Former UNLV QB at heart of Colts’ surprise start this season

Life moves fast in the NFL.

The Colts’ Shane Steichen was among the favorites to be the first coach fired coming into the season. One month later, the former UNLV quarterback is the clear-cut favorite for coach of the year honors.

The dramatic pendulum swing is a reflection of Indianapolis’ strong start, which includes three wins in its first four games and a respectable road loss to the Rams.

It’s also a result of the yeoman’s work Steichen has done with quarterback Daniel Jones, a 2019 first-round pick that was erratic his first six seasons with the Giants.

Jones, 28, seemed destined to be a career backup after leaving New York midway through last year. But Steichen has shown throughout his career his deft hand can get the best out of quarterbacks ranging from Philip Rivers to Jalen Hurts.

Jones is the 40-year-old’s latest pupil. And the Raiders (1-3) know Steichen’s acumen will pose a tremendous challenge for them in Sunday’s game at Indianapolis.

“It’s been a tremendous connection between Shane and Daniel to get him to play at this high level so early in his time with them,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll said. “They’ve come out flying, and then they’ve had great success on offense so far. So, Daniel has been the recipient of this opportunity, and (it’s) thanks to Shane, I would think.”

The secret to Steichen’s success is tailoring his schemes to his quarterback’s strengths. He doesn’t try to fit a square peg into a round hole. He’s more interested in finding solutions than focusing on problems.

“You’re always working to find something that could help you,” Jones said. “Shane’s very similar. I think that’s something that’s impressed me here.”

UNLV ties

Steichen’s coaching success is no surprise to those who knew him during his time at UNLV.

He appeared in 23 games for the Rebels from 2003 to 2006, then spent three years with the program on staff. Mike Sanford, who coached Steichen and then hired him as a graduate assistant, was convinced the Sacramento, California, native had a bright future as a coach.

The way Steichen studied, retained information and carried that knowledge to the football field caught Sanford’s eye. So he hired him as soon as he wrapped up his playing career. Sanford was later hired to be Louisville’s offensive coordinator in 2010 and brought Steichen along with him as an offensive assistant.

“He’s one of those guys that, in a meeting, was someone who paid great attention and then was able to carry what he learned in the meetings onto the field,” Sanford said. “He was very coachable and very teachable. And he had love for the game. He loved the game of football.”

Steichen, as his career evolved, emerged as one of the brightest offensive minds in the game. He dissected where opposing defenses were vulnerable and constructed game plans that exploited those weaknesses.

He got his first opportunity to be an NFL offensive coordinator in 2019 with the Chargers in Rivers’ final year with the franchise. Steichen then moved to Philadelphia in 2021 to take the same role with the Eagles.

He was tasked with working with Hurts, a 2020 second-round pick that was almost Rivers’ opposite. Rivers was a veteran pocket passer, while Hurts was a young, dynamic dual threat.

Steichen helped Hurts develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the league. The Eagles finished 12th in scoring in 2021, then improved to third in 2022 and reached Super Bowl 57.

Philadelphia lost 38-35 to the Chiefs, but Steichen’s unit flourished. That led the Colts to hire him days after the game was over.

“Because he’s a quarterback, he had a really good understanding of the passing game and an understanding of just the game in general,” Sanford said. “And I don’t want this to come off as a criticism, but some of the best coaches aren’t the best players. Because things came so naturally to them, they have a hard time coaching because they can’t explain it. Shane knows the game and knows how to explain it.”

That’s why Sanford isn’t shocked that Jones is flourishing under Steichen, just as Rivers and Hurts did before.

“I think, number one, he’s teaching him well, and Daniel Jones is receiving the teaching well and learning it well,” Sanford said. “And then (Steichen is) doing things that Daniel Jones is good at and that fit his style. And obviously, he and Daniel have developed a relationship of trust.”

Traits formed in Las Vegas

The same traits that are serving Steichen well in Indianapolis were evident early in his coaching career. He attacked everything he was asked to do as a young assistant.

Being a graduate assistant, like Steichen was when starting out, isn’t glamorous. It involves odd jobs like cutting up film, laminating game plans and making coffee runs for the staff.

“But I watched him do all of it with passion,” said former UNLV quarterback Caleb Herring, who was a redshirt freshman during Steichen’s final year as a Rebels coach. “There was never a time I ever saw him complain about what he was asked to do. He was always willing to go the extra mile to make sure he had everything organized that he needed to have.”

That work ethic rubbed off on Herring.

“In a lot of ways, I mimicked that,” Herring said. “Because if I really want to be a serious quarterback, I need to be able to have passion about what I’m doing even when it’s hard. Even when I’m doing the dirty work or the behind-the-scenes work that’s not gonna get me the glory. I need to be willing to do that. He always had that approach.”

Steichen’s work ethic is now paying off in a huge way.

He entered this season on the hot seat after going 17-17 his first two years in Indianapolis. Quarterback Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, struggled with accuracy and consistency before being unseated by Jones in the preseason.

Steichen’s work with Jones shows he’s still got the same magic he had in his previous stops, however. The duo has helped the Colts score the fourth-most points in the NFL.

Steichen, all of a sudden, has reclaimed his status as one of the best young coaches in the league. That means the Raiders are in for a massive test when they step on the field in Indianapolis on Sunday.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.