August 7, 2025 • 24 mins
The Colts Show is back with JJ Stankevitz offering his thoughts and observations on the state of the Colts' quarterback competition between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson Sr. two weeks into training camp. JJ is then joined by wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who's having a fantastic training camp, for a conversation about where the second-year has improved the most after his rookie season. JJ then opens up The Colts Show Mailbag for a question about under-the-radar coaches who are making a major impact on the 2025 team.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey, Colts fans, I'm JJ Stankovitzen.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome in to another episode of The Colts Show in Indianapolis.
Colts Podcast, fun show coming up for everyone.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Today.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I had a chance to sit down with Wide receiver
Ad and I Mitchell for a really interesting conversation. He's
a very honest person. He's very authentic in every conversation
I have with him. I love talking to that guy. Also,
really fun little cameo we had later in the interview
from a very special guest that you can see or
listen to here on the podcast. Also, just you can
(00:35):
tell I'm not in Baltimore right now, doing this from
Grand Park where the Colts just wrapped up practice on Sunday.
Just some housekeeping here for anyone who's wondering. I'm not
in Baltimore because it's my kids first week of kindergarten.
So look, I twins, and we always wanted too. We
had two at the same time, which means we do
all of the firsts at once and then we only
(00:56):
get one shot at them. So I'm not missing my
kids first week at kindergarten for anything. So Lavio, have
you covered still on Colts dot com with written stuff
from Amanda Foster, Lara Overton's gonna have some stuff from
Baltimore as well, and then obviously the game tonight against
the Ravens a big opportunity for both Anthony Richardson and
Daniel Jones in that game. Right, Let's get to my
(01:17):
conversation with wide receiver ad and I Mitchell right after
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(01:59):
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(02:21):
We'll be right back. It is my pleasure to be
welcomed here on The Colt Show by wide receiver Ad
and I Mitchell. What's maybe the first week or two
of camp been like for you? And I guess more specifically,
what's something you've been able to do this training camp
that like you just were not able to do as
a rookie for whatever reason. Because rookie, you're kind of
(02:42):
drinking through a fire hose. You're coming off the off
season where you're training for the comment all, Like, what's
something that maybe you've been able to do this year
than you weren't able to do last year?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Oh? I say, probably be composed and kind of relax,
a little common to chaos. You know. The first time
we went around this thing, like everything was like a
freight train. It felt like I never stopped, even when
I got a chance to go to sleep. It felt
like I just hit the ground running every day and
you know, I never really got time to like really
(03:10):
you know, just just be calm, and you know, so
I feel like this go around, you know, things are
obviously slowing down a little bit. You know. Second year,
I'm just I just really feel a lot more comfortable,
to say the least. That's that's that's been the biggest
difference from last year to this year.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
So like what does that look like then, that you know, calmness,
being more comfortable in those like quiet moments. If you
were talking about last year, you know, you'd go to
sleep and it was still just.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Like going, Yeah, a lot of fear of the unknown
from last year and kind of this year it's just
you know, going attacking everything day by day, but more
so like meeting by meeting, walked through by walkthrough, practice
by practice, trying to just soak up all the information
(04:01):
that I can so that when I go out on
the field, you know, I'm ready to I'm ready to play,
and you know, just just the little things like you know,
eating the right things, you know, eating at the right time,
you know, just taking care of my body a lot differently.
You know now I'm you know, second time around. You know,
(04:24):
last year I got the OTAs, then training camp, So
that's two times we installed plays. Now we got OTAs
and training camp again. So now I know what the
plays are. Now I'm focused on how am I gonna
execute and why I'm doing what I'm doing.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So it's not like you know, when the QB calls
out to play in the huddle, yeah, are you thinking?
Like what are you thinking about now that maybe you
weren't able to think about last.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I'm thinking, Okay, is it? Is it gonna be? Cover one,
cover three, Cover two, cover four, Cover two? Man Like,
now I'm thinking, Okay, how am I gonna execute this?
Instead of hold on what do I got? I got
a hand? Oh? Okay, wait what coverage is it? Then? Boss?
Now now it's just now you're just playing off for
sure athleticism and skill.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Who maybe helped you out or has helped you out
over the last year to just kind of be like, hey,
like this is what rookies go through, This is you
know some of those things, and you know now you're
kind of on the other side.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Easy, rich, Yeah, rich, easy. Like we have we have
talks probably two times a week, like I'd either come
to him frustrated or or like he see I was frustrated,
and like, you know, he just he just put his
hand on my shoulder and kind of just talked me
through it and be like, man, like you know you
(05:38):
like you you going through what I was going through
my first couple of years, and you know we just
like every rich Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Did he ever show you his stats from his first
like year or two in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, I mean it's the guy who was fourteen thousand receiving yards,
but like starting off he had like two hundred.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
I mean, like having that guy in your corner, that's
gotta be really really valuable for you.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Definitely, what maybe is there like a saying O, regis big,
like saying guy's big phrase?
