INDIANAPOLIS – This time Rob Chudzinski has had a chance to breath, a little.
When Chuck Pagano first approached Chud about needing him to be the team's offensive coordinator, the task was daunting.
Coming off a short week and an overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Colts arrived back to the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center with a significant change coming.
Rob Chudzinski was the new offensive coordinator. In less than five days, his offense was going to face the Denver Broncos and the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL.
That Sunday was a success for Chud's offense, the best the unit looked in 2015.
An eventual season-ending injury to Andrew Luck is how that game will be remembered though.
Over the final seven games of the season, Chud would have four different quarterbacks take snaps.
So when Pagano approached Chud again in January to offer him a full-time role as the team's offensive coordinator, things weren't as pressing.
With a healthy Luck and after four weeks of the 2016 offseason program, Chud met the media on Tuesday afternoon to discuss his offense.
Chudzinski on his offensive philosophy:
"We are going to adjust to the guys and what they do well and fit in the Xs and Os.
"You have to highlight those things."
Bowen's Analysis: Chuck Pagano calls it efficient. Rob Chudzinski calls it flexible and attacking. This offense will be accentuating the strengths of the personnel that Chud has to work with, led by Andrew Luck. Chud has a reputation for creating ideal matchups in the favor of his skill guys.
Whether it's the speed in the receiver group, the versatile presence of Dwayne Allen or the consistent productivity of Frank Gore, Chud will be scheming things around a talented skill group. Chud doesn't want to pigeonhole his scheme, knowing they will have to win games in a variety of ways. Yes, there will be shots taken downfield to fit the big play nature that helped carry the offense in 2014.Chudzinski on Andrew Luck returning from injuries:
"Andrew's got to be Andrew."
Bowen's Analysis: Chud knows the elephant in the room. Luck and him have discussed the dilemma of admitting when a play is over. Chud also has watched film from Luck's early years in the NFL when many of his biggest plays came "out of rhythm."
When thinking about the installation of the offense, Chud said he used some terminology that he thought Luck would find beneficial and language that would make things easy for new guys. In Chud's previous stops as a coordinator, Derek Anderson had a Pro Bowl season in Cleveland and Cam Newton set gobs of rookie records in Carolina. With improved offensive line play, Luck has the weapons around him to achieve similar success in 2016. Chudzinski on the offensive line:
"One of the focuses of the offseason has been how are we going to protect (Luck) better and how is he going to protect himself better?"
Bowen's Analysis: You don't often see the media contingent around a position coach larger than a coordinator. That was the case on Tuesday with many flocking to new offense line coach Joe Philbin.
Chud knows the ample offensive experience he has in his position coaches. Philbin, quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer and tight ends coach Jim Hostler have 15 combined years of offensive coordinating experience in the NFL. Chud wants to take some chances down the field, so blocking will be at a premium for more reasons than just keeping No. 12 upright. As the coordinator in Cleveland, Chud's unit finished 4th and 9th in sacks allowed per pass attempt. In Carolina, the offense was 31st in his first season and 15th in his second.
