AFC Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

Indianapolis Colts HC Shane Steichen left a great impression in year one as a head coach, commanding unwavering commitment from his players while also bringing all the passion he asked of them. From showing up early to finding ways to impact the game other than play-calling, Steichen’s first year with the Colts had all the players bought in for him.

“The things that he does, he’s like, ‘I know my guys worked hard all week to prepare to compete their tails off. I’m gonna do the same. I’m not just gonna sit here with a sheet of paper and just call a play,'” star RB Jonathan Taylor said, via James Boyd of The Athletic. “It’s like, ‘What can I do to get the other coach off their game and give my team an advantage?’ Once you see that, it’s easier to trust him, because you know he’s giving everything he’s got.”

Colts DE Dayo Odeyingbo spoke on Steichen’s high expectations on the time they’re putting in and saw just how intense he was early in training camp.

“I knew that motherf—er was serious when he was sitting in the training room,” Odeyingbo said. “He was like, ‘If the training room opens at 7 a.m., that means breakfast starts at 6:30. So, you need to get up and get breakfast before the training opens, not when it opens.'”

Texans

• Aaron Wilson reports that Michigan is hiring Texans safeties coach Stephen Adegoke as their new secondary coach. 
• TCU S Mark Perry had multiple meetings with the Texans at the Shrine Bowl. (Ryan Fowler)

Titans

Titans DC Dennard Wilson said their defense will focus on constant communication and having a connection on the field. 

“We are going to talk about effort, and the way we play,” Wilson said, via Jim Wyatt if the team’s site. “We are going to talk about having obnoxious communication. We are going to talk about brotherhood, playing as one. A team that fails to connect is a team that fails to win. So, the connection, and the way we play, the way we communicate, the way we jell, that is going to allow the defense to come to life. Because when they believe in one another and they trust in one another to execute their assignment and play at a high level, that is when you get outstanding, violent defenses.”

Wilson prides himself on being a teacher and wants to motivate players to reach their potential. 

“For me, if I see a talented player, I feel like I can get the best out of them,” Wilson said. “Any player that I have ever been around, the first thing I am going to do: I pride myself in being a hell of a teacher. I am going to motivate them to be better than they think they should be or reach the potential they are supposed to. And I am going to inspire them to go get it.”

Wilson plans on building their defensive scheme around the players but added they will be attacking-minded. 

“Football, it’s not about the scheme, it’s about the players,” Wilson said. “So, we have to figure out what they do well, and we’ll put the scheme around them to allow their talents to flourish. I can tell you this about the scheme, and I learned this a long time ago, General George Patton said this: ‘Nobody ever defended anything successfully. You are going to attack, and attack some more.'”