June 21, 2025 • 31 mins
Matt Taylor and Casey Vallier are back this week on The Last Word, the Colts’ offseason radio show, kicking off their "Burning Questions" positional series by diving into the quarterback and running back groups ahead of training camp later this summer. The guys break down the upcoming quarterback competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones and hear from Colts’ quarterbacks coach Cam Turner about what will ultimately determine the winner. Plus, Jonathan Taylor joins the show to discuss his goals for the 2025 season.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
The NFL never sleeps. The roster is ever evolving, and
it's all about finding the edge. This is the last word,
the off season Home of the Indianapolis Colts.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hey, welcome man, Happy Friday nights, and this is the
last word, the off season home of the Indianapolis Colts.
A weekly look at the Colts on radio alongside Casey Valley.
I'm Matt Taylor. Good to be back with you on
another week inside the Indiana Union Construction Industry Radio studio. Casey,
hope you're doing well going into a beautiful summer weekend.
(00:42):
Temperatures are certainly there nowadays.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
So there, the rains there, everything's there.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Everything you want the summer, all packed in one week weekend.
Speaking of summertime, the Colts are on summer break right now,
between now and the end of July when the team
reports for training camp that's coming up at Park in Westfield.
So between now and then, we're gonna break down each
position group here in the last word, leading you into
the start of the season. So on tonight's showcase, we're
(01:10):
taking a deep dive into the quarterbacks and the running backs.
What are the biggest question marks? Obviously the quarterback battle
there between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. We'll talk extensively
about that, and then what can we expect from the
running backs this season. We're gonna have interviews coming up
with Colts quarterbacks coach Cam Turner, and also set to
(01:30):
join us tonight, we're gonna hear from Jonathan Taylor. So
a very very big show. So let's talk about first
on this opening segment, case about those quarterback burning questions.
We had the report late last week from the NFL
network I think was Ian Rapaport saying Anthony Richardson is
expected to be healthy and ready for the start of
(01:51):
training camp. Nothing official from the team as far as
that goes. That's coming off the aggravation of his throwing
shoulder during off season drills at the end of the
off season program. So question number one burning question wise,
do you expect Richardson and Jones that battle there to
pick up where it left off before ar was shut
down at the end of spring.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Very much. So that's that's the what I'm viewing it
to be. I think that once camp starts, you're gonna
have your kind of initiation if you will. I mean,
everybody has been through camps and all of that, but
there's still you know, that first or second day to
kind of get your feet in front of you. But
then I think we're gonna pick up with that battle
right as we left off. And that's that's good for
(02:33):
both parties because that's what you want, that's what you're
looking for.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, yeah, definitely, you know, the off season was definitely
part of the puzzle, but now the reps and the
competition really start to heat up when camp starts, which
means once camp begins, you only have three to four weeks,
you know, from the time that guys report to the
time that you know you hit the end of the
preseason and maybe that week between preseason and the regular
(02:57):
season to name a starter. And that's what you want
both of these guys once camp begins, to prove their
consistency in everything that they do. And that's what this
battle is gonna be, you know, hinged upon the guy
that gives the Colts the best chance to win because
of his consistency on the field, in the passing game
and managing this offense play in and play out. So
(03:19):
what did Jones show you in the offseason case? That's
burning question Number two and how much of a leg
up does he have on Richardson going into camp, if
at all, And based on how you perceive.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Things, he showed me a lot. He showed me a
lot of poise. He looked very comfortable inside the offense,
So I would say that yes, he definitely has the
leg up, and in large part it's because of those
reps he was able to get when Richardson was sidelined,
and you know, especially going through the three days of
mini camp, getting all of those reps are just massive
(03:51):
for this competition as it heads into camp. And if
he is able to pick up right where he left
off on the last time we saw him out here,
it's gonna be one of those things where we're going
to really get a good test in this battle because
what Jones is bringing to the plate, if Ar has
to compete at that same level, it's gonna be very
(04:11):
very good quarterback played from both sides. That'll make it
a really impressive battle to see who wins, because that's
what you're trying to get. Everybody talks about how this
competition makes everybody better and.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
The way Joanes to set the bar.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
He has set the bar very high, so you're hoping
that if Richardson's able to win the battle, then that
bar has been set pretty high, and you really like
what that offense is going to look like.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
And that's ultimately great for the offense and great for
the team. I think that's well said by you just
a moment ago. Anthony Richardson's gonna have to come in
right away with a lot of urgency, can't afford a
lot of inconsistent days, because Jones has already shown this
team he's very capable, a guy that goes about this
battle with a lot of professionalism and seriousness. That's what
(04:52):
he showed the last two weeks of the offseason program
when he didn't have to split those reps Riley Leonard Jason.
To wrap up the quarterback competition case, they are battling
to see who's going to be that third quarterback on
this roster or on the practice squad. What do each
of those guys, those young quarterbacks have to offer.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
It's so important with the way the new rules are,
with the third quarterback on your roster being able to
have you know, he's inactive for game day, but he's
able to be active if you need. You know, if
a quarterback gets hurt, it can slide into that. So
that third quarterback spot, it is pretty important. Yeah, and
both these guys, you know, Riley Leonard, we know about
his decorated college career, what he did at.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Duke, and the guy was wired to play quarter very
much so.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
And then Jason Bean is one of those He was
here all of last year and you liked what you
saw during you know, during the preseason. He offers a
little bit of that athleticism upside. Sometimes it's nice to
have a guy that in a pinch, if you need
to be able to scramble into all of that, he
can offer that. So it's it's been fun to kind
of watch both of these guys. But with Riley Leonard,
(05:57):
you know he is he is somebody that when you
talk about what a quarterback looks like, he kind of
fits that mold.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
They drafted him for a reason.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
And it's gonna be very interesting to see how that
pans out because we know we had that personal connection
too with Chris Ballard and Jason Bean because Jason Bean
played with Chris Ballard's son at Kansas, so he watched
him in person what he can do too, So it's
gonna be a little battle to see the third quarterback spot.
It's gonna be a tougher battle to see in your
own eyes on the field because they're not getting near
(06:25):
the amount of reps. So it's gonna be interesting to
see how that rolls out. But whoever wins that third
spot is gonna be a key spot when you start
thinking about when that fifty three man roster rolls around
and who's active on game days.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, that's because the NFL now allows teams to designate
the emergency third quarterback on game days. The third quarterback,
if activated, can only play if the first two guys
on the active roster are injured or disqualify, kicked out
of the game, or something. So the emergency third quarterback
must be on the team's fifty three men active rosters.
(07:00):
Really important part of this puzzle. They cannot be a
practice squad player, so they've got to be on the
active roster. And the rule that the reason why this
rule exists is, you know, it's it's aimed to prevent
situations where, you know, like we saw in the playoffs
a couple of years ago in the NFC Championship game
casey the the non where a non quarterback player has
(07:21):
to play and the quality of the game is just,
for lack of a better term, it's it's compromise. It's ruined.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Yeah, And if you think about it from a Colt's perspective,
with what Sam Ellinger has offered to this team, up
until this year, the Colts have had that third quarterback
on their active fifty three man roster. So that is
why you know this whole jumble at that quarterback spot
is going to be very important.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
All right, let's talk about all of these quarterbacks with
the man who oversees that position. Cam Turner is the
Colts quarterback coach, and right after the offseason workout program,
we talked with him and asked him to assess the
growth that he saw from the quarterback room and that
position in the off season.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
I think collectively, you know, we made big strides mentally physically.
