Indianapolis could not get Josh McDaniels to leave New England and become its next head coach, but the Colts were able to raid the Patriots’ staff for their new special teams coach.
A source told Sporting News that Ray "Bubba" Ventrone will fill that role on new head coach Frank Reich’s staff in Indianapolis.
Ventrone had served as New England’s assistant special teams coach the past three seasons. As an undrafted college free agent from Villanova, Ventrone developed into a standout special-teams player himself while playing for New England (2005-08), Cleveland (2009-10) and San Francisco (2013-14).
IYER: Reich hire a luxury for Colts
McDaniels was reportedly set to bring Patriots special teams coach Joe Judge with him to Indianapolis. McDaniels, though, decided to return to New England as its offensive coordinator last week after verbally agreeing to become Colts head coach.
The Colts then moved onto Reich, a former Indianapolis assistant who was Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator. Judge is now expected to remain with the Patriots.
In other Colts coaching news, a source told Sporting News that Alan Williams also will be returning to Indianapolis to handle the secondary.
Williams was with the Colts from 2002-11 before Indianapolis made wholesale changes on its coaching staff. Williams then became Minnesota’s defensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013 before spending the past four seasons as Detroit's defensive backs/safeties coach.
Williams is well versed in the "Tampa-Two" style of defense the Colts will be reinstalling in 2018 under new coordinator Matt Eberflus.
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