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Guy?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Is there like a phrase that like rings in your
head that he says that just kind of helps you
maybe if you're having a tough practice or a tough
day to kind of get through it.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Oh, dang, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta go back
and think on that one. But I mean I talked
to him maybe day Yeah, it might so be the
the day to day stuff like if I if I
go out there, I'll run a bad route. I know,
he looking at me like I could feel it. I'm
not even gonna look that way because I already know
I'm messed up, Like I'm gonna just go in and
(06:41):
show him something the next play.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So you have that that night practice out there on
Thursday last week. When this comes out, you you're all
over making plays. What did that feel like in that
setting where it felt you know, kind of like Friday
night lights, going out there making those kind of plays.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Like, what did that feel like to you?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I mean, it definitely felt good. It's always gonna feel
good kind of being able to make a play for
the team. You know, it just it was just fun man,
just kind of getting a play call and being able
to execute the plays and you know, just really just
trying to earn that trust with the quarterback and the coaches.
(07:23):
That's really the main thing, and just to go out
there and have fun.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
So you had that that deep ball catch that I
think was for either for a touchdown it was read
at the goal line. But you also had that toe
tap on the sideline. If you're thinking about those two plays,
which is your favorite one of those two? I mean,
you can watch this on social media too for our
listeners and viewers.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
They both will converted, so I can't I can't choose
both good down converted. Now, if I would have scored
a touchdown, it would have been a touchdown for both though,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
How do you feel like camp's going for you this year?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
It's been cool, you know, it's it's it definitely just
feels better this year versus last year. It definitely just
I just feel more comfortable. I'm taking coaching differently, I'm
listening differently, like you know it, everything just feels different,
(08:20):
you know, and you know, the quarterbacks helped me out
a lot too as well, so it definitely feels different.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
You mentioned kind of going through this, you know, kind
of four times now with the the installs and all that,
but developing that rapport with Daniel and Anthony, not knowing
who's gonna be the weak one starter.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Just how has that process been for you?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I mean it's been fun, man, just too like because
them boy has been baling like so it's it's you know,
it's it's really just not really like a clear answer
right now. Like and you know, we got we got
we got faith in whoever steps in week one to
lead us to lead us home. So it's been fun.
(09:07):
You know, you can see you can see the grind
and you know you can see the dog in they eyes,
you know, like the fears that they're playing with. And
I love it. I love it. It's been fun. Man.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Do you are you aware of like who's thrown you
the ball in like practice period to practice period or
do you are you so focused on like my own
duties that like if it's seventeen or five, it almost
just you're like, oh, okay, that's who's thrown it here.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, yeah, pretty much. Just you know, either way go
the only thing I gotta do is catch the ball.
So catch the ball and just try to be on
the same page as a quarterback. So yeah, yeah, we
just just go out there, run to play, catch the ball.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
What do you like look at other wide receivers in
the league or NFL history to kind of like you know,
in the off season or you got downtime going YouTube
watch any of these guys. Do you look at any
of that stuff?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Oh? For sure, I know. Shane's a huge Keenan Allen guy.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Okay, Chargers Yeah yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
So oh but yeah, so a lot of a lot
of guys like Keenan Allen, A lot of Davonte Adams,
Stevie Johnson.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Yeah in two bills, right, yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Yeah, So really just really just a lot of guys
who separate the best. And you know, like you look
at those three receivers like they were never the tallest, fastest, strongest,
but they knew how to get open.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
So when when you're watching them, like what are you
looking for?
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Just in terms of like how they get open against
certain coverages or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, like how they how they attack certain leverages. You know,
you could line up have a guy outside leverage and
still beat him out. I want to know what he
did to do that. I want to know how he
did it. I want to know step by step, millisecond
by millisecond as I'm as I'm pressing the little pause
and play, but like I want to know, I want
(11:11):
to know what he's like, what he's going through mentally?
Speaker 2 (11:14):
What what does it mean to have your daughter see
you play in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Everything?
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Man, come on, there we go.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
It means everything. Man. You know, my I was the youngest,
so you know, I wasn't able to be there with
my with my parents while they were in their prime,
and so you know, it definitely feels good to have somebody,
to have somebody here every step of the way, and
somebody that I love and chairs forever.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Coach Toddler race champion Iceland Mitchell over here. It was
a tight race, tight race when she ran it last year,
A shot. She ain't really who's going to run the
faster forty yard dash at the age of what twenty one?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Because you ran it in like a four to three three.
But I've now seen your.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Daughter run a forty yard dash at the age of
like three.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Look, man, I love my daughter je Alright.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Alright, all right, we'll call it on that. Added I'm Mitchell,
coltswide receiver. Thanks for joining us here on the show
Man Appreciation. All right back here on the Colt Show.
Before I get to the Colt Show mail bag. A
really good question, by the way, came in in the
YouTube comments from last week's episode with Bernard Ryman. Just
(12:36):
a couple thoughts and observations I have, and like the
first one is just straight up like this quarterback competition
is still too close to call, and whatever happens tonight
in Baltimore, it's just one piece of the evaluation. I
asked Shane Steichen on Sunday after practice, like how he
waits games versus joint practices versus regular practices, and he
(12:56):
was just like, it's kind of all even everything is
a value between all those things plus walkthroughs. Meetings like
the Cults are like minute by minute evaluating Anthony Richardson
and Daniel Jones to decide who's going to be their
starter a month from today, right, I mean, that's crazy
that the Cult season opens one month from today against
the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium and everything's being
(13:19):
evaluated and nothing. It didn't even really sound like Shane
was more heavily like putting like a significantly more heavyweight
on the games, where you know, I think sometimes you
can view these things as like practices are quizzes and
games are tests. I think it's a little more just
kind of like everything's a test at this point for
(13:41):
Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. So we'll see what comes
out of tonight. We'll have plenty more wrapping up tonight
on Instant Reaction that'll be out with Bill Brooks and
Casey Valier on Friday of this week, Friday morning, so
stay tuned to that. And that's another Indianapolis Colts podcast.