And then she kind of the understanding of the second layer,
the third layer of the offense, you know, being in
year three with Anthony and Jason being second year in
the system, with all the extra rookie meetings with Riley,
and then having a vet like Daniel coming in and
(08:21):
kind of making strides as far as the mental part
of the game.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
How has Anthony stayed engaged with the team and with
the rest of the quarterbacks this offse he's really the
last two weeks going through what he's going through in
terms of the right shoulder.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Yeah, I mean, he's not missing anything as far as
offensively with the team meetings. He's there for all that.
He's at practice, he's engaged, he's locked in, he's going
through his reads, you know, behind the quarterback at practice.
So that's been great to see. And then in his
own time he's he's in the training room and taking
care of business there.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
What must he do from a mental side of things
these next six to seven weeks on his own before
the team reports for training camps so that he's not
behind the eight ball, so that when he comes back
physically and he's out there taking the reps with the
first team offense, that he's not you know, he's not
behind if you will, Yeah, we we just.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
Got it on talking about this in the quarterback room
and they have to stay on it mentally as far
as you know, the workbook. We give him the summer
work book and it's kind of laid out and it
hits everything that we hit you know, in the off
season program and as long as they do that, they'll
stay on it and they'll come back and we hit
the ground running.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Cam Turner with US quarterbacks coach for the Colts. What's
been your early assessment of Daniel Jones? How coachable is.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
This guy's He's very coachable. You know, he's seen a
lot of foot seen a lot, He's played a lot
of football, which is great bringing his experience. He has
good questions. He's been in systems. But the guy's gonna
do exactly what you want him to do and love that.
And he wants to understand the why and the how
and everything about it, which which is great for the
room in general and himself.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
In What ways have you been surprised in a good way?
Because from watching out here from Afar, he doesn't look
like a guy that's only been here since March.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
No.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
He up rates very quickly and he has a fast mind.
He processes information and that's a big part about playing
the position. And he comes out here at practicing and
it shows.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
He's also pushing the ball down the field. How much
of that as an emphasis to kind of tap into
his skill set that maybe he didn't. I don't know
if it's fair to say, but maybe he didn't utilize
as much in his career to this point.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
He definitely has a skill set and we definitely want
him to stretch it when he can. You know, when
when it's available, when the opportunity presents, take the shot,
you know, and and don't be gun shy, let it rip,
you know, and as long as it's you have all
the information and you're making good decisions. And when it's
not there, you know, move on, get to the next
one and find number two or find the checkdown.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
I mean, it seems like everybody is gravitating to him,
respecting him, and just you know, really appreciating his professionalism
as a guy that's been around a lot of great quarterbacks.
How hard is that to do and to pull off
in such a short amount of time. Again, he's only
been here since March. He's kind of the new guy,
but he seems to have the respect of a lot
of the guys on offense.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Yeah, I think when guys see the way he works
and carries himself and how professional he is with everything
he does, you know, I think it just happens naturally,
and then you go sit down and have a meal
with him, and he's very personal and easy to talk to.
So I think you do those two things. It's pretty easy.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
You know, Cam Turner with us when Anthony does get
back on the field. What are some things for you?
You know, what are some of the biggest factors that
you're going to be paying attention to and weighing as
it relates to this quarterback competition with with Richardson and
Daniel Jones. I mean, is it just like Shane says,
it's the consistency and everything that they do.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Yeah, it's a consistency doing it day in day out.
We know we can do it. We know we can
make your decisions. We know we can make every throw.
Just keep doing it day in day out, every practice,
every rep and go from there.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
All Right, for you as an NFL assistant coach, what's
life like for you for the next six seven weeks?
How much do you have to balance football but also
you know, personal life and getting away a little bit
before as you know you've been through this, right, this
isn't your first rodeo. The grind's about to set in, right.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
There will be a little bit of football and a
lot of family time, a lot of softball tournaments throughout
the state of Indiana. So that's kind of where we're
at right now.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
All right, softball, What position are we playing?
Speaker 4 (12:13):
We got a pitcher, We got a catcher, and then
some infield in there as well.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
What age groups?
Speaker 4 (12:18):
So we got a twelve year old and a ten
year old both playing travel ball, so we're all over
the place.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
You got that bleacher life, my friend.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yes, and then the youngest just tag along.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
So well, all the best and congratulations on a great
offseason and looking forward to training camp.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
All right, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
That's Cam Turner, quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts. That's
a mouthful easy for me to say. And you know,
he was talking about that bleacher life, travel ball in
the Midwest. It's live and well, Casey, we both know
a thing or two about that. But one of the
things I do want to double back on. He was
talking about Jones pushing the ball down the field in
the spring, and for me that I saw that a
(12:54):
lot more than what I thought I was going to.
If you look at Jones in his career, he's never
averaged more than seven yards per attempt in a season.
You know, previously with the Giants. I know that's kind
of a nerdy stat, but yards per attempt is how
many yards the ball travels per passing attempt, and where
you want to be kind of like that NFL standard
(13:16):
is between seven point five and eight yep, And Jones
was completing a lot of deep passes in the spring,
and maybe more importantly, in order to kind of stretch
out the defense. He was attempting more than what I
thought we were going to see. And I think that's good.
He can do it. So you couple the splash plays
with the NFL level accuracy that Jones has been known for,
(13:40):
that could be a really good fit if in fact,
he wins this quarterback job.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Now, I didn't watch the Giants every week, so it's
one of those things where it's I don't know how
much merit you really put to what I'm saying, but
I think part of it was just what he had
around him in New York. You look at some of
the offensive numbers that they had, and they did not
have massive receivers. They got Malik Neighbors there now.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Or a lot of chunk plays.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah, but that's really the only offensive weapon outside of
Saquon Barkley that the Giants have shown in the last
five or six years, and that's while Jones was there.
So I think part of it is what he was
dealing with in New York. It didn't allow him to
kind of expand on that part of his game. Yeah,
so we've definitely seen a little bit of a difference.
He's got it in a year because, I mean, you
(14:25):
talk about it, the guys that are on this roster,
the Colts can stretch the field, so if he's able
to really attack on that, that'll be very huge.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Hey, Colts twenty twenty five single game tickets, They're on
sale now. Head to Colts dot com slash tickets to
grab your tickets through Ticketmaster, the official marketplace of the
Colts and the NFL. When we come back, we're going
to talk about the burning questions going into the season
at running back. We're going to stay on offense, but
go in the backfield and break down what's left for
(14:52):
Jonathan Taylor. What does he have left to prove can
he turn in the same season he did last year?
And what are the roles for guys like Aleel Herberts
and rookie DJ Giddens, a draft pick for the Colts.
And we're also gonna hear from JT himself on what
it's like to play so far with Daniel Jones in
the spring. That's all coming up next. Stay with us.
You are listening to the Last Word, the offseason home
(15:14):
of the Colts right here on ninety three five and
one oh seven five. The fan.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Can't get enough football.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
You're in the right place. This is the off season
radio home of the Indianapolis Colts, The Last Word from
the Indiana Union Construction Industry Radio Studio.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Back on the show, joined the Colts in Berlin by
placing a deposit to unlock early access to official Colts
Germany ticket and travel packages. Visit on location exp dot
com slash Colts Germany for more information on that. Alongside
Casey Valley, I'm Matt Taylor. We're inside the Indiana Union
Construction Industry Radio Studio and we're looking at each Colts
(15:56):
position group in the summertime. Between now in training camp,
he talked about quarterbacks and segment number one. It's time now,
case to focus on running backs on offense and burning
question number one there Jonathan Taylor fourteen hundred yards last
year plus eleven touchdowns. He also ranked fourth and rushing
yards last year had eight one hundred yard performances. Case
(16:20):
can he match that in twenty twenty five? I mean,
it's hard for me to downplay what Jonathan Taylor can do.
