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INDIANAPOLIS – The eighth day of the voluntary workout period on Thursday marks the end of the first two weeks of the nine-week off-season program.
Players have been able to work on the field for conditioning and rehabilitation purposes, but any instruction involving coaches has been classroom interaction only.
Andrew Luck and Cory Redding are two of the 70-plus players who have been involved to this point, and the overall number of participants reflects about 95 percent of the roster.
After not having a full spring load of work last year while completing studies, Luck has enjoyed the pace.
"It's nice to sort of have that routine settle in," said Luck. "Your body gets used to it, your mind gets used to it. It's good to be in week two. I feel like we are full force ahead."
This time a year ago, Luck was in New York ready to be the first overall pick in the draft. This weekend in 2012 offered extraneous things associated with the game. This spring is offering non-stop focus on his second season.
"It makes a world of difference. I'm much more comfortable," said Luck of not having to juggle a schedule beyond the game. "Just having familiarity with everything, I think that's going to help build continuity. It's exciting to try and improve on last year."
Departed is Donnie Avery, while Darrius Heyward-Bey has arrived. Other new faces are on board, but the camaraderie and inclusive nature felt last year remains intact.
"I feel like it's a pretty friendly locker room," said Luck. "I remember coming in last year and guys being very friendly. It's a fairly common theme I think in this locker room."
The graduated work scale starts next Monday, just after the conclusion of the draft. On-field workouts can include individual instruction and drills. Team practice is on a separate basis. No contact or team offense-versus-defense work is permitted.
Redding says though this week is a carbon copy of last week, that work is getting done in increments.
"Same old, same old," said Redding of this week's work. "In the CBA, you can't put hands on each other. You can't have DBs manning up a receiver. Everything you do is on air or on a bag.
"For the most part, we're just doing our little fundamental football stuff against air or against the bag and classroom work is classroom work."
Classroom work with coaches very much is geared to when on-field work can step up the process.
Redding's side of the ball is the only one where the coordinator, Greg Manusky, remains from last year. Pep Hamilton now leads the offense in place of Bruce Arians, while Tom McMahon directs special teams. Manusky is feeding his troops accordingly.
"Installing plays, before the end of this week we will have installed about 95 or 96 of our plays on the defense in eight practices and that's a lot," said Redding. "We're just putting everything in one play at a time and just trying to knock it out as best we can."
Redding wants the team sharp for when work is increased soon.
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"The expectations are a lot clearer this year as far as what Chuck (Pagano) wants as a team," said Redding. "Understanding the trust, loyalty and respect is not something we talk about lightly but we hold to a high standard, everyone coming in and knowing their role, knowing their job and executing whatever their job or their role is to the best of their ability."
