INDIANAPOLIS — It's quite the undertaking when you're installing brand new playbooks, schemes and approaches on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
But the Indianapolis Colts coaches can finally see the finish line in that process.
Head coach Frank Reich on Wednesday said both the offense and the defense was about 75 percent done in their installation processes, now in the first few days of Phase 3 of the offseason workout program.
By the time OTAs and the team's mandatory minicamp — which is being held June 12-14 — are done, Reich hopes to have just a little bit left to install once training camp begins.
"That's really what we're trying to do as we get through all 10 OTAs and then the minicamp, we'll get about 90 percent of it installed," Reich said. "So usually in the first three installs that you do in OTAs and that you do in training camp, you get 70-75 percent of your core stuff in and then you spend the rest of the time kind of getting into a lot of the situational football stuff and a lot of the little change up and things that you do."
The Colts on Wednesday had a practice in which lots of parts were moving on and off the field throughout the afternoon, signaling just how wide-open the competition for spots is across the board.
While Reich and the coaching staff have an idea of which players would fit best in specific roles, the practices are the best way to get an idea of who's really grasping the new concepts.
"You have a certain feel for things, you're looking to confirm things, but we always want to stay in growth mode," Reich said. "We talk about that all the time with players – you've got to be willing to grow. As coaches, we're the same way. I mean we're just always trying to grow, looking to see, looking how the team comes together, individually at players, what they can do, learning players. I mean it's building a relationship with someone. That's a growing process, that's a never ending process, and it's actually a really fun process as well."
The Colts today have their third and final OTA practice of the week, and pick things back up on Tuesday with a Phase 2 workout day before getting back to Phase 3 practices on Wednesday.