I would not be shocked to see him go out
and put up a sixteen hundred yard season because that's
just how talented he is and the way that he
ran down the stretch last year. There's no reason to
think that he's slowing down at all. And this offense
is going to be relied heavy on what Jonathan Taylor
(16:42):
can give you because when Jonathan Taylor is on it
makes the defense a completely different ballgame. So Jonathan Taylor,
I'm gonna go ahead and say, yes, he can continue
what he did last year. You know the polarizing thing
when you talk about when the analytics guys look at
Jonathan Taylor and they look at his numbers and they say, hey,
can he continue to hold up? Last year averaged twenty
(17:03):
one point six attempts per game, that led the NFL
most by a Colts player since Edrin James workload in
two thousand and five, he averaged twenty four rushing attempts
per game, and my rebuttal to that is, Casey, I
think the Colts, I don't think they're gonna have any
reservations about giving Taylor that many touches per game if
(17:24):
that's what it takes to win that day.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Yeah right.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
I mean, if you're in a dogfight game, why not
grind the game down, shrink the game. If Taylor's on fire,
let him pound out first downs, ball control a team,
and win a football game that way. I don't think
the Colts have any hesitation in doing that, because there's
a way to win every single game. But in the
big picture, you want to have confidence in your other
(17:48):
backs to spell Taylor. And that's why I think Khalil
Herbert and DJ Giddens are here now, and I think
they're going to be good compliment pieces to take some
of the stress off of TA. So I think there
is a little bit of a fine line between, you know,
letting your best player win you game versus relying on
Taylor all season long solely to move the ball and
(18:10):
score points for this offense.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
I think it's a good point you bring up with
Khalil Herbert and DJ Giddens because there is a there
was clearly they identified a spot they wanted it to
improve on, and they went out and got Khalil Herbert,
who was an established running back in this league kind
of as a backup, so he's familiar with this role.
And if you look at the college numbers that Gettin's
put up, I mean, this guy can play. So those
(18:32):
two guys, they're definitely gonna have a role. There's a
reason that they're here. So I'm glad you bring that
up because that definitely does chip into what Taylor's workload
is going to be. But still, Jonathan Taylor one of
the best running backs in football.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
And those guys are going to compliment Taylor this year,
but again it will be Jonathan Taylor being the star
of the offense in terms of the running game. He's
still in the prime of his career. And earlier this
offseason during the team's ota period, we sat down with
Jonathan Taylor and we talked about his goals for this season. Again,
after rushing for over fourteen hundred yards in twenty twenty.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Four, you definitely set goals for yourself, especially things that
you did well last year. You want to continue to
stay sharp. But then things that you probably wanted to
improve on from last year. You're like, okay, but it's
also about the preparation. Like let's say you know you
had a fumble last year, Well, I want to go
through this entire season with great ball security and no fumble.
So it's almost like you can't set empty goals. So
(19:25):
you have to understand how are you going to have
no fumbles? You need to make sure you have great
ball security, win practice walkthroughs, and then in the games
right now. So I do feel like a guy set
a lot of goals, but sometimes they may be empty
goals unless there's a plan or a procedure like this
is how I'm going to obtain that goal.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
It's Jonathan Taylor with us, and you look like, I mean,
I know this is audio, but you look like you're
in peak mid season form already. What's most beneficial about
this time of year for you at where you're at
in terms of your stage of your career.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Number one, it kind of let you know at this
point in time if you need to make any tweaks.
So you work hard, You work hard, and then you know,
organized team activities come around and then you kind of
put it to the test a little bit. You know,
we're not practicing, you know, with pads on, but you
kind of get a little sense of what a camp
practice is going to be like. And then you kind
of feel your body. You know, how do I feel
at this weight? How do I feel after doing a
(20:20):
certain training regimen I did? Do we need to make
tweaks for the back half to get ready for training camp.
So this is a real important time to kind of
evaluate where you're at.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Jonathan Taylor is with us, and you got a lot
of run with Daniel Jones, the new guy at the
end of the spring. What are your first impressions of
him and how long does it take to really, you know,
know and understand a new quarterback through all of his
subtle nuances that each guy brings.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
Well For me, I would say, first off, you know
a quarterback when he specifically comes up and tells you like,
hey listen, like be early on this, like even before
the play, Hey, be early on this. I might need you.
That'll change once the bullets start flying and you know,
they'll see what the defense is doing, especially with lou Now,
I mean, I'm sure it's gonna be a lot of
fun stuff in store for us on offense, so we'll
(21:05):
have to be prepared. But I will say that when
a quarterback specifically tells you something, and especially once we
get towards actual practice, then that's when you're kind of
start banking those notes, like Okay, now, I know when
we get this pressure on this scheme, he wants early eyes.
So I do think that he's one of those guys
really smart. Mean, he obviously has a lot of experience,
(21:25):
so I'm excited to see how he progresses in this system.
And you know how he just messes together with all
of us.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Now, Jonathan, with this quarterback battle that's going on, what
are some things that you can do outside of the
normal things, like you know, picking up blocks and blitzes
to really help both these quarterbacks become better.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
Mess And that's something I started. I started because he
was a legend of Philip Rivers. So I'm like, well,
you've played with elite guys, so what does a running
back do? What is an elite running back?
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Like?
Speaker 5 (21:51):
How does what does an elite running back do to
make you feel comfortable? And I'm asking him, I'm like,
it's Philip Rivers, Like, obviously he's gonna give me some
golden nuggets from some elite running backs he's played with,
and it's very different. Like Philip is like, listen, I
just like my guys being where I'm supposed to be.
I don't want to look for you. I don't want
to look for you on my checkdown. I want you
to be right there where you're at. I'm like, okay,
(22:11):
now I know what, Philip. No matter what happens, just
be in your spot where you're supposed to be. So
for Anthony, for me, and of course going throughout the years,
it's hey, what do you need? Especially as we as
he's learning an offense and we're installing new things, like hey, listen,
like how do you want me to operate on this play?
Like let's say there's a design run for him, Like
you said you mentioned picking up the blocks, but you know,
(22:32):
even even today, it's like, Hey, if i'm blocking for you,
most likely with Anthony, I'm gonna give you a two
way go. You know. I know sometimes guys will pick
a certain side, like hey, block the outside at half
blocked the inside edge. But Anthony it's like if you
give him a two way go, he's so athletic. It's
like that's almost the best for him rather than forcing
him to go one way or the other. So I'm
just little things like that you start to pick up on.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
This is kind of an odd question because you were
so dominant last year. Last year you led the NFL
and brushing attempts per game twenty one point six and
nearly Jonathan nearly half of your carries last year came
in the final five games of the season. How did
the end of last year go for you physically? How
did you hold up with the amount of workload that
(23:15):
you had to take on.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
Well, it starts now the preparation. Like I mentioned, you
go through the training regimen. Now during the OTA period,
you see how am I moving? How do I feel?
