday has clearly learnt a lot from his time as the Colts interim head coach especially when he had zero previous NFL coaching experience before getting the job in Indianapolis.
Jeff Saturday: "If I get this job, there's going to be significant change. .... The way I do things is not the way it's been done." Says that coming in midstream, he felt like he had to stick with what was there given the pressures of the season.
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) January 9, 2023
Saturday: "I have a very clear vision of how I can turn this football team around."
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) January 9, 2023
Says he's not going to go into that in detail, but he hopes it sets him apart.
Saturday then went on to again expressing his continued interest in wanting the head coaching job full time. He mentioned that if he were to get the job he would make “significant changes” and a “clear vision” but that as he came in midseason he felt like he had to stick with what was already in place rather than make the changes he wanted to. It’s hard to know what changes Saturday would have make midseason or ones he would like to make to turn the team around if he gets the job full time but it will be interesting to see if Colts owner Jim Irsay wants to see Saturday carry out those changes in the future.
Saturday believes the Colts situation was different, and harder, than the one Steve Wilks took over in Carolina, citing Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo and offensive line coach James Campen's presence, versus the lack of offensive staff he had.
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) January 9, 2023
Saturday also spoke about comparisons to the Carolina Panthers who also fired their head coach midseason and hired an interim yeah coach in Steve Wilks. He believe the situation he took over in Indianapolis was different and harder than in Carolina as Wilks had better staffing presence than Saturday did. Saturday knew what he was walking into when he agreed to be one the interim head coach and was also the one who decided on first time player caller Park Frazier to be the interim offensive coordinator. Wilks managed to take a 1-5 team and lead them to 6-6 over the final 12 games of the season. Whereas Saturday took over a 3-5-1 team from Frank Reich and managed to lead them to a 1-7 finish over the final 8 games. Saturday appeared to blame the lack of offensive staff as one of the reasons the team didn’t succeed under him.
Loading comments...