The Indianapolis Colts have made their first significant coaching change this offseason by signing Charlie Partridge.
Following the announcement that Gus Bradley would remain as Defensive Coordinator, the next step would be to
provide him with complementary coaching. Partridge previously coached the D-Line at the University of Pittsburg
from 2018 to 2023. He has taught a number of outstanding athletes who have gone on to play in the NFL, including
Calijah Kancey, Patrick Jones, and Rashad Weaver. This new hire was announced by FootballScoops, which has
previously named Partridge Defensive Line Coach of the Year. He won in 2020 and 2022, respectively.
In 2023, Pitt’s defense recorded 31 total sacks in 12 games. This was tied for 42nd in the country. They also had four
forced turnovers from their line and three players with 30 or more tackles. Pitt’s defensive style focuses heavily on
pressure. They will have six men on the line and zone defense on the back end. The noteworthy aspect of this sort of
defense is that Gus Bradley rarely applies pressure. Bradley’s zone design required him to rely on his defensive line
to generate pressure.
From 2019 to 2022, Partridge’s team topped the Atlantic Coast Conference (Coastal) in sacks each season. They averaged 49 sacks every season throughout that time. The Colts concluded the 2023 season with a total of 51 sacks, the most in Indianapolis history. Despite this performance, the Colts still require assistance from their defensive line to generate pressure. Having a coach like Partridge, who delights on putting pressure on the quarterback, will be critical for this line. It should also be emphasized that the Colts’ secondary still raises concerns. If all of those issues are not answered this offseason, having a defensive line that can pressure the passer will be the most effective solution for that underperforming team.
Football games are won on the line of scrimmage. As a result, defenses who can stuff the run and put pressure on the quarterback typically win the most games. DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart are the Colts’ standout defensive tackles. However, their edge rushers need to step up and make a bigger impact. Kwity Paye is entering his fourth season in the league and has yet to make an impact. Samson Ebukam and Dayo Odeyingbo were both effective on the perimeter but did not make game-changing plays.