Do I feel explosive? Do I feel strong? Then you
know how to complete your training on the back half
before training camp. But then you kind of have to
modify your plan throughout the season. But you have to
stay active. You have to be able to lift heavyweight,
(23:38):
You have to be able to continue to train throughout
the season because everyone's body, no matter what you do,
is going to decline the punishment you take. But if
you can just come in with that body arm or
just a little bit higher. Now you're kind of progressing
like this rather than people going on a straight decline.
So for me, I would say it started in the offseason.
But then also understanding that's when the mental toughness comes in.
(23:59):
That's when you got play your best ball at the
end of the year.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
That's what the last six games of the season were
for you last year, right that that mentality again a
sort of a follow up question to that. In the
offseason here the Colts have made some moves. They bring
in Khalil Herbert, they draft DJ Giddins. These are good
football players, guys that can compliment you. And you're smiling
as I'm asking you this question. But what's that balance?
And hopefully I can get this out correctly, what's that
(24:23):
balance for you? Because you're a competitor and you you
are confident, But what's that balance between you know, carrying
the ball twenty five to thirty times per game, but
also at the same time having that confidence and having
that faith in the teammates behind you to carry some
of that workload for you so that you don't have
to do so much if you will.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
I think you said the word faith. That's what it is.
We're all on the same team. So obviously, whoever's in there,
we need you to be on there needs to be
not even a single drop off, whether it's me, Khalil Goody, anybody,
whoever's in there. We need to make sure we're at
our best when our best is needed. And we're all
on the same team. So obviously, when you're in there,
you want to make sure you spot on and you're
in your alignment, assignment and technique. But then when someone
(25:03):
else is in there, you've seen the work that they've
put in, You've competed with them throughout practice, throughout the offseason.
So now they're having their chance to go out there
and help push our team to a win. So it's
almost it's almost like then you become a fan, like
because at the end of the day, like I said,
we're all on the same team and you know their
abilities because everyone has something different. And now, like I
will say, our running back room has some jews. Our
(25:25):
running back room has some jews.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
That's Jonathan Taylor with us. Last one for me, I mean,
this is a book here. You rank second all time
in rushing yards and Colts history, just the second Colts
player over six thousand career rushing yards. Like you said,
you've led the NFL in rushing before. You have the
third most rushing touchdowns in team history. We go on
and on and on. What motivates you, what keeps you
(25:49):
going and striving to be a better version of yourself,
which is already immaculate.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Number one is really the people who have helped me
along the journey high school to college. All of my teammates, like,
we've all done the same workouts, We've all been to
the same practices, and we understand it's the one percent
of the one percent that actually make it to this level.
But at the end of the day, I know that
(26:16):
those guys would give anything to be in this position.
So it would be a disservice to me to not
give my all because I know they would do anything
to be in this position. So it's almost like I'm
not even playing for myself. I'm also playing for the
people who helped me along the way, who also had
the same dream, because there are a lot of people
who are like when I see you, it's like I'm
there as well, because I've seen you put the work
(26:36):
in and I've seen how dedicated you were, But you know,
and it's a little bit of chance, a little bit
of luck, but also a lot of hard work. And
now that I was the one to be in this position,
I'm gonna honor those guys by continuing to give my
best foot forward.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Pretty strong answer right there. That's Jonathan Taylor on what
keeps driving him and motivating him after all that he's
accomplished so far in the NFL. In case to close
out out of all the things that Jonathan Taylor has done, right,
all the milestones and all of the records that he
has NFL wise and Colts wise, one thing that he's
still looking for and he's talked openly about this, looking
(27:12):
for a championship. No Big ten titles or national titles
at Wisconsin obviously, no division titles or Super bowls with
the Colts. That's motivation right there for a player that's
just trying to get the hardware. And that's what it's
all about team wise for Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
And that's what you see. You see a guy like
Jonathan Taylor down the stretch last year, he said, put
the team on my back, let's run the football, Let's
do this, and that's what he's looking for and He's
a guy that I'm convinced you can ride him all
the way to a AFC South Championship.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Hey, the Colts have teamed up with Anthon, Blue Cross
and Blue Shield to recognize school teachers, administrators, nurses and
staff members who go above and beyond speaking of hardware.
Nominate them so they can get their trophy and all
of the great respect that they deserve. If you know
a classroom quarterback, nominate yours at Colts dot com slash
Classroom Quarterbacks. When we come back, we'll give you the
(28:04):
Forum Credit Union Question of the Week, which is going
to center around great quarterbacks and running back duos all
time in the NFL. So we'll close out the show
here in the Last Word Back in just a moment,
ninety three to five and one oh seven five the Fan.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
We talked Colts football every Friday on the Last Word,
the offseason radio home of the Colts from the Indiana
Union Construction Industry Radio Studio.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Last few minutes of the show tonight. It brought to
you by Meyer, the official supercenter of the Colts and
a proud sponsor of hundreds of local sports teams across
the Midwest. Casey Valier Matt Taylor here on the last word,
closing things out with the Forum Credit Union question of
the Week, which is this casey, So if it's Anthony
Richardson or Daniel Jones at quarterback this upcoming year for
(28:49):
the Colts, they should still have a viable weapon under
center and the running game to kind of pair up
with Jonathan Taylor, like we talked about in segment number two.
So the question is, only two quarterback running back duos
in NFL history have ever produced one thousand yards in
the same season. So I'm looking for a running back
(29:10):
and a quarterback on the same team that both went
over one thousand yards and the same season. Who are they?
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I think? I think Michael Vick did it.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Yeah, just think about the quarterbacks first, right, Yeah, so
Michael Vick, You're right on. Michael Vick. Okay, and his
running back tandem mate was Warwick Dunne. Warwick done with
the Falcons in two thousand and six, and then another
duo did it three years later. But think AFC this time, well,
Lamar Jackson, Ding Ding Ding and who was that guy
(29:40):
in twenty nineteen with him.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Melvin No, Melvin Gordon. Was there just a couple of years.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
It was mark Ingram in two nineteen Lamar Jackson. For
a couple of years he did Ingram barely scratched over
one thousand yards Lamar Jackson over twelve hundred rushing yards.
That's so to close out. I mean, again, regardless of
who wins this job, I think Casey defenses are still
going to have to respect Jones or Richardson and the
(30:09):
running game. Certainly, there's no quarterback more athletic than Anthony Richardson, right,
but Jones is still going to give the Colts a
threat in the running game at quarterback, which will still
open up the playbook with Jones out there at the
same time as it would with Richardson. Again, if you
have a healthy or Jonathan Taylor in this case.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Absolutely, I mean you're probably right on there that Daniel
Jones is probably not going to rush for a thousand yards,
but he's definitely a guy that you're going to have.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
To defensive yea, because still have to know that he
can do it.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
I mean, his rushing numbers since the end of the
league are you know, they're sneaky good. I mean, he's
what top ten in twelve hundred yards act, So that
there is, you know, there is that part of his
game that people do not acknowledge. But Daniel Jones is
definitely an athletic guy back there and can run.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Hey, visit the forum credit Union fanforum section Colts dot
com to interact with other fans online, post a topic there,
and get in on variety of discussion points regarding the
Colts Forum credit Union helping members live their financial dreams.
That's gonna do it for us. We are up against it.
But thanks for taking some time out of your busy
schedule heading into the weekend talking some Colts getting in
(31:12):
the last Word with us. We're gonna do it again
next Friday, as we always do. Enjoy the weekend. Everybody's
stay cool. The weather is heating up for Casey Valier.
