ANDERSON — Tony Dungy and Ron Meeks are gone, but their defense isn’t going anywhere.
The departures of the Indianapolis Colts’ head coach and defensive coordinator have made for a surprisingly smooth transition, according to three key players who were in Anderson yesterday for a Stop the Violence event at the Geater Center.
Under new head coach Jim Caldwell and defensive coordinator Larry Coyer, Dungy and Meeks’ basic Tampa 2 defense will remain, but players will have some more freedom to roam, improvise and create opportunities that in the past might have been limited.
“It’s been an easy transition with the coaches, because fundamentally the philosophy is similar to Coach Dungy’s,” said safety Bob Sanders, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
“Everything’s going well,” Sanders said.
Defensive tackle Ed Johnson re-signed with the Colts last month, nine months after he was waived by the team after he was charged with possession of marijuana. He’s relished the chance to redeem his career, which began on a promising note as Indy’s run-stopper.
“We’ve got a pretty good relationship with all the coaches and it’s going well,” he said, noting the new coaches’ changes “allow us to do a lot. It allows us to show more of our versatility on defense.”
Linebacker Gary Brackett, the Colts’ defensive captain who also was in Anderson on Wednesday, has spoken highly of Coyer, a veteran coach who last year was an assistant at Tampa.
Brackett suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss the last four games of last season, but he’s said he’ll be ready for training camp that begins August 3 in Terre Haute.
He told Colts.com that because the team knew Caldwell would eventually take over when Dungy retired, the transition has been smooth. “He’s doing a great job,” Brackett said of Caldwell. “I’m very optimistic about next season.”
So is Johnson.
“We have high expectations for this season,” he said. “Ultimately we’re trying to get another ring around Indianapolis.”
Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford @heraldbulletin.com
Colts
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Freedom to roam and improvise biggest changes
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