You can get that one on YouTube and also on
your podcast feeds as well. The weekend before the joint practice,
(14:04):
I think there was this maybe perception that like Saturday's
practice out here where the Colts focused on red zone
was like bad for both quarterbacks and Daniel Jones threw
two picks, Anthony Richardson threw a picky at a number
of other passes broken up. Not a lot of completions necessarily,
but there were some good moments in there, like both
quarterbacks had nice throws for touchdowns. But I just like
(14:27):
real quick on like the red zone stuff, that area
is condensed in the field and it's not necessarily an
area where you're going to see a ton of completions
in like a training camp setting, because the Colts are
not doing a lot of their designery stuff down in
the red zone where you're gonna have Tyler Warren lining
up all over the field, You're not gonna have some
(14:48):
of the really interesting zone read type stuff that you're
gonna get in the regular season with Anthony Richardson or
Daniel Jones whoever's back there. So I'm not like reading
too much into it when it comes to the results
of it. What I did like hearing was both from
Shaneesteke and Jim Bob Cooter that they're like they're teachable
moments here trying to work through this. I mean, look,
the Colts do need to be better in the red zone.
Their twenty second in the league last year in red
(15:11):
zone offense, so that's got to get better. But it's
not something I'm like, you know, pulling the alarm over
right now at this point of training camp. Continue to
see really good performance from the Colts defense, and specifically
like the defensive line looks like they're really as sending
Zire Franklin. I'm taping this on Sunday, and Zaire in
his media session he was just like, you gotta see
(15:32):
lat too, Like Lat two's getting hot, Like Lat two's
coming on. That's something like if this defense, which I
think I maybe one of the biggest stories I've had
so far in camp, has just been the way that
the secondary has played, and I know I've talked about
it on previous podcasts, like this secondary is dialed in.
Even with Juju Brents and Jalen Jones missing some time,
Trevario's ward has missed a couple practices here and there,
(15:55):
like that secondary's dialed in cam Binam looks like an
absolute like culture changer for the way that this defense
can play in the back end. Kenny Moore of the
second is having an awesome training camp justin Wally keeps
making plays. But like, if that defensive line gets a
bona fide number one pass rusher, which like Latu lat two,
still has work to do to get there, right, but
(16:16):
like if that if he's able to take a step
toward being that this year, like all of a sudden,
I'm not saying there's your Trey Hendrickson, because that's who
lou Anarumo obviously had in Cincinnati, but like, if you
get like seventy to eighty percent of what Trey Hendrickson
has been as a pass rusher from Layatu Latu this
year and you're getting double digit sacks out of number
ninety seven, that changes the way you can play defense
(16:40):
up front. And like the other thing I noticed today
was the Russian cover worked great together. There are a
couple of plays on Sunday where whether as Daniel Jones
or Anthony Richardson, they didn't have a guy open kind
of when they got to the back of their drop
and then bam, here comes Samson Abacom around the you know,
hitting the loop around the edge to get a sack,
quity pay pushing someone in there to get a sack.
DeForest Buckner had another really good day. Like that defensive
(17:03):
line is starting to really come together. And again, just
for all the attention we keep giving the secondary, that
d line is still going to be huge in that
Russian cover working together not something that maybe was a
part of this defense over the last couple of years,
it kind of felt like Russian cover we're not always
working sort of in unison as much as they needed to.
(17:24):
So far in camp you're seeing that, and that's a
really encouraging sign. All right, let's get to the Colt
Show mail Bag. Remember you can submit your questions on
colts dot com slash mailbag, send them to be on
social media, or drop them in the YouTube comments of
this episode. This question comes from the YouTube comments again
of last week's episode with Bernard Ryman, and it is
from at dead Man two one one two two outside
(17:45):
of the players Lou and Shane, So we're saying we're
not talking about players who're not talking about lou Anarumo
or Shane Steichen here, which I like the way this
is phrased with players, but then also your defensive play
call and your offensive play caller, who on the supportive
staff has started to have a good amount of impact
on the overall team development. If you can mention one
for all three sides, offense, defense, and special teams. All right,
(18:06):
really good question here because I like kind of highlighting
guys who maybe don't get as much love out there
as maybe they should. So offense, this one is a
layup for me. It's offensive line coach Tony Sperano Junior.
And don't take it from me, take it from the
bank accounts of Bernard Ryman and Will Fries, two guys
who he has developed. Like those are the two young
(18:28):
guys who you know were in starting roles in twenty
twenty two towards you know, obviously, in the second half
of that season, Tony Sparano Junior comes in and those
are the two young guys who he needed to develop.
