By Tom James, CNHI News Service
INDIANAPOLIS — While the team has yet to make any official announcements, it appears as if the Indianapolis Colts offensive coaching staff will be undergoing some changes during the offseason.
According to multiple Internet sources, former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner has been hired by the Colts to an unspecified position with the team. Rivals.com first reported the hiring Saturday morning, and the move was later confirmed by the Chicago Tribune.
Frank Bauer, Turner’s agent, told the Chicago Tribune that he was uncertain what his client’s duties in Indianapolis would be. The status of Colts senior offensive coordinator Tom Moore, meanwhile, remains unsettled.
Moore retired briefly, along with offensive line coach Howard Mudd, after the 2008 season when the National Football League revised its pension plan. But both returned to the team by late July. Moore, 71, has repeatedly stated that he would like to remain a coach in the NFL for as long as he felt he was needed by a team.
Mudd announced during training camp, though, that 2009 would be his final year as an NFL assistant coach. While he is expected to be replaced by assistant offensive line coach Pete Metzelaars, the Colts have not confirmed his probable promotion.
Wide receivers coach Clyde Christensen was elevated to the assistant head coach position last spring. He took over the offensive coordinator duties during the Colts’ organized team activity workouts. Christensen has been regarded as Moore’s eventual replacement.
Turner — whose son, Morgan, was an assistant football coach at Indiana State last year — was one of six offensive coaches fired by the Bears at the conclusion of the 2009 season.
His offense finished 23rd in the NFL (310.3 yards per game) and 29th in rushing offense (93.3 yards per game) in 2009. During the 2006 season, when the Bears advanced to Super Bowl XLI, the team was tied for 15th in yards per game (324.9) and tied for second with 26.7 points per game.
In addition to Turner, Chicago also parted ways with offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton, tight ends coach Rob Boras, offensive assistant/assistant offensive line coach Luke Butkus and offensive assistant/assistant wide receivers coach Charles London.
The veteran NFL and college assistant coach had been hired by Jim Harbaugh to be Stanford’s quarterbacks and receivers coach on Feb. 17. Morgan Turner has reportedly left the ISU staff to become an offensive assistant coach at Stanford.
“It’s an opportunity for (Ron Turner) to stay in the NFL and his family can stay in Chicago, and he’ll be nearby so his daughter can graduate from high school next year,” a league source told the Chicago Tribune.