I'm Matt Taylor. This is the home for the Colts
and the Last Word. Ninety three five one oh seven
five The Fan ESPN Radio is coming up next
The NFL never sleeps. The roster is ever evolving, and
it's all about finding the edge. This is the last word,
the off season Home of the Indianapolis Colts.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hey, welcome man, Happy Friday nights, and this is the
last word, the off season home of the Indianapolis Colts.
A weekly look at the Colts on radio alongside Casey Valley.
I'm Matt Taylor. Good to be back with you on
another week inside the Indiana Union Construction Industry Radio studio. Casey,
hope you're doing well going into a beautiful summer weekend.
(00:42):
Temperatures are certainly there nowadays.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
So there, the rains there, everything's there.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Everything you want the summer, all packed in one week weekend.
Speaking of summertime, the Colts are on summer break right now,
between now and the end of July when the team
reports for training camp that's coming up at Park in Westfield.
So between now and then, we're gonna break down each
position group here in the last word, leading you into
the start of the season. So on tonight's showcase, we're
(01:10):
taking a deep dive into the quarterbacks and the running backs.
What are the biggest question marks? Obviously the quarterback battle
there between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. We'll talk extensively
about that, and then what can we expect from the
running backs this season. We're gonna have interviews coming up
with Colts quarterbacks coach Cam Turner, and also set to
(01:30):
join us tonight, we're gonna hear from Jonathan Taylor. So
a very very big show. So let's talk about first
on this opening segment, case about those quarterback burning questions.
We had the report late last week from the NFL
network I think was Ian Rapaport saying Anthony Richardson is
expected to be healthy and ready for the start of
(01:51):
training camp. Nothing official from the team as far as
that goes. That's coming off the aggravation of his throwing
shoulder during off season drills at the end of the
off season program. So question number one burning question wise,
do you expect Richardson and Jones that battle there to
pick up where it left off before ar was shut
down at the end of spring.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Very much. So that's that's the what I'm viewing it
to be. I think that once camp starts, you're gonna
have your kind of initiation if you will. I mean,
everybody has been through camps and all of that, but
there's still you know, that first or second day to
kind of get your feet in front of you. But
then I think we're gonna pick up with that battle
right as we left off. And that's that's good for
(02:33):
both parties because that's what you want, that's what you're
looking for.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, yeah, definitely, you know, the off season was definitely
part of the puzzle, but now the reps and the
competition really start to heat up when camp starts, which
means once camp begins, you only have three to four weeks,
you know, from the time that guys report to the
time that you know you hit the end of the
preseason and maybe that week between preseason and the regular
(02:57):
season to name a starter. And that's what you want
both of these guys once camp begins, to prove their
consistency in everything that they do. And that's what this
battle is gonna be, you know, hinged upon the guy
that gives the Colts the best chance to win because
of his consistency on the field, in the passing game
and managing this offense play in and play out. So
(03:19):
what did Jones show you in the offseason case? That's
burning question Number two and how much of a leg
up does he have on Richardson going into camp, if
at all, And based on how you perceive.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Things, he showed me a lot. He showed me a
lot of poise. He looked very comfortable inside the offense,
So I would say that yes, he definitely has the
leg up, and in large part it's because of those
reps he was able to get when Richardson was sidelined,
and you know, especially going through the three days of
mini camp, getting all of those reps are just massive
(03:51):
for this competition as it heads into camp. And if
he is able to pick up right where he left
off on the last time we saw him out here,
it's gonna be one of those things where we're going
to really get a good test in this battle because
what Jones is bringing to the plate, if Ar has
to compete at that same level, it's gonna be very
(04:11):
very good quarterback played from both sides. That'll make it
a really impressive battle to see who wins, because that's
what you're trying to get. Everybody talks about how this
competition makes everybody better and.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
The way Joanes to set the bar.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
He has set the bar very high, so you're hoping
that if Richardson's able to win the battle, then that
bar has been set pretty high, and you really like
what that offense is going to look like.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
And that's ultimately great for the offense and great for
the team. I think that's well said by you just
a moment ago. Anthony Richardson's gonna have to come in
right away with a lot of urgency, can't afford a
lot of inconsistent days, because Jones has already shown this
team he's very capable, a guy that goes about this
battle with a lot of professionalism and seriousness. That's what
(04:52):
he showed the last two weeks of the offseason program
when he didn't have to split those reps Riley Leonard Jason.
To wrap up the quarterback competition case, they are battling
to see who's going to be that third quarterback on
this roster or on the practice squad. What do each
of those guys, those young quarterbacks have to offer.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
It's so important with the way the new rules are,
with the third quarterback on your roster being able to
have you know, he's inactive for game day, but he's
able to be active if you need. You know, if
a quarterback gets hurt, it can slide into that. So
that third quarterback spot, it is pretty important. Yeah, and
both these guys, you know, Riley Leonard, we know about
his decorated college career, what he did at.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Duke, and the guy was wired to play quarter very
much so.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
And then Jason Bean is one of those He was
here all of last year and you liked what you
saw during you know, during the preseason. He offers a
little bit of that athleticism upside. Sometimes it's nice to
have a guy that in a pinch, if you need
to be able to scramble into all of that, he
can offer that. So it's it's been fun to kind
of watch both of these guys. But with Riley Leonard,
(05:57):
you know he is he is somebody that when you
talk about what a quarterback looks like, he kind of
fits that mold.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
They drafted him for a reason.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
And it's gonna be very interesting to see how that
pans out because we know we had that personal connection
too with Chris Ballard and Jason Bean because Jason Bean
played with Chris Ballard's son at Kansas, so he watched
him in person what he can do too, So it's
gonna be a little battle to see the third quarterback spot.
It's gonna be a tougher battle to see in your
own eyes on the field because they're not getting near
(06:25):
the amount of reps. So it's gonna be interesting to
see how that rolls out. But whoever wins that third
spot is gonna be a key spot when you start
thinking about when that fifty three man roster rolls around
and who's active on game days.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, that's because the NFL now allows teams to designate
the emergency third quarterback on game days. The third quarterback,
if activated, can only play if the first two guys
on the active roster are injured or disqualify, kicked out
of the game, or something. So the emergency third quarterback
must be on the team's fifty three men active rosters.
(07:00):
Really important part of this puzzle. They cannot be a
practice squad player, so they've got to be on the
active roster. And the rule that the reason why this
rule exists is, you know, it's it's aimed to prevent
situations where, you know, like we saw in the playoffs
a couple of years ago in the NFC Championship game
casey the the non where a non quarterback player has
(07:21):
to play and the quality of the game is just,
for lack of a better term, it's it's compromise. It's ruined.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Yeah, And if you think about it from a Colt's perspective,
with what Sam Ellinger has offered to this team, up
until this year, the Colts have had that third quarterback
on their active fifty three man roster. So that is
why you know this whole jumble at that quarterback spot
is going to be very important.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
All right, let's talk about all of these quarterbacks with
the man who oversees that position. Cam Turner is the
Colts quarterback coach, and right after the offseason workout program,
we talked with him and asked him to assess the
growth that he saw from the quarterback room and that
position in the off season.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
I think collectively, you know, we made big strides mentally physically.
