Colts Name Harold Goodwin As New Offensive Line Coach
Harold Goodwin will serve as the Colts new offensive line coach in 2012. (Getty Images)After officially hiring Bruce Arians (ex-Steelers offensive coordinator) to be the offensive coordinator for the Colts, new head coach Chuck Pagano wasted no time scalping another Steeler assistant, this time announcing Harold Goodwin as the new offensive line coach for the Colts. Goodwin was an offensive assistant for the Steelers from 2007-2011, where his job entailed assisting in coaching the offensive line and scouting the upcoming opponents. Goodwin was also an assistant offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears from 2004-2006.
While Goodwin was only an assistant OL coach, it's interesting to note that his line in Chicago improved each year with him there, ending 7th in Adjusted Line Yards, and 6th in Adjusted Sack Rate (2006). The line in Pittsburgh has been much more erratic, although they did finish third in ALY this past year. However, it's difficult to know how much input Goodwin has had over the offensive line, and any analysis of his former teams must be taken with a grain of salt. Goodwin is a young coach, just 37, with only eight years of coaching experience in the NFL.
The Colts also released long time assistant coach Ricky Thomas, and assistant offensive line coach Ron Prince. This leaves Clyde Christensen (who has been reported to be taking the QB coaching position) and assistant strength and conditioning coach Richard Howell as the last remaining ties to the Manning era.
So, I would like to propose a theory about our new OC. I believe that the reason that he has shown nothing of the creative genius we are hoping for is because he has not had the talent. Let me explain:
Tom Moore's career was always as a well respected assistant, but never a superstar or creative genius through the years. Moore's genius, and great years of coordinating a top ranked offense only came after he teamed up with Manning. Sean Payton's three years as Dallas's OC were marked by mediocre offenses. Now? He has built a powerhouse of creativity.
The point (and I have not done the research to prove this across the board) is that coordinators don't tend to get creative and build superstar offenses until they have a superstar QB with them. Without the QB, the OC will spend his time building a style that covers up his teams weaknesses (think of the Texans bootleg system as a brilliant system to protect average Quarterback play).
So, if this is true, the real question is whether Luck is worthwhile, and if so, will Arians design a system around him like other great QB/OC tandems have?
hmmmm ... not so excited about this one. I thought the consensus was that the Steelers OL was a hot mess?
@matt_has Pretty sure it was a hot mess because of injury, not to mention the same way the Colts' o-line looks good because manning gets rid of the ball so quickly, the reverse must be true when your QB holds the ball too long.
@matt_has It was. I´m guessing the fact that he wasn´t straight-up OL coach there keeps us from outright condemnation, and his very short NFL coaching career makes him seem one of those very bright fast learners everyone is always trying to find in the league. Who knows how good he reallys is.
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I think I'm as much interested in who our new ST coach will be as the OC.
I always wonder if the number of injuries we have are related to the competency of our conditioning coaches?
