IndyStar update 2nd round
https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...d/69840345007/
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INDIANAPOLIS — The second round of the Colts’ exhaustive search for a new head coach is taking shape.
Indianapolis plans to interview seven candidates, according to ESPN, beginning with interim coach Jeff Saturday, who was originally scheduled to interview on Wednesday, although it’s reportedly possible that the snow falling on the city could delay Saturday’s interview.
From there, the second round of interviews will likely linger into next week, and at least four of the candidates have been reported — Saturday; Denver defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who is scheduled to interview on Thursday, according to the NFL Network; Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, according to ESPN; and Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is also a key figure in the Cardinals and Broncos searches, according to the NFL Network.
By paring the list down to seven candidates, the Colts have cut their initial list in half, even though they haven’t been able to complete the initial interviews in that cycle yet.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard has made good on the promise he made in his season-ending press conference.
“We’ve got a very detailed process put together on the traits and attributes we’re looking for in the head coach,” Ballard said. “Don’t care which side of the ball, and then to be patient and take your time and make sure we have a thorough interview with everybody.”
Coaching candidates whose teams are still in the playoffs can make the final piece of Ballard’s promise difficult.
San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans pulled out of his Saturday interview with the Colts to focus on preparation for the 49ers’ divisional round playoff game against the Cowboys, a game San Francisco won 19-12.
Indianapolis reportedly still wants to talk to Ryans, but according to a timeline published by NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, assistant coaches on teams that make the Super Bowl can have a second interview, either in-person or virtual, between Jan. 30 and Feb. 5, but only if they’d already had an interview with teams.
Ryans pulled out of his first interview with the Colts. Under that rule, he wouldn’t be able to interview with Indianapolis until San Francisco’s season is over, one way or another.
And he’s not the only Colts candidate coaching in the conference championship games. Indianapolis interviewed Philadelphia offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Cincinnati offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
None are eligible to interview until that window between Jan. 30 and Feb. 5. If any are among the seven the Colts want to interview again, they can’t be interviewed until next week.
Beyond being in-person, the second round of interviews will be different in another key way.
Colts owner Jim Irsay is expected to be part of the second round.
Ballard, as he promised at the end of the season, has led the first round of interviews, flanked by a group that includes Colts vice chair Carlie Irsay-Gordon, director of team development Brian Decker and staff from both the public relations and human resources departments, according to Sports Illustrated.
Irsay makes the decision.
“Ultimately, Mr. Irsay makes the final call,” Ballard said. “We give him: ‘Here’s our thoughts,’ and Mr. Irsay is a good listener. Ultimately, he’ll make the final call, but he will lean heavily on our work.”
The widespread perception, both locally and nationally, remains that Saturday is the front-runner for Irsay, who repeatedly touted the former Colts center’s candidacy for the permanent job during the season, calling Saturday an “outstanding candidate” on ESPN even after the Colts gave up the biggest comeback in NFL history to the Vikings.
Saturday finished 1-7 in his eight-game stint.
But his presence in the second round of interviews is an indication that he still has a real shot at getting the full-time job, even though Ballard tried to push back on any suggestion that the job was Saturday’s to lose, repeatedly vowing to run the search the right away.
“I don’t care if it takes until mid-February to hire the head coach,” Ballard said. “It’s about getting it right.”
The Colts are closer to an answer.
But it still might be some time before that answer finally comes.
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