Doyle on Ryan

[JAFF]

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...p/65376288007/

Indianapolis Colts QB, Matt Ryan (2) runs drills during the Indianapolis Colts mandatory mini training camp on Wednesday, May 8, 2022, at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in Indianapolis.
Matt Ryan: 'Keep a foot up their ass, when they need it'

This is the tail end of Ryan’s weekly meeting with local reporters. Already we’ve asked the important questions, like what’s in his post-practice smoothie today (“Some kind of spinach,” he says) and his initial impressions of Indianapolis.

“My family’s really enjoyed being up here,” Ryan was saying. “Hoosier hospitality, it’s real.”


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With the hard-hitting topics out of the way, we’re asking him about leadership. Ryan’s answering questions, that’s all he’s doing, but the Colts should have sold tickets because he’s about to give a seminar on the topic.

It starts with someone asking Ryan about what coaches and teammates are calling his “it factor.”


He pauses, calls it a good question, then pauses some more. How do you answer that?

Transparency, he decides.

“I’ve never tried to be anything other than myself,” he says. “I’ve always just felt like the work you put in daily is the ‘it factor.’ It creates the confidence from other guys, trying to set a standard for how to do it.

“And then I’ve always been comfortable trying to get the best out of teammates, trying to make them the best individuals they can be so we can be the best team we can be. Other than that, I don’t overthink it. Work hard every day, be yourself, and try to pull guys up to your level.”

Later he’ll be asked how he keeps teammates mentally sharp. Ryan’s not pausing at all now. This one’s easy.

“Keep a foot up their ass,” he says, “when they need it.”

Left foot, or right?

“Left,” Ryan says, looking down at his left cleat, white leather underneath white tape.

“Or right,” he says. “Whichever’s closer.”

He pauses. He can’t just leave it there.

“Naw,” he says, “it’s both. Sometimes it’s letting guys know: We need better, we expect better. Sometimes it’s a little love, too. Each guy’s different, each day’s different. But the beauty of experience is you kind of know when it’s not right.


“The thing I’ve learned is, you have to nip that in the bud as soon as possible. You’ve got to get it back to where it needs to be. And I try to do the best that I can do.”

Mad charismatic, this guy.

Message delivered to Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell

The Colts open it up early on the first day of training camp, going almost immediately to a seven-on-seven passing drill. The crowd of about 750, filling the indoor facility where rain forced the Colts to practice Wednesday, is buzzing and teammate Shaquille Leonard – on the physically unable to perform list with back and ankle issues – looks good as he jogs around the field for a better view. The linebacker formerly known as Darius Leonard wants a better look at this.

Ryan zips his first pass downfield to second-round pick Alec Pierce of Cincinnati. On his next pass, something short over the middle, rookie safety Nick Cross of Maryland tips it and completes the interception. Later Ryan will have passes broken up on back-to-back plays, first by the combination of cornerback Kenny Moore II and safety Julian Blackmon, then by undrafted rookie free agent linebacker Forrest Rhyne of Villanova.

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Around now, with second-team QB Nick Foles getting the obligatory backup reps, Ryan goes to the sideline and seeks out receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Parris Campbell. No idea what he’s saying, but it’s a one-way conversation and he’s making his point by smacking one hand into the other – bam-bam-bam – before stalking off.

Message delivered.

Campbell and Pittman turn wordlessly back to the field. They’re not smiling or giggling to each other or making faces or anything. Whatever just happened, they’ve taken it very seriously.

Message received.

Ryan finishes strong when the Colts go to 11-on-11 drills, completing seven of eight passes, including throws to Campbell and Pittman Jr.


“Can’t waste any time,” Ryan will say later when asked about what teammates call his sense of urgency. “That’s the message for the young guys: Can’t wait. It’s every day, it’s every rep. We’ve got to maximize the time we spend out here, because before you know it you’re going to look up and we’re going to be in Houston (for the opener Sept. 11) and you’re going to be keeping score.”

Ryan is talking about a game nearly seven weeks away, and I’m thinking back to something running back Jonathan Taylor had said Tuesday.

“That leadership role is easy for him,” Taylor had said. “It’s effortless, and we want to be at our best for him.”

This will be the 15th season of an NFL career that has seen Ryan reach the top 10 in several career categories. A sampling: passing yards (eighth, 59,735), touchdowns (ninth, 367), completion percentage (ninth, .655) and game-winning drives (seventh, 42). He’s 37, and learning a new city, coaches, teammates, camp. After 14 years of spending 3-4 weeks at the same training camp facility with the Falcons – “A year of my life,” he says – he comes to the Colts, to Grand Park, and doesn’t even know where the cafeteria is.

Someone asks if there could be something good about that and Ry—

“I think it’s a great thing, I really do,” Ryan says, practically interrupting the question because he loves the answer so much. “The best things in life come right past being really uncomfortable.”


That right there, that was it. Not sure what else to say, because Frank Reich was correct: It’s hard to put into words.

Nyheim Hines was right, too. Like Hines, I can’t describe it. You just get chills.

[Colts And Orioles]

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Will the Youthful Receiving Corps Take a Step with Matt Ryan at QB ???

(By Stephen Holder)

https://www.espn.com/blog/indianapol...att-ryan-at-qb

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