4:37pm: The Colts have officially confirmed their hiring of Monachino as the team’s new defensive coordinator.
1:24pm: Ravens head coach John Harbaugh scooped reporters and the Colts on some coaching news out of Indianapolis today, telling the media that Baltimore linebackers coach Ted Monachino is joining the Colts as the team’s defensive coordinator, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Colts fire defensive coordinator Greg Manusky]
The Colts’ search for a new defensive coordinator didn’t take long — less than 48 hours have passed since word broke that the team had decided to part ways with Greg Manusky. Manusky had joined the Colts’ staff in 2012, around the same time Chuck Pagano was hired. However, unlike Pagano, Indianapolis’ former defensive coordinator didn’t receive a new contract this week.
Monachino will be tasked with turning around a Colts defense that finished 27th in the NFL in total yards per game (379.1) and 25th in points per game allowed (25.5) in 2015. Indianapolis’ notable free agent signings a year ago included front-seven players Trent Cole and Kendall Langford, but they didn’t contribute much to improving the defense’s performance – despite a career-high seven sacks from Langford – so we’ll see what direction Ryan Grigson goes this time around. The Colts will have a top-20 draft pick this year — perhaps that first-rounder will be used on a defensive playmaker.
Alex Marvez of FOX Sports first reported that Monachino, who has some history with Pagano in Baltimore, would be a strong candidate for the Colts’ DC job. Before joining the Ravens as their linebackers coach in 2010, Monachino served as the defensive line coach in Jacksonville for several years.
Luke… Does the Rooney rule apply to only the HC position or does it include coordinator and front office spots?
As far as I know, it just applies to head coaching jobs and senior front office jobs, not to coordinators, which is how the Colts could make this move so quickly.