And then she kind of the understanding of the second layer,
the third layer of the offense, you know, being in
year three with Anthony and Jason being second year in
the system, with all the extra rookie meetings with Riley,
and then having a vet like Daniel coming in and
(08:21):
kind of making strides as far as the mental part
of the game.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
How has Anthony stayed engaged with the team and with
the rest of the quarterbacks this offse he's really the
last two weeks going through what he's going through in
terms of the right shoulder.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Yeah, I mean, he's not missing anything as far as
offensively with the team meetings. He's there for all that.
He's at practice, he's engaged, he's locked in, he's going
through his reads, you know, behind the quarterback at practice.
So that's been great to see. And then in his
own time he's he's in the training room and taking
care of business there.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
What must he do from a mental side of things
these next six to seven weeks on his own before
the team reports for training camps so that he's not
behind the eight ball, so that when he comes back
physically and he's out there taking the reps with the
first team offense, that he's not you know, he's not
behind if you will, Yeah, we we just.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
Got it on talking about this in the quarterback room
and they have to stay on it mentally as far
as you know, the workbook. We give him the summer
work book and it's kind of laid out and it
hits everything that we hit you know, in the off
season program and as long as they do that, they'll
stay on it and they'll come back and we hit
the ground running.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Cam Turner with US quarterbacks coach for the Colts. What's
been your early assessment of Daniel Jones? How coachable is.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
This guy's He's very coachable. You know, he's seen a
lot of foot seen a lot, He's played a lot
of football, which is great bringing his experience. He has
good questions. He's been in systems. But the guy's gonna
do exactly what you want him to do and love that.
And he wants to understand the why and the how
and everything about it, which which is great for the
room in general and himself.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
In What ways have you been surprised in a good way?
Because from watching out here from Afar, he doesn't look
like a guy that's only been here since March.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
No.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
He up rates very quickly and he has a fast mind.
He processes information and that's a big part about playing
the position. And he comes out here at practicing and
it shows.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
He's also pushing the ball down the field. How much
of that as an emphasis to kind of tap into
his skill set that maybe he didn't. I don't know
if it's fair to say, but maybe he didn't utilize
as much in his career to this point.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
He definitely has a skill set and we definitely want
him to stretch it when he can. You know, when
when it's available, when the opportunity presents, take the shot,
you know, and and don't be gun shy, let it rip,
you know, and as long as it's you have all
the information and you're making good decisions. And when it's
not there, you know, move on, get to the next
one and find number two or find the checkdown.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
I mean, it seems like everybody is gravitating to him,
respecting him, and just you know, really appreciating his professionalism
as a guy that's been around a lot of great quarterbacks.
How hard is that to do and to pull off
in such a short amount of time. Again, he's only
been here since March. He's kind of the new guy,
but he seems to have the respect of a lot
of the guys on offense.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Yeah, I think when guys see the way he works
and carries himself and how professional he is with everything
he does, you know, I think it just happens naturally,
and then you go sit down and have a meal
with him, and he's very personal and easy to talk to.
So I think you do those two things. It's pretty easy.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
You know, Cam Turner with us when Anthony does get
back on the field. What are some things for you?
You know, what are some of the biggest factors that
you're going to be paying attention to and weighing as
it relates to this quarterback competition with with Richardson and
Daniel Jones. I mean, is it just like Shane says,
it's the consistency and everything that they do.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Yeah, it's a consistency doing it day in day out.
We know we can do it. We know we can
make your decisions. We know we can make every throw.
Just keep doing it day in day out, every practice,
every rep and go from there.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
All Right, for you as an NFL assistant coach, what's
life like for you for the next six seven weeks?
How much do you have to balance football but also
you know, personal life and getting away a little bit
before as you know you've been through this, right, this
isn't your first rodeo. The grind's about to set in, right.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
There will be a little bit of football and a
lot of family time, a lot of softball tournaments throughout
the state of Indiana. So that's kind of where we're
at right now.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
All right, softball, What position are we playing?
Speaker 4 (12:13):
We got a pitcher, We got a catcher, and then
some infield in there as well.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
What age groups?
Speaker 4 (12:18):
So we got a twelve year old and a ten
year old both playing travel ball, so we're all over
the place.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
You got that bleacher life, my friend.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yes, and then the youngest just tag along.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
So well, all the best and congratulations on a great
offseason and looking forward to training camp.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
All right, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
That's Cam Turner, quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts. That's
a mouthful easy for me to say. And you know,
he was talking about that bleacher life, travel ball in
the Midwest. It's live and well, Casey, we both know
a thing or two about that. But one of the
things I do want to double back on. He was
talking about Jones pushing the ball down the field in
the spring, and for me that I saw that a
(12:54):
lot more than what I thought I was going to.
If you look at Jones in his career, he's never
averaged more than seven yards per attempt in a season.
You know, previously with the Giants. I know that's kind
of a nerdy stat, but yards per attempt is how
many yards the ball travels per passing attempt, and where
you want to be kind of like that NFL standard
(13:16):
is between seven point five and eight yep, And Jones
was completing a lot of deep passes in the spring,
and maybe more importantly, in order to kind of stretch
out the defense. He was attempting more than what I
thought we were going to see. And I think that's good.
He can do it. So you couple the splash plays
with the NFL level accuracy that Jones has been known for,
(13:40):
that could be a really good fit if in fact,
he wins this quarterback job.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Now, I didn't watch the Giants every week, so it's
one of those things where it's I don't know how
much merit you really put to what I'm saying, but
I think part of it was just what he had
around him in New York. You look at some of
the offensive numbers that they had, and they did not
have massive receivers. They got Malik Neighbors there now.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Or a lot of chunk plays.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah, but that's really the only offensive weapon outside of
Saquon Barkley that the Giants have shown in the last
five or six years, and that's while Jones was there.
So I think part of it is what he was
dealing with in New York. It didn't allow him to
kind of expand on that part of his game. Yeah,
so we've definitely seen a little bit of a difference.
He's got it in a year because, I mean, you
(14:25):
talk about it, the guys that are on this roster,
the Colts can stretch the field, so if he's able
to really attack on that, that'll be very huge.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Hey, Colts twenty twenty five single game tickets, They're on
sale now. Head to Colts dot com slash tickets to
grab your tickets through Ticketmaster, the official marketplace of the
Colts and the NFL. When we come back, we're going
to talk about the burning questions going into the season
at running back. We're going to stay on offense, but
go in the backfield and break down what's left for
(14:52):
Jonathan Taylor. What does he have left to prove can
he turn in the same season he did last year?
And what are the roles for guys like Aleel Herberts
and rookie DJ Giddens, a draft pick for the Colts.
And we're also gonna hear from JT himself on what
it's like to play so far with Daniel Jones in
the spring. That's all coming up next. Stay with us.
You are listening to the Last Word, the offseason home
(15:14):
of the Colts right here on ninety three five and
one oh seven five. The fan.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Can't get enough football.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
You're in the right place. This is the off season
radio home of the Indianapolis Colts, The Last Word from
the Indiana Union Construction Industry Radio Studio.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Back on the show, joined the Colts in Berlin by
placing a deposit to unlock early access to official Colts
Germany ticket and travel packages. Visit on location exp dot
com slash Colts Germany for more information on that. Alongside
Casey Valley, I'm Matt Taylor. We're inside the Indiana Union
Construction Industry Radio Studio and we're looking at each Colts
(15:56):
position group in the summertime. Between now in training camp,
he talked about quarterbacks and segment number one. It's time now,
case to focus on running backs on offense and burning
question number one there Jonathan Taylor fourteen hundred yards last
year plus eleven touchdowns. He also ranked fourth and rushing
yards last year had eight one hundred yard performances. Case
(16:20):
can he match that in twenty twenty five? I mean,
it's hard for me to downplay what Jonathan Taylor can do.
