Colts’ Frank Reich happy to have DC Matt Eberflus back
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The Indianapolis Colts thought they may be losing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus this offseason as he was one of the hottest names in the coaching sphere among teams looking for a new head coach.
Ultimately, the Colts wound up losing offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni, who is now the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Though Eberflus interviewed for three teams, he is staying with the Colts for at least one more season.
Head coach Frank Reich couldn’t be happier to see Eberflus back with the team.
“Yeah, very important to get Matt (Eberflus) back. Obviously, he was a great candidate to be a head coach. I think the world of Matt as a coach, as a person, as a defensive coordinator – that we can just keep building and have the continuity as you said and just keep building, growing and adapting the system to our players,” Reich told reporters last week. “I’ve just seen Flus continue to grow and develop in that role as well, really connecting with players, making a conscious effort every week to put our players in the best position possible.”
Eberflus has helped the Colts change the culture of the defense. His zone-heavy scheme relies on consistent effort and showed it can make strides as one of the best units in football during the 2020 season.
The addition of DeForest Buckner goes a long way, but Eberflus’ ability to make in-game adjustments gave the Colts a chance to win any game they were in this season. It’s one of the big reasons they finished with 11 wins.
“I think he is extremely intelligent, very focused in and on a vision for how he sees the defense executing and where we want to be as a defense,” Reich said. “I’ve learned a lot from Flus over these three years as I’ve sit in there with him, we talk things through and I ask questions. I give two cents here and there, but Flus – I’m really happy to have him back.”
If the Colts defense continues to grow as it has over the last few seasons, this may be the final year Eberflus is with the team. If that’s the case, the unit will have to go all-out as the Colts try to take advantage of the window in front of them.
