Schefter: Caldwell to be Ravens QB coach

[The Excellector]

He did a decent job with Brad Johnson too. Johnson was a mess at the time.

[The Excellector]

What the Colts run looks like a a three WR set heavy version of what Cam runs, with more slants. When teams defend them with two high safeties, the Colts scheme does a good job of running slants and ins, to move the ball down the field at a slower pace, proving the two deep coverage ineffective. The safeties cheat and they hit you with either a stutter and go or slant and go.

They don't run a lot of complex plays. They are more situation-efficient. Manning wants to go deep. Everything they do sets up that opportunity. Cameron and Flacco want to go deep, but they don't do enough to set it up.

Caldwell has experience with Johnson, who was asked to not screw things up for everyone else, although Johnson and the Bucs didn't win the Super Bowl until after Dungy and Caldwell left. He has experience with Manning, who was asked to dominate.

[pslholder96]

Caldwell came from the Colts air coryell so there shouldn't be any philosophical differences. The developent of Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter tells me a lot about Caldwell's coaching acheivements.

One of the reasons why Bill Polian got fired was because he didn't have a back up plan in case Peyton went down. He never entertained that thought so you can't fault Caldwell for not developing those two because that wasn't a focus of the GM either.

[Lime in the Coconut]

Overall I like the hire. Caldwell's demeanor should fit great with Joe and I think he only develops with Jim here.

[bmorecareful]

The Colts offensive scheme, at its very core, is vertical in nature so it has commonalities with the Coryell system, including terminology and route trees. Beyond that, it's been customized and tweaked to such a degree that it isn't really that close to any other offensive system in the league.

Tom Moore is the godfather of the system, and he worked under Chuck Noll in Pittsburgh as the receivers coach. He coached up Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. His predilection is to get the receivers vertical to stretch the defense and hit the inside receivers between the numbers.

So for those arguing about the Colts offensive system, it is closer to the Ravens', but not THAT close. The Ravens run the most traditional Air Coryell in the league, and possibly the most traditional Coryell since the 1980's, but I think Caldwell will be fine from a QB coach perspective within the system.

[FHRaven]

Can't have different voices with different agendas. There's no negative in in this except what you choose to entertain....which seems to be your M.O.

So one voice = reduced performance = okay in your eyes. Got it. I guess your M.O. is sheeplike obedience?

[PalladinInNC]

From Florio's article at PFT





I'm sure those threads will be in full force now.. sigh

Honestly, imo.. Manning isn't an upgrade at this point. He's one sack from never walking again.. He'd never survived a season in the AFC North..

I think Florio is on crack! Between Russ L during the playoffs saying that the Steelers were off during the first round of playoff games (rather than the Ravens) and now Florio making this idot comment, is it any wonder that the reporters from PFW have the IQ of your average seal!

Maybe next, Florio will say that Rex Ryan will be coming back as DC when Pees fails this year!

Unbelievable!!!

[vinny600]

I'm not sure which part is better. Getting him to come here or getting him to choose us over the Steelers.

Would be a great hire. Definitiley has shades of Dean Pees being hired as LB coach two years ago, except instead of doing it as insurance in case our DC left, this would be a guy who could easily move to OC if Cam gets let go.

Do you really think he would have chosen to go to Baltimore as a QB coach over OC under his good friend Mike Tomlin?

Maybe it was a ruse to drive his price up? Just a thought.

[DarienA]

Another voice to challenge Cam... as well as the experience over the years with Peyton. This is a good thing.

[ravenspower]

Caldwell does not have experience as a play caller but he should of pick up how to create match ups and counter attack the defense from his year with Manning in Indy.

[wickedsolo]

Caldwell does not have experience as a play caller but he should of pick up how to create match ups and counter attack the defense from his year with Manning in Indy.

He called plays this past year for Indy, IIRC (albeit to no avail, but the experience is there).

[TL24x7]

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

JIM CALDWELL NAMED RAVENS QUARTERBACKS COACH

The Baltimore Ravens have hired Jim Caldwell as their quarterbacks coach, head coach John Harbaugh announced Monday afternoon.

Caldwell, 57, is an 11-year NFL coaching veteran who spent the past 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. From 2009-11, he served as the franchise’s head coach, guiding the Colts to a 26-22 record in three seasons. Under his leadership, Indianapolis won two AFC South titles (2009-10) and earned an appearance in Super Bowl XLIV. In leading the Colts to the Super Bowl that season, Caldwell became just the fifth rookie coach in NFL history to reach the championship game.