He inherited Ryan Kelly, Quinton Nelson, and Braden Smith, three
guys who are already established veterans. You know, Quintin Nelson
(18:48):
a pro an all pro Ryan Kelly a pro bowler,
Braden Smith a really solid right tackle, but he wound
up developing Bernard Ryman and Will Fries into two rock
solid players on the offensive line, Ryman at left tackle,
Fries at right guard. And you know those are guys
who it's not like those guys had first round pedigree,
Like those guys had to earn it from the standpoint
(19:10):
of like Bernard being a third round pick and Will
Fryes being a seventh round pick. Where you know, those
guys just the way NFL rosters are built, those guys
can be replaced. If they aren't up to the level
that you need him to, they're not gonna get as
many chances as a first round pick, is what I'm saying.
And those guys took Tony Sprano Junior's coaching and they
(19:30):
ran with it into again being.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Really good players there.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
So the development of those two guys like that's why
Tony Spranno is a guy want a highlight here. But
now he's tasked with developing Ma Gonzalveez as this team's
right guard this year, and then Tanner Bordolini as this
team center most likely the track records already there for
Tony Spranno Junior in the last three years with this
Colts team. So I have an immense amount of trust
(19:56):
that he will get Gonzalvez and Bordolini to being good
NFL starters as a base line for this offensive line.
I always kind of like to view offensive lines as
like a week link system. And if he can get
you know, Bordolini and Gonzalveez just to like a certain level,
this offensive line is going to be really good. Quinton
Nelson's still an awesome player. Bernard Ryman, like I mentioned,
solid NFL left tackle, He's probably like if you look
(20:18):
at some of the PFF stuff, he's top ten in
the league at tackle. And then Braiden Smith. You know
everything we've heard and talked to from Brayden, you know
he's back. He's fully back. And when Braiden Smith has
been on the field, he's been a good player, especially
as a run blocker, that is where he's had a
lot of success in this league. So feel really good
about the offensive linel right on defense, a little bit
(20:41):
tougher here just because we don't know as many of
these guys. Charlie Partridge is a holdover from last year's
coaching staff, the defensive line coach, a couple guys in
assistant roles like Matt Rach, Brent Jackson, Cato June on
this team. But I want to highlight Chris Hewett, the
Colts past game coordinator and secondary coach, because he spent
his entire coaching career in the NFL with the Baltimore
(21:01):
Ravens and for the last decade he was in roles
as a secondary coach, DB's pass game coordinator, whatever it
might be. For three defensive coordinators in Baltimore, all of
whom play different kind of styles of defense. Dean Pis,
a very highly respected veteran defensive coordinator in this league,
was the guy he worked under to start. Then it
was Wink Martindale, who, like, I freaking love Wink Martindale
(21:24):
the way he just zero blitz, zero blitz, zero blitz
over and over and over again. Loved watching his defenses.
Definitely a different way to play defense, but a guy who, again,
you're blitz heavy, how does that impact the secondary? And
then Mike McDonald who's now the head coach of the
Seattle Seahawks, a guy who's extremely creative and how he
used his DBS specifically, you had Kyle Hamilton in there
(21:47):
turn into one of the best safeties in the NFL
under Mike McDonald, Chris, you would having a hand in
coaching him there. So I'm interested in just how that experience,
specifically in playing different coverages with different pressure packages, aligns
with lou Anarumo, who's a very multiple guy as a
defensive coordinator, a guy who is going to send more
simulated pressures than we've seen in the past here, So
(22:09):
you know, and Chris Ballard said at the NFL combine,
the Colts felt lucky to be able to get Chris
Hewett from that Baltimore Ravens staff, So nice addition there.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
And then the last guy here.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Maybe it's a little bit cheating to go with the
special teams coordinator, but did you know since Brian Mason
took over as the Colts special teams coordinator in twenty
twenty three, they are tied for the NFL lead in
blocked punts.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
They have three.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Technically they have three, in reality they have four because
one block punt against Tennessee in twenty twenty three, if
you remember that one that was on where Tennessee's punter
got significantly injured on the play, but it counted as
a fumble because I think it was Tony Brown got
to Ryan stone House so quickly that he didn't even
get the ball to his foot for it to count
(22:53):
as a punt. So really I would call it like
four block punts. And Brian Mason that this dude is
like he's like a mad signist with the way that
he draws up punt block schemes where he messes with
opposing teams protections in a way that's really unique and
really really interesting. The leverage he's able to get his
guys and to get free runners. I love nothing more
(23:16):
than watching segu Alubi, who's like one of the fastest
linebackers in the NFL, come just screaming off the edge unblocked,
and as soon as he see number fifty, no one
gets their hand on him. But it's like, yeah, that
ball's getting tipped, that ball is getting blocked by him.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
So Brian Mason.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Really really cool stuff that he's doing in punt block,
which like those are you know, you may only get
one or two of those a season, but those are
game flipping type plays where instead of you're taking over
at the minus thirty you're taking over at the plus
ten or maybe you're even getting a touchdown out of it.
Those are games that can Those are plays that can
flip momentum in a game. So shout out to Brian
(23:52):
Mason again, really good question there from the YouTube comments.
You can submit your question again in the YouTube comments
of this episode for next week's episode, or you can
go to Colts dot com slash mailbag or send them
to me on social media. That's going to do it
for this episode of the Cult Show in Indianapolis Colts podcast.
