Colts Turn to New WRs Coach Mike Groh to Develop Versatile Pass-Catchers

Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich was a Philadelphia Eagles assistant with Mike Groh and they won a Super Bowl ring together. When Groh became available this offseason, Reich jumped at the chance to add him to his staff.

The Indianapolis Colts expect to be in good hands with new wide receivers coach Mike Groh, who was added this offseason to work with a relatively young group of pass-catchers.

Groh, 48, was wide receivers coach in Philadelphia in 2017, when current Colts head coach Frank Reich was offensive coordinator. After they won a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles, Reich was hired in Indianapolis and Groh became Reich’s successor as offensive coordinator. Groh became available this offseason and Reich was excited to bring him to the Colts.

Groh’s wide receiver group is led by four-time Pro Bowl star T.Y. Hilton, who is entering a contract year in his ninth season. The rest of that room consists of youthful talent. Zach Pascal, who was undrafted in 2017, is coming off his best season in his third year. He’s just 25.

Second-year pro Parris Campbell, 22, was a 2019 second-round pick whose rookie debut was reduced to just seven games by several injuries, three that required surgery. The Colts looked to add talent in the NFL Draft with the second-round selection of USC’s Michael Pittman Jr. and the sixth-round choice of Washington State’s Dezmon Patmon. Marcus Johnson and Daurice Fountain are also in the mix.

“When you have guys who are younger that have less experience at this level, they’re very eager,” Groh said in a Thursday Zoom video conference call. “They want to hear everything you have to say. There’s a process that goes into that in terms of evaluating their game, trying to figure what their strengths and weaknesses are, and putting them in the right position to be successful. That’s all part of the process.

“But in terms of their eagerness to learn, to dive in, to want to try to become the very best that they can be, there’s a purity to that that’s a lot of fun as well.”

He also appreciates having a leader in Hilton to set an example.

“That doesn’t mean that it’s not nice to have a veteran guy who has the experience and has been around the block a time or two that understands exactly what it takes,” Groh said. “I think there’s a blend you want to have in that room. I think we have a really good room right now.”

The Colts’ wide receivers were reduced by injuries in 2019 as Hilton and Campbell missed a combined 15 games.

Groh’s objective is to develop talent for specific roles.

“When you're putting together a receiver group, you're looking to put together a group of guys with different skillsets,” he said. “If you get guys that all do the same thing really well, then you're a little bit easier to defend. So putting our group together, we're looking for guys that have unique skillsets; using an analogy as a basketball team of my past, you want guys that can bring the ball up, you want guys that can score off the dribble, shoot the 3, post up.

“So when you get that complementary blend of guys — and that doesn't just focus solely on the receiver group, that would include tight ends and running backs in that equation — I think then you have the opportunity to create one-on-one matchups, and that makes you really hard to defend for a defense.”

Pittman, who is the son of an NFL running back of the same name and appears to have more polish than the usual rookie, is expected to make an immediate impact as either a No. 2 or No. 3 option. Unlike the others, he brings size at 6-4 and 223 pounds.

Campbell is a speedy option who flourished at Ohio State in the slot, but like Hilton and Pascal, can line up anywhere. Reich likes having weapons who can be used in different spots.

“(I) really liked him coming out of Ohio State,” Groh said of Campbell, “thought he was dynamic with the ball in his hand. I thought he had elite speed, so he's able to stretch the defense, and stretch the defense vertically, really, on all levels, get the ball to him quickly. I saw the potential to be a very good route runner, (he) wasn't asked to do a whole lot of that at Ohio State, but I really think his best football, in terms of becoming a complete receiver, is out in front of him.

“He's extremely bright, he's tough, he's willing to do anything that is required of him in whatever role we need him to play, and he's somebody that the defense has to be aware of, because he can get behind you and score in one play.”

(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)