I would not be shocked to see him go out
and put up a sixteen hundred yard season because that's
just how talented he is and the way that he
ran down the stretch last year. There's no reason to
think that he's slowing down at all. And this offense
is going to be relied heavy on what Jonathan Taylor
(16:42):
can give you because when Jonathan Taylor is on it
makes the defense a completely different ballgame. So Jonathan Taylor,
I'm gonna go ahead and say, yes, he can continue
what he did last year. You know the polarizing thing
when you talk about when the analytics guys look at
Jonathan Taylor and they look at his numbers and they say, hey,
can he continue to hold up? Last year averaged twenty
(17:03):
one point six attempts per game, that led the NFL
most by a Colts player since Edrin James workload in
two thousand and five, he averaged twenty four rushing attempts
per game, and my rebuttal to that is, Casey, I
think the Colts, I don't think they're gonna have any
reservations about giving Taylor that many touches per game if
(17:24):
that's what it takes to win that day.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Yeah right.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
I mean, if you're in a dogfight game, why not
grind the game down, shrink the game. If Taylor's on fire,
let him pound out first downs, ball control a team,
and win a football game that way. I don't think
the Colts have any hesitation in doing that, because there's
a way to win every single game. But in the
big picture, you want to have confidence in your other
(17:48):
backs to spell Taylor. And that's why I think Khalil
Herbert and DJ Giddens are here now, and I think
they're going to be good compliment pieces to take some
of the stress off of TA. So I think there
is a little bit of a fine line between, you know,
letting your best player win you game versus relying on
Taylor all season long solely to move the ball and
(18:10):
score points for this offense.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
I think it's a good point you bring up with
Khalil Herbert and DJ Giddens because there is a there
was clearly they identified a spot they wanted it to
improve on, and they went out and got Khalil Herbert,
who was an established running back in this league kind
of as a backup, so he's familiar with this role.
And if you look at the college numbers that Gettin's
put up, I mean, this guy can play. So those
(18:32):
two guys, they're definitely gonna have a role. There's a
reason that they're here. So I'm glad you bring that
up because that definitely does chip into what Taylor's workload
is going to be. But still, Jonathan Taylor one of
the best running backs in football.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
And those guys are going to compliment Taylor this year,
but again it will be Jonathan Taylor being the star
of the offense in terms of the running game. He's
still in the prime of his career. And earlier this
offseason during the team's ota period, we sat down with
Jonathan Taylor and we talked about his goals for this season. Again,
after rushing for over fourteen hundred yards in twenty twenty.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Four, you definitely set goals for yourself, especially things that
you did well last year. You want to continue to
stay sharp. But then things that you probably wanted to
improve on from last year. You're like, okay, but it's
also about the preparation. Like let's say you know you
had a fumble last year, Well, I want to go
through this entire season with great ball security and no fumble.
So it's almost like you can't set empty goals. So
(19:25):
you have to understand how are you going to have
no fumbles? You need to make sure you have great
ball security, win practice walkthroughs, and then in the games
right now. So I do feel like a guy set
a lot of goals, but sometimes they may be empty
goals unless there's a plan or a procedure like this
is how I'm going to obtain that goal.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
It's Jonathan Taylor with us, and you look like, I mean,
I know this is audio, but you look like you're
in peak mid season form already. What's most beneficial about
this time of year for you at where you're at
in terms of your stage of your career.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Number one, it kind of let you know at this
point in time if you need to make any tweaks.
So you work hard, You work hard, and then you know,
organized team activities come around and then you kind of
put it to the test a little bit. You know,
we're not practicing, you know, with pads on, but you
kind of get a little sense of what a camp
practice is going to be like. And then you kind
of feel your body. You know, how do I feel
at this weight? How do I feel after doing a
(20:20):
certain training regimen I did? Do we need to make
tweaks for the back half to get ready for training camp.
So this is a real important time to kind of
evaluate where you're at.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Jonathan Taylor is with us, and you got a lot
of run with Daniel Jones, the new guy at the
end of the spring. What are your first impressions of
him and how long does it take to really, you know,
know and understand a new quarterback through all of his
subtle nuances that each guy brings.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
Well For me, I would say, first off, you know
a quarterback when he specifically comes up and tells you like,
hey listen, like be early on this, like even before
the play, Hey, be early on this. I might need you.
That'll change once the bullets start flying and you know,
they'll see what the defense is doing, especially with lou Now,
I mean, I'm sure it's gonna be a lot of
fun stuff in store for us on offense, so we'll
(21:05):
have to be prepared. But I will say that when
a quarterback specifically tells you something, and especially once we
get towards actual practice, then that's when you're kind of
start banking those notes, like Okay, now, I know when
we get this pressure on this scheme, he wants early eyes.
So I do think that he's one of those guys
really smart. Mean, he obviously has a lot of experience,
(21:25):
so I'm excited to see how he progresses in this system.
And you know how he just messes together with all
of us.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Now, Jonathan, with this quarterback battle that's going on, what
are some things that you can do outside of the
normal things, like you know, picking up blocks and blitzes
to really help both these quarterbacks become better.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
Mess And that's something I started. I started because he
was a legend of Philip Rivers. So I'm like, well,
you've played with elite guys, so what does a running
back do? What is an elite running back?
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Like?
Speaker 5 (21:51):
How does what does an elite running back do to
make you feel comfortable? And I'm asking him, I'm like,
it's Philip Rivers, Like, obviously he's gonna give me some
golden nuggets from some elite running backs he's played with,
and it's very different. Like Philip is like, listen, I
just like my guys being where I'm supposed to be.
I don't want to look for you. I don't want
to look for you on my checkdown. I want you
to be right there where you're at. I'm like, okay,
(22:11):
now I know what, Philip. No matter what happens, just
be in your spot where you're supposed to be. So
for Anthony, for me, and of course going throughout the years,
it's hey, what do you need? Especially as we as
he's learning an offense and we're installing new things, like hey, listen,
like how do you want me to operate on this play?
Like let's say there's a design run for him, Like
you said you mentioned picking up the blocks, but you know,
(22:32):
even even today, it's like, Hey, if i'm blocking for you,
most likely with Anthony, I'm gonna give you a two
way go. You know. I know sometimes guys will pick
a certain side, like hey, block the outside at half
blocked the inside edge. But Anthony it's like if you
give him a two way go, he's so athletic. It's
like that's almost the best for him rather than forcing
him to go one way or the other. So I'm
just little things like that you start to pick up on.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
This is kind of an odd question because you were
so dominant last year. Last year you led the NFL
and brushing attempts per game twenty one point six and
nearly Jonathan nearly half of your carries last year came
in the final five games of the season. How did
the end of last year go for you physically? How
did you hold up with the amount of workload that
(23:15):
you had to take on.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
Well, it starts now the preparation. Like I mentioned, you
go through the training regimen. Now during the OTA period,
you see how am I moving? How do I feel?
Do I feel explosive? Do I feel strong? Then you
know how to complete your training on the back half
before training camp. But then you kind of have to
modify your plan throughout the season. But you have to
stay active. You have to be able to lift heavyweight,
(23:38):
You have to be able to continue to train throughout
the season because everyone's body, no matter what you do,
is going to decline the punishment you take. But if
you can just come in with that body arm or
just a little bit higher. Now you're kind of progressing
like this rather than people going on a straight decline.