Give us a five star review, subscribe to us on
your podcast network of choice here on YouTube as well,
(24:15):
and we'll talk to you next week, right when the
Colts are going to have a joint practice here at
Grand Park with the Green Bay Packers to close out
training camp.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Talk to that so long
Hey, Colts fans, I'm JJ Stankovitzen.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome in to another episode of The Colts Show in Indianapolis.
Colts Podcast, fun show coming up for everyone.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Today.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I had a chance to sit down with Wide receiver
Ad and I Mitchell for a really interesting conversation. He's
a very honest person. He's very authentic in every conversation
I have with him. I love talking to that guy. Also,
really fun little cameo we had later in the interview
from a very special guest that you can see or
listen to here on the podcast. Also, just you can
(00:35):
tell I'm not in Baltimore right now, doing this from
Grand Park where the Colts just wrapped up practice on Sunday.
Just some housekeeping here for anyone who's wondering. I'm not
in Baltimore because it's my kids first week of kindergarten.
So look, I twins, and we always wanted too. We
had two at the same time, which means we do
all of the firsts at once and then we only
(00:56):
get one shot at them. So I'm not missing my
kids first week at kindergarten for anything. So Lavio, have
you covered still on Colts dot com with written stuff
from Amanda Foster, Lara Overton's gonna have some stuff from
Baltimore as well, and then obviously the game tonight against
the Ravens a big opportunity for both Anthony Richardson and
Daniel Jones in that game. Right, Let's get to my
(01:17):
conversation with wide receiver ad and I Mitchell right after
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(01:39):
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(02:21):
We'll be right back. It is my pleasure to be
welcomed here on The Colt Show by wide receiver Ad
and I Mitchell. What's maybe the first week or two
of camp been like for you? And I guess more specifically,
what's something you've been able to do this training camp
that like you just were not able to do as
a rookie for whatever reason. Because rookie, you're kind of
(02:42):
drinking through a fire hose. You're coming off the off
season where you're training for the comment all, Like, what's
something that maybe you've been able to do this year
than you weren't able to do last year?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Oh? I say, probably be composed and kind of relax,
a little common to chaos. You know. The first time
we went around this thing, like everything was like a
freight train. It felt like I never stopped, even when
I got a chance to go to sleep. It felt
like I just hit the ground running every day and
you know, I never really got time to like really
(03:10):
you know, just just be calm, and you know, so
I feel like this go around, you know, things are
obviously slowing down a little bit. You know. Second year,
I'm just I just really feel a lot more comfortable,
to say the least. That's that's that's been the biggest
difference from last year to this year.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
So like what does that look like then, that you know, calmness,
being more comfortable in those like quiet moments. If you
were talking about last year, you know, you'd go to
sleep and it was still just.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Like going, Yeah, a lot of fear of the unknown
from last year and kind of this year it's just
you know, going attacking everything day by day, but more
so like meeting by meeting, walked through by walkthrough, practice
by practice, trying to just soak up all the information
(04:01):
that I can so that when I go out on
the field, you know, I'm ready to I'm ready to play,
and you know, just just the little things like you know,
eating the right things, you know, eating at the right time,
you know, just taking care of my body a lot differently.
You know now I'm you know, second time around. You know,
(04:24):
last year I got the OTAs, then training camp, So
that's two times we installed plays. Now we got OTAs
and training camp again. So now I know what the
plays are. Now I'm focused on how am I gonna
execute and why I'm doing what I'm doing.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So it's not like you know, when the QB calls
out to play in the huddle, yeah, are you thinking?
Like what are you thinking about now that maybe you
weren't able to think about last.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I'm thinking, Okay, is it? Is it gonna be? Cover one,
cover three, Cover two, cover four, Cover two? Man Like,
now I'm thinking, Okay, how am I gonna execute this?
Instead of hold on what do I got? I got
a hand? Oh? Okay, wait what coverage is it? Then? Boss?
Now now it's just now you're just playing off for
sure athleticism and skill.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Who maybe helped you out or has helped you out
over the last year to just kind of be like, hey,
like this is what rookies go through, This is you
know some of those things, and you know now you're
kind of on the other side.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Easy, rich, Yeah, rich, easy. Like we have we have
talks probably two times a week, like I'd either come
to him frustrated or or like he see I was frustrated,
and like, you know, he just he just put his
hand on my shoulder and kind of just talked me
through it and be like, man, like you know you
(05:38):
like you you going through what I was going through
my first couple of years, and you know we just
like every rich Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Did he ever show you his stats from his first
like year or two in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, I mean it's the guy who was fourteen thousand receiving yards,
but like starting off he had like two hundred.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
I mean, like having that guy in your corner, that's
gotta be really really valuable for you.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Definitely, what maybe is there like a saying O, regis big,
like saying guy's big phrase?
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Guy?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Is there like a phrase that like rings in your
head that he says that just kind of helps you
maybe if you're having a tough practice or a tough
day to kind of get through it.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Oh, dang, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta go back
and think on that one. But I mean I talked
to him maybe day Yeah, it might so be the
the day to day stuff like if I if I
go out there, I'll run a bad route. I know,
he looking at me like I could feel it. I'm
not even gonna look that way because I already know
I'm messed up, Like I'm gonna just go in and
(06:41):
show him something the next play.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So you have that that night practice out there on
Thursday last week. When this comes out, you you're all
over making plays. What did that feel like in that
setting where it felt you know, kind of like Friday
night lights, going out there making those kind of plays.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Like, what did that feel like to you?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I mean, it definitely felt good. It's always gonna feel
good kind of being able to make a play for
the team. You know, it just it was just fun man,
just kind of getting a play call and being able
to execute the plays and you know, just really just
trying to earn that trust with the quarterback and the coaches.
