Insider: Frank Reich gearing up to coach 'fearless' Andrew Luck

ORLANDO – You can choose to view Frank Reich’s initial experience with Andrew Luck in two distinctly different fashions.

You might prefer to say he inherited an injured quarterback with an uncertain future; a justifiable position given Luck’s ongoing shoulder saga.

Or, you could do as the new Indianapolis Colts head coach is doing, and choose to revel in your great fortune. Consider: How many first-time coaches inherit a Pro Bowl quarterback? And how many coaches fail for the lack of ever having one?

As he watches tape of his new team, Reich can’t help but be fascinated by what he’s seen of Luck – even if no one has seen it in quite some time because of the quarterback’s injured throwing shoulder. And, for Reich, it isn’t Luck’s downfield dimes that have been most impressive.

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“I think it’s the toughness (and) fearlessness to his game,” Reich marveled, during an interview at this week’s NFL meetings. “Standing in the pocket, totally unafraid, totally fearless. Great quarterbacks I’ve been around, a lot of them have that because you have to be able to hang in there until the last minute (to make throws).”

Reich, on the job a mere six weeks, has had precious few opportunities to develop relationships with his players. Coaches are strictly limited in the sort of contact they may have with players this time of year. They are prohibited from talking football strategy during this dead period prior to the start of offseason workouts in April.

So, outside of a few informal conversations with Luck, Reich’s impressions have come almost entirely from game film.

And, man, has that film shown him something.

“Obviously, when you look at his skillset, I mean, you have everything,” Reich said. “I remember watching him coming out (of college), watching him play his first few years in the league, I mean, you’ve got size, strength, intelligence, (can) extend plays in the pocket, extend plays out of the pocket, having the intelligence to get the offense in the right (position), be a good decision maker, protect the football, leadership, team-first. I mean, he’s exhibited all those characteristics throughout his whole career, not just with the Colts, but in college. It’s just incredibly exciting. It’s exciting because you know he’s not only a talented player, but he’s got the kind of character, the kind of backbone, the kind of toughness that you really want to be part of the leadership of the team.”

Reich’s first chance to “get his hands” on his players comes in two weeks, when the Colts reconvene to begin their offseason workouts. They’ll initially be in the strength-and-conditioning stage of the offseason, with coaches unable to participate in the on-field portion (the strength coaches take the lead in that stage).

But the team will be permitted to begin classroom instruction. That’s where Reich and Luck can, finally, roll up their sleeves and get down to business.

And there is quite a bit of business to attend to when those meetings get underway. The Colts will be installing Reich’s offensive scheme, and no one takes a bigger role in that effort than the franchise quarterback. That’s why Reich wants to be immersed in the process with Luck and backup Jacoby Brissett. Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni will take the lead in coaching the quarterback position. It’s the reason the Colts opted to not hire a quarterbacks coach for at least this year.

There are likely to be some discernible differences with Reich’s scheme that directly impact the quarterback position. For one, Reich wants the ball to be delivered more quickly. It will, he says, have a positive impact on the offense and, specifically, the offensive line which won’t have to pass protect as long.

“You’ve got to protect the quarterback,” he said. “And it is really the whole unit, so that involves scheming to get the ball out quicker.”

That will be a departure from former offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s scheme, which often called for long-developing pass routes that required the quarterback to hang in the pocket too long. That, coupled with Luck’s tendency to get greedy at times – waiting for the deep routes to develop rather than targeting a receiver on a shorter route who might be open – often were detrimental.

But can Reich alter the way this offense plays while also maximizing one of Luck’s greatest attributes? That would be Luck’s deep ball, which is among the most impressive in pro football.

“The analogy that I like to use is a boxing analogy,” Reich said. “A lot of jabs, stick and move, and then here comes the big punch. And when you keep them off balance with the jab and you set up the big one, that’s the way it works best.”

Watching film of Luck has also introduced Reich to a side of Luck those familiar with the Colts saw long ago: He knows no boundaries and often fails to protect himself like the franchise quarterback that he is. Reich said he had a similarly hard-headed quarterback during his time in Philadelphia, where Carson Wentz proved himself every bit as stubborn as Luck.

That has got to change, Reich said.

“I wouldn’t want to be the guy who intercepted (Luck’s) ball,” Reich said. “Because he’s going like a missile to take his head off. … We will have that conversation. It’s the path that he’s taking to tackle a guy. Most quarterbacks are not taking the most direct path. They are going to take the path of less resistance. You watch guys like Andrew and Carson and there’s a direct path, oblivious to anybody. Most quarterbacks are worrying about that. The tape I saw early on Andrew – and Carson is the same way – is ‘That guy just took my ball and I’m going to get it back and I’m going to hurt him.’”

Yep, that sounds like Andrew Luck, all right. Maybe Reich knows him better than he even realizes.

Follow Colts Insider Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.