So for me, I would say it started in the offseason.
But then also understanding that's when the mental toughness comes in.
(23:59):
That's when you got play your best ball at the
end of the year.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
That's what the last six games of the season were
for you last year, right that that mentality again a
sort of a follow up question to that. In the
offseason here the Colts have made some moves. They bring
in Khalil Herbert, they draft DJ Giddins. These are good
football players, guys that can compliment you. And you're smiling
as I'm asking you this question. But what's that balance?
And hopefully I can get this out correctly, what's that
(24:23):
balance for you? Because you're a competitor and you you
are confident, But what's that balance between you know, carrying
the ball twenty five to thirty times per game, but
also at the same time having that confidence and having
that faith in the teammates behind you to carry some
of that workload for you so that you don't have
to do so much if you will.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
I think you said the word faith. That's what it is.
We're all on the same team. So obviously, whoever's in there,
we need you to be on there needs to be
not even a single drop off, whether it's me, Khalil Goody, anybody,
whoever's in there. We need to make sure we're at
our best when our best is needed. And we're all
on the same team. So obviously, when you're in there,
you want to make sure you spot on and you're
in your alignment, assignment and technique. But then when someone
(25:03):
else is in there, you've seen the work that they've
put in, You've competed with them throughout practice, throughout the offseason.
So now they're having their chance to go out there
and help push our team to a win. So it's
almost it's almost like then you become a fan, like
because at the end of the day, like I said,
we're all on the same team and you know their
abilities because everyone has something different. And now, like I
will say, our running back room has some jews. Our
(25:25):
running back room has some jews.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
That's Jonathan Taylor with us. Last one for me, I mean,
this is a book here. You rank second all time
in rushing yards and Colts history, just the second Colts
player over six thousand career rushing yards. Like you said,
you've led the NFL in rushing before. You have the
third most rushing touchdowns in team history. We go on
and on and on. What motivates you, what keeps you
(25:49):
going and striving to be a better version of yourself,
which is already immaculate.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Number one is really the people who have helped me
along the journey high school to college. All of my teammates, like,
we've all done the same workouts, We've all been to
the same practices, and we understand it's the one percent
of the one percent that actually make it to this level.
But at the end of the day, I know that
(26:16):
those guys would give anything to be in this position.
So it would be a disservice to me to not
give my all because I know they would do anything
to be in this position. So it's almost like I'm
not even playing for myself. I'm also playing for the
people who helped me along the way, who also had
the same dream, because there are a lot of people
who are like when I see you, it's like I'm
there as well, because I've seen you put the work
(26:36):
in and I've seen how dedicated you were, But you know,
and it's a little bit of chance, a little bit
of luck, but also a lot of hard work. And
now that I was the one to be in this position,
I'm gonna honor those guys by continuing to give my
best foot forward.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Pretty strong answer right there. That's Jonathan Taylor on what
keeps driving him and motivating him after all that he's
accomplished so far in the NFL. In case to close
out out of all the things that Jonathan Taylor has done, right,
all the milestones and all of the records that he
has NFL wise and Colts wise, one thing that he's
still looking for and he's talked openly about this, looking
(27:12):
for a championship. No Big ten titles or national titles
at Wisconsin obviously, no division titles or Super bowls with
the Colts. That's motivation right there for a player that's
just trying to get the hardware. And that's what it's
all about team wise for Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
And that's what you see. You see a guy like
Jonathan Taylor down the stretch last year, he said, put
the team on my back, let's run the football, Let's
do this, and that's what he's looking for and He's
a guy that I'm convinced you can ride him all
the way to a AFC South Championship.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Hey, the Colts have teamed up with Anthon, Blue Cross
and Blue Shield to recognize school teachers, administrators, nurses and
staff members who go above and beyond speaking of hardware.
Nominate them so they can get their trophy and all
of the great respect that they deserve. If you know
a classroom quarterback, nominate yours at Colts dot com slash
Classroom Quarterbacks. When we come back, we'll give you the
(28:04):
Forum Credit Union Question of the Week, which is going
to center around great quarterbacks and running back duos all
time in the NFL. So we'll close out the show
here in the Last Word Back in just a moment,
ninety three to five and one oh seven five the Fan.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
We talked Colts football every Friday on the Last Word,
the offseason radio home of the Colts from the Indiana
Union Construction Industry Radio Studio.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Last few minutes of the show tonight. It brought to
you by Meyer, the official supercenter of the Colts and
a proud sponsor of hundreds of local sports teams across
the Midwest. Casey Valier Matt Taylor here on the last word,
closing things out with the Forum Credit Union question of
the Week, which is this casey, So if it's Anthony
Richardson or Daniel Jones at quarterback this upcoming year for
(28:49):
the Colts, they should still have a viable weapon under
center and the running game to kind of pair up
with Jonathan Taylor, like we talked about in segment number two.
So the question is, only two quarterback running back duos
in NFL history have ever produced one thousand yards in
the same season. So I'm looking for a running back
(29:10):
and a quarterback on the same team that both went
over one thousand yards and the same season. Who are they?
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I think? I think Michael Vick did it.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Yeah, just think about the quarterbacks first, right, Yeah, so
Michael Vick, You're right on. Michael Vick. Okay, and his
running back tandem mate was Warwick Dunne. Warwick done with
the Falcons in two thousand and six, and then another
duo did it three years later. But think AFC this time, well,
Lamar Jackson, Ding Ding Ding and who was that guy
(29:40):
in twenty nineteen with him.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Melvin No, Melvin Gordon. Was there just a couple of years.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
It was mark Ingram in two nineteen Lamar Jackson. For
a couple of years he did Ingram barely scratched over
one thousand yards Lamar Jackson over twelve hundred rushing yards.
That's so to close out. I mean, again, regardless of
who wins this job, I think Casey defenses are still
going to have to respect Jones or Richardson and the
(30:09):
running game. Certainly, there's no quarterback more athletic than Anthony Richardson, right,
but Jones is still going to give the Colts a
threat in the running game at quarterback, which will still
open up the playbook with Jones out there at the
same time as it would with Richardson. Again, if you
have a healthy or Jonathan Taylor in this case.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Absolutely, I mean you're probably right on there that Daniel
Jones is probably not going to rush for a thousand yards,
but he's definitely a guy that you're going to have.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
To defensive yea, because still have to know that he
can do it.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
I mean, his rushing numbers since the end of the
league are you know, they're sneaky good. I mean, he's
what top ten in twelve hundred yards act, So that
there is, you know, there is that part of his
game that people do not acknowledge. But Daniel Jones is
definitely an athletic guy back there and can run.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Hey, visit the forum credit Union fanforum section Colts dot
com to interact with other fans online, post a topic there,
and get in on variety of discussion points regarding the
Colts Forum credit Union helping members live their financial dreams.
That's gonna do it for us. We are up against it.
But thanks for taking some time out of your busy
schedule heading into the weekend talking some Colts getting in
(31:12):
the last Word with us. We're gonna do it again
next Friday, as we always do. Enjoy the weekend. Everybody's
stay cool. The weather is heating up for Casey Valier.
I'm Matt Taylor. This is the home for the Colts
and the Last Word. Ninety three five one oh seven
five The Fan ESPN Radio is coming up next
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