(07:23):
That's really the main thing, and just to go out
there and have fun.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
So you had that that deep ball catch that I
think was for either for a touchdown it was read
at the goal line. But you also had that toe
tap on the sideline. If you're thinking about those two plays,
which is your favorite one of those two? I mean,
you can watch this on social media too for our
listeners and viewers.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
They both will converted, so I can't I can't choose
both good down converted. Now, if I would have scored
a touchdown, it would have been a touchdown for both though,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
How do you feel like camp's going for you this year?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
It's been cool, you know, it's it's it definitely just
feels better this year versus last year. It definitely just
I just feel more comfortable. I'm taking coaching differently, I'm
listening differently, like you know it, everything just feels different,
(08:20):
you know, and you know, the quarterbacks helped me out
a lot too as well, so it definitely feels different.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
You mentioned kind of going through this, you know, kind
of four times now with the the installs and all that,
but developing that rapport with Daniel and Anthony, not knowing
who's gonna be the weak one starter.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Just how has that process been for you?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I mean it's been fun, man, just too like because
them boy has been baling like so it's it's you know,
it's it's really just not really like a clear answer
right now. Like and you know, we got we got
we got faith in whoever steps in week one to
lead us to lead us home. So it's been fun.
(09:07):
You know, you can see you can see the grind
and you know you can see the dog in they eyes,
you know, like the fears that they're playing with. And
I love it. I love it. It's been fun. Man.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Do you are you aware of like who's thrown you
the ball in like practice period to practice period or
do you are you so focused on like my own
duties that like if it's seventeen or five, it almost
just you're like, oh, okay, that's who's thrown it here.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, yeah, pretty much. Just you know, either way go
the only thing I gotta do is catch the ball.
So catch the ball and just try to be on
the same page as a quarterback. So yeah, yeah, we
just just go out there, run to play, catch the ball.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
What do you like look at other wide receivers in
the league or NFL history to kind of like you know,
in the off season or you got downtime going YouTube
watch any of these guys. Do you look at any
of that stuff?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Oh? For sure, I know. Shane's a huge Keenan Allen guy.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Okay, Chargers Yeah yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
So oh but yeah, so a lot of a lot
of guys like Keenan Allen, A lot of Davonte Adams,
Stevie Johnson.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Yeah in two bills, right, yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Yeah, So really just really just a lot of guys
who separate the best. And you know, like you look
at those three receivers like they were never the tallest, fastest, strongest,
but they knew how to get open.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
So when when you're watching them, like what are you
looking for?
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Just in terms of like how they get open against
certain coverages or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, like how they how they attack certain leverages. You know,
you could line up have a guy outside leverage and
still beat him out. I want to know what he
did to do that. I want to know how he
did it. I want to know step by step, millisecond
by millisecond as I'm as I'm pressing the little pause
and play, but like I want to know, I want
(11:11):
to know what he's like, what he's going through mentally?
Speaker 2 (11:14):
What what does it mean to have your daughter see
you play in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Everything?
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Man, come on, there we go.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
It means everything. Man. You know, my I was the youngest,
so you know, I wasn't able to be there with
my with my parents while they were in their prime,
and so you know, it definitely feels good to have somebody,
to have somebody here every step of the way, and
somebody that I love and chairs forever.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Coach Toddler race champion Iceland Mitchell over here. It was
a tight race, tight race when she ran it last year,
A shot. She ain't really who's going to run the
faster forty yard dash at the age of what twenty one?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Because you ran it in like a four to three three.
But I've now seen your.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Daughter run a forty yard dash at the age of
like three.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Look, man, I love my daughter je Alright.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Alright, all right, we'll call it on that. Added I'm Mitchell,
coltswide receiver. Thanks for joining us here on the show
Man Appreciation. All right back here on the Colt Show.
Before I get to the Colt Show mail bag. A
really good question, by the way, came in in the
YouTube comments from last week's episode with Bernard Ryman. Just
(12:36):
a couple thoughts and observations I have, and like the
first one is just straight up like this quarterback competition
is still too close to call, and whatever happens tonight
in Baltimore, it's just one piece of the evaluation. I
asked Shane Steichen on Sunday after practice, like how he
waits games versus joint practices versus regular practices, and he
(12:56):
was just like, it's kind of all even everything is
a value between all those things plus walkthroughs. Meetings like
the Cults are like minute by minute evaluating Anthony Richardson
and Daniel Jones to decide who's going to be their
starter a month from today, right, I mean, that's crazy
that the Cult season opens one month from today against
the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium and everything's being
(13:19):
evaluated and nothing. It didn't even really sound like Shane
was more heavily like putting like a significantly more heavyweight
on the games, where you know, I think sometimes you
can view these things as like practices are quizzes and
games are tests. I think it's a little more just
kind of like everything's a test at this point for
(13:41):
Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. So we'll see what comes
out of tonight. We'll have plenty more wrapping up tonight
on Instant Reaction that'll be out with Bill Brooks and
Casey Valier on Friday of this week, Friday morning, so
stay tuned to that. And that's another Indianapolis Colts podcast.