“After spending considerable time with Jim over the last week, we think he will be an excellent fit with our team, coaching the quarterbacks and helping with our offense,” Harbaugh stated. “We believe he enhances our staff. Jim has a tremendous history coaching at the college and pro level, especially working with quarterbacks and providing help with offenses. The timing is right to add a quarterbacks coach after Cam [Cameron] and Joe [Flacco] worked so closely and well together this year. It’s the right step for us now.”

Prior to his time as the Colts’ head coach, Caldwell helped guide quarterback Peyton Manning to three of his four NFL MVP awards, serving as quarterbacks coach from 2002-08. During that seven-season span, Manning produced NFL highs in completions (2,482), completion percentage (66.5), passing yards (29,210), passing touchdowns (222) and passer rating (100.5).

During Indy’s 12-4 campaign in 2004, Manning threw for a career-high 49 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, setting a single-season personal-best 121.1 QB rating (also the second-best mark in NFL history – Aaron Rodgers, 122.5, 2011).

“I am really excited to work with Coach Harbaugh, Cam and the rest of the coaching staff,” Caldwell said. “It’s a great fit for me, and I’m happy they saw it that way. I can’t wait to get started with the Ravens, an organization that from top to bottom is one of the NFL’s best. I’m looking forward to coming to Baltimore.”

Caldwell’s initial head coaching job came at Wake Forest (1993-2000), where he was the first African-American head coach in ACC history. He also has NFL coaching experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2001, quarterbacks) and collegiate experience with Penn State, Louisville, Colorado, Northwestern, Southern Illinois and Iowa.

A graduate (English literature) of the University of Iowa, Caldwell was a four-year starter as a defensive back from 1973-76. He served as a graduate assistant on the Hawkeyes’ staff in 1977. Born Jan. 16, 1955 in Beloit, Wis., he and his wife, Cheryl, have four children: Jimmy, Jermaine, Jared and Natalie.

CALDWELL COACHING BACKGROUND

Years College/Pro Team Position

1977 Iowa Graduate Assistant

1978-79 Southern Illinois Defensive Backs

1980 Southern Illinois Defensive Coordinator

1981 Northwestern Defensive Backs

1982-83 Colorado Outside Linebackers

1984 Colorado Quarterbacks & Wide Receivers

1985 Louisville Defensive Backs

1986 Penn State Wide Receivers

1987-90 Penn State Quarterbacks & Wide Receivers

1991-92 Penn State Quarterbacks/Passing Coordinator

1993-2000 Wake Forest Head Coach

2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterbacks

2002-06 Indianapolis Colts Quarterbacks

2007-08 Indianapolis Colts Quarterbacks/Asst. Head Coach

2009-11 Indianapolis Colts Head Coach

[Tyrian]

“After spending considerable time with Jim over the last week, we think he will be an excellent fit with our team, coaching the quarterbacks and helping with our offense,” Harbaugh stated.

They sure kept that quiet.

[wickedsolo]

“After spending considerable time with Jim over the last week, we think he will be an excellent fit with our team, coaching the quarterbacks and helping with our offense,” Harbaugh stated.

They sure kept that quiet.

Ha, so much for all those posters who claimed that the Ravens weren't interviewing anyone this past week because it wasn't tweeted or discussed.

Caldwell has experience working with receivers as well. Hopefully that will trickle over...maybe he should just be the QB's and WR's coach...to hell with Hostler.

[festivus]

I'm excited about this. I think it's a good step for the organization.

[Dade]

Very good pickup. This will only help Joe and the offense.

[JustaslowZ06]

Caldwell has experience working with receivers as well. Hopefully that will trickle over...maybe he should just be the QB's and WR's coach...to hell with Hostler.

A BIG x2!

[Uli2001]

Can they ask Cameron to manage the run game and let Caldwell coach the passing game? Just kidding. Maybe.

[bacchys]

Can they ask Cameron to manage the run game and let Caldwell coach the passing game? Just kidding. Maybe.

We had that system under Marchibroda.

It invariably ended up with a screen pass to Rosie Potts.

We don't have Rosie Potts anymore.

[Uli2001]

We had that system under Marchibroda.

It invariably ended up with a screen pass to Rosie Potts.

We don't have Rosie Potts anymore.

Well, didn't the Ravens have a prolific offense back then?