New Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is bringing one of his trusted Cincinnati lieutenants with him to Indianapolis.
The Colts are hiring James Bettcher to be the team’s linebackers coach, a league source told the IndyStar on Sunday afternoon, after he spent the past three seasons in the same position with Anarumo in Cincinnati.
Indianapolis has at least one other opening on the defensive side of the ball.
Former linebackers coach Richard Smith and defensive backs coach Ron Milus, who have been long-time collaborators with former coordinator Gus Bradley, left shortly after the Colts decided to part ways with Bradley. Bettcher replaces Smith on staff; no replacement for Milus has been revealed yet, and there could be other changes to the defensive staff.
The Colts are still working through other potential staff changes, a source indicated, after Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard indicated the new defensive coordinator would take the lead in assembling a defensive staff.
Bettcher, 46, has plenty of Indiana ties.
Born and raised in Lakeville, Bettcher went to college at Saint Francis, the same place he began his coaching career. Bettcher’s coaching career has also included stops as the special teams and defensive line coach at Ball State in 2010 and a previous stint as the outside linebackers coach with the Colts in 2012 under former defensive coordinator Greg Manusky.
Bettcher left Indianapolis after the 2012 season to follow Bruce Arians to Arizona, and after two seasons spent working under Todd Bowles, Bettcher took over as Arizona’s defensive coordinator in 2015.
Bettcher’s Arizona defenses finished fifth, second and sixth, respectively, in the NFL in total defense, but after an Arians retirement prompted Bettcher to leave the Cardinals for the Giants, Bettcher’s New York defenses finished 24th and 25th in total defense.
Two years and a season spent with the 49ers as a senior defensive assistant later, Bettcher was hired to work with Anarumo in Cincinnati, and the pair have now been together for three seasons in Cincinnati, prompting Anarumo to bring Bettcher along to Indianapolis.
Beyond his big-picture, schematic contributions, Bettcher has developmental work to do at the linebacker position. Pro Bowl middle linebacker Zaire Franklin remains, but the team’s other starter, weak-side linebacker E.J. Speed, will be a free agent, and the only other returning linebacker with a history of playing defense is Jaylon Carlies, who converted from collegiate safety to an NFL linebacker as a rookie last season and flashed glimpses in coverage.
Indianapolis must get better production as a whole from its linebackers. The Colts struggled to cover tight ends and to take away receiving options in the short middle of the field, and both Franklin and Speed struggled with missed tackles, according to Pro Football Reference, for a defense that finished dead last in the NFL in missed tackles this season.