You can get that one on YouTube and also on
your podcast feeds as well. The weekend before the joint practice,
(14:04):
I think there was this maybe perception that like Saturday's
practice out here where the Colts focused on red zone
was like bad for both quarterbacks and Daniel Jones threw
two picks, Anthony Richardson threw a picky at a number
of other passes broken up. Not a lot of completions necessarily,
but there were some good moments in there, like both
quarterbacks had nice throws for touchdowns. But I just like
(14:27):
real quick on like the red zone stuff, that area
is condensed in the field and it's not necessarily an
area where you're going to see a ton of completions
in like a training camp setting, because the Colts are
not doing a lot of their designery stuff down in
the red zone where you're gonna have Tyler Warren lining
up all over the field, You're not gonna have some
(14:48):
of the really interesting zone read type stuff that you're
gonna get in the regular season with Anthony Richardson or
Daniel Jones whoever's back there. So I'm not like reading
too much into it when it comes to the results
of it. What I did like hearing was both from
Shaneesteke and Jim Bob Cooter that they're like they're teachable
moments here trying to work through this. I mean, look,
the Colts do need to be better in the red zone.
Their twenty second in the league last year in red
(15:11):
zone offense, so that's got to get better. But it's
not something I'm like, you know, pulling the alarm over
right now at this point of training camp. Continue to
see really good performance from the Colts defense, and specifically
like the defensive line looks like they're really as sending
Zire Franklin. I'm taping this on Sunday, and Zaire in
his media session he was just like, you gotta see
(15:32):
lat too, Like Lat two's getting hot, Like Lat two's
coming on. That's something like if this defense, which I
think I maybe one of the biggest stories I've had
so far in camp, has just been the way that
the secondary has played, and I know I've talked about
it on previous podcasts, like this secondary is dialed in.
Even with Juju Brents and Jalen Jones missing some time,
Trevario's ward has missed a couple practices here and there,
(15:55):
like that secondary's dialed in cam Binam looks like an
absolute like culture changer for the way that this defense
can play in the back end. Kenny Moore of the
second is having an awesome training camp justin Wally keeps
making plays. But like, if that defensive line gets a
bona fide number one pass rusher, which like Latu lat two,
still has work to do to get there, right, but
(16:16):
like if that if he's able to take a step
toward being that this year, like all of a sudden,
I'm not saying there's your Trey Hendrickson, because that's who
lou Anarumo obviously had in Cincinnati, but like, if you
get like seventy to eighty percent of what Trey Hendrickson
has been as a pass rusher from Layatu Latu this
year and you're getting double digit sacks out of number
ninety seven, that changes the way you can play defense
(16:40):
up front. And like the other thing I noticed today
was the Russian cover worked great together. There are a
couple of plays on Sunday where whether as Daniel Jones
or Anthony Richardson, they didn't have a guy open kind
of when they got to the back of their drop
and then bam, here comes Samson Abacom around the you know,
hitting the loop around the edge to get a sack,
quity pay pushing someone in there to get a sack.
DeForest Buckner had another really good day. Like that defensive
(17:03):
line is starting to really come together. And again, just
for all the attention we keep giving the secondary, that
d line is still going to be huge in that
Russian cover working together not something that maybe was a
part of this defense over the last couple of years,
it kind of felt like Russian cover we're not always
working sort of in unison as much as they needed to.
(17:24):
So far in camp you're seeing that, and that's a
really encouraging sign. All right, let's get to the Colt
Show mail Bag. Remember you can submit your questions on
colts dot com slash mailbag, send them to be on
social media, or drop them in the YouTube comments of
this episode. This question comes from the YouTube comments again
of last week's episode with Bernard Ryman, and it is
from at dead Man two one one two two outside
(17:45):
of the players Lou and Shane, So we're saying we're
not talking about players who're not talking about lou Anarumo
or Shane Steichen here, which I like the way this
is phrased with players, but then also your defensive play
call and your offensive play caller, who on the supportive
staff has started to have a good amount of impact
on the overall team development. If you can mention one
for all three sides, offense, defense, and special teams. All right,
(18:06):
really good question here because I like kind of highlighting
guys who maybe don't get as much love out there
as maybe they should. So offense, this one is a
layup for me. It's offensive line coach Tony Sperano Junior.
And don't take it from me, take it from the
bank accounts of Bernard Ryman and Will Fries, two guys
who he has developed. Like those are the two young
(18:28):
guys who you know were in starting roles in twenty
twenty two towards you know, obviously, in the second half
of that season, Tony Sparano Junior comes in and those
are the two young guys who he needed to develop.
He inherited Ryan Kelly, Quinton Nelson, and Braden Smith, three
guys who are already established veterans. You know, Quintin Nelson
(18:48):
a pro an all pro Ryan Kelly a pro bowler,
Braden Smith a really solid right tackle, but he wound
up developing Bernard Ryman and Will Fries into two rock
solid players on the offensive line, Ryman at left tackle,
Fries at right guard. And you know those are guys
who it's not like those guys had first round pedigree,
Like those guys had to earn it from the standpoint
(19:10):
of like Bernard being a third round pick and Will
Fryes being a seventh round pick. Where you know, those
guys just the way NFL rosters are built, those guys
can be replaced. If they aren't up to the level
that you need him to, they're not gonna get as
many chances as a first round pick, is what I'm saying.
And those guys took Tony Sprano Junior's coaching and they
(19:30):
ran with it into again being.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Really good players there.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
So the development of those two guys like that's why
Tony Spranno is a guy want a highlight here. But
now he's tasked with developing Ma Gonzalveez as this team's
right guard this year, and then Tanner Bordolini as this
team center most likely the track records already there for
Tony Spranno Junior in the last three years with this
Colts team. So I have an immense amount of trust
(19:56):
that he will get Gonzalvez and Bordolini to being good
NFL starters as a base line for this offensive line.
I always kind of like to view offensive lines as
like a week link system. And if he can get
you know, Bordolini and Gonzalveez just to like a certain level,
this offensive line is going to be really good. Quinton
Nelson's still an awesome player. Bernard Ryman, like I mentioned,
solid NFL left tackle, He's probably like if you look
(20:18):
at some of the PFF stuff, he's top ten in
the league at tackle. And then Braiden Smith. You know
everything we've heard and talked to from Brayden, you know
he's back. He's fully back. And when Braiden Smith has
been on the field, he's been a good player, especially
as a run blocker, that is where he's had a
lot of success in this league. So feel really good
about the offensive linel right on defense, a little bit
(20:41):
tougher here just because we don't know as many of
these guys. Charlie Partridge is a holdover from last year's
coaching staff, the defensive line coach, a couple guys in
assistant roles like Matt Rach, Brent Jackson, Cato June on
this team. But I want to highlight Chris Hewett, the
Colts past game coordinator and secondary coach, because he spent
his entire coaching career in the NFL with the Baltimore
(21:01):
Ravens and for the last decade he was in roles
as a secondary coach, DB's pass game coordinator, whatever it
might be. For three defensive coordinators in Baltimore, all of
whom play different kind of styles of defense. Dean Pis,
a very highly respected veteran defensive coordinator in this league,
was the guy he worked under to start. Then it
was Wink Martindale, who, like, I freaking love Wink Martindale
(21:24):
the way he just zero blitz, zero blitz, zero blitz
over and over and over again. Loved watching his defenses.
Definitely a different way to play defense, but a guy who, again,
you're blitz heavy, how does that impact the secondary? And
then Mike McDonald who's now the head coach of the
Seattle Seahawks, a guy who's extremely creative and how he
used his DBS specifically, you had Kyle Hamilton in there
(21:47):
turn into one of the best safeties in the NFL
under Mike McDonald, Chris, you would having a hand in
coaching him there. So I'm interested in just how that experience,
specifically in playing different coverages with different pressure packages, aligns
with lou Anarumo, who's a very multiple guy as a
defensive coordinator, a guy who is going to send more
simulated pressures than we've seen in the past here, So
(22:09):
you know, and Chris Ballard said at the NFL combine,
the Colts felt lucky to be able to get Chris
Hewett from that Baltimore Ravens staff, So nice addition there.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
And then the last guy here.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Maybe it's a little bit cheating to go with the
special teams coordinator, but did you know since Brian Mason
took over as the Colts special teams coordinator in twenty
twenty three, they are tied for the NFL lead in
blocked punts.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
They have three.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Technically they have three, in reality they have four because
one block punt against Tennessee in twenty twenty three, if
you remember that one that was on where Tennessee's punter
got significantly injured on the play, but it counted as
a fumble because I think it was Tony Brown got
to Ryan stone House so quickly that he didn't even
get the ball to his foot for it to count
(22:53):
as a punt. So really I would call it like
four block punts. And Brian Mason that this dude is
like he's like a mad signist with the way that
he draws up punt block schemes where he messes with
opposing teams protections in a way that's really unique and
really really interesting. The leverage he's able to get his
guys and to get free runners. I love nothing more
(23:16):
than watching segu Alubi, who's like one of the fastest
linebackers in the NFL, come just screaming off the edge unblocked,
and as soon as he see number fifty, no one
gets their hand on him. But it's like, yeah, that
ball's getting tipped, that ball is getting blocked by him.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
So Brian Mason.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Really really cool stuff that he's doing in punt block,
which like those are you know, you may only get
one or two of those a season, but those are
game flipping type plays where instead of you're taking over
at the minus thirty you're taking over at the plus
ten or maybe you're even getting a touchdown out of it.
Those are games that can Those are plays that can
flip momentum in a game. So shout out to Brian
(23:52):
Mason again, really good question there from the YouTube comments.
You can submit your question again in the YouTube comments
of this episode for next week's episode, or you can
go to Colts dot com slash mailbag or send them
to me on social media. That's going to do it
for this episode of the Cult Show in Indianapolis Colts podcast.
Give us a five star review, subscribe to us on
your podcast network of choice here on YouTube as well,
(24:15):
and we'll talk to you next week, right when the
Colts are going to have a joint practice here at
Grand Park with the Green Bay Packers to close out
training camp.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Talk to that so long
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