He missed a good amount of OTAs. He’s been busy studying for final exams at Stanford University in order to graduate with a degree in architecture. He’s had no contact with coaches and has been practicing by guessing on formations from his playbook.

But Andrew Luck appeared far from rusty on his first day of Colts minicamp this week.

The mandatory, three-day camp – which included an open house and public scrimmage on Wednesday – showcased Luck’s immense raw talent to thousands of local fans. Most came away impressed with what they saw. The over all impression? Luck is the real deal.

This week #HorseBytes brings to you the reactions from the first work of the 2012 Colts as a team in whole:

The Colts opened Wednesday’s minicamp practice to the public, offering an open house and select-a-seat event in an effort to generate excitement about the upcoming season and sell off their remaining season tickets. Almost 8,000 attended the free event, which also offered free parking (wow!) and half-price concessions, along with the opportunity for fans to walk the field before the practice and meet the players for autographs at the event’s conclusion. The players clearly appreciated the overwhelming support from the community.

But fans wouldn’t have had this unique opportunity if it weren’t for the 3,000 remaining season tickets in the team’s possession. After the team cut Peyton Manning, many upset fans did not renew their tickets for the upcoming season. The team will need to sell these tickets to avoid blackouts of the team’s televised games. A good variety of tickets available at all prices and on all levels of the stadium were on display at the open house. Anyone in attendance who liked what they saw could literally sit down and claim their spot for the entire season.

So what can we take away from the Colts’ minicamp? It’s hard to make any concrete judgments since most of the practices were either walk throughs or drills. But the overwhelming consensus following the conclusion of camp is that Andrew Luck is hardly rookie-like. The former Stanford QB was calling plays at the line of scrimmage, reading defensive schemes, and throwing footballs in the chests of his receivers like they already had years of established chemistry. Dan Hanzus of the NFL had good things to say, detailing the positives of Luck’s accuracy. Albert Breer had a great take on the value of the rookie’s intangibles – his leadership and knowledge. Paul Kuharsky, who covers the AFC South, shared his ten observations from the public practice in his blog. Not one of these writers has anything negative to say about Luck – and these guys aren’t Colts PR staff, either.

As Andrew Luck says, he’s still learning, and from the looks of it, he may have an unlimited capacity for knowledge. Those non-renewing former season ticket holders may have to be put on a waiting list next season, because they’re definitely going to want back in when they see what their new QB – and his surrounding cast – can accomplish in the games ahead.

The Colts will now have 6 weeks off before the real work – training camp – begins in July. But don’t worry – #HorseBytes will be back next Friday with more Colts updates for you!

There are 3,000 Indianapolis Colts season tickets available for purchase. This could very well be a blessing to all the fans who have been on a waiting list for the past decade, but right now, it’s a big concern for the franchise. To avoid the possibility of blackouts, Jim Irsay and the Colts front office are making a sales push by granting #ColtsNation some incredible, rarely-offered access to Lucas Oil Stadium.

After consistently selling out for years during the reign of Peyton Manning, the Colts are struggling to sell season tickets following the release of the legend who is Number 18. This has stirred mixed reviews from the media. Did Jim Irsay make the right decision by cutting his franchise player? Do people want to see Andrew Luck? Are fans worried about a timetable for success? Obviously, the split with Manning was emotional, and although many of us expected it, it was still shocking to hear Irsay’s official announcement (What fan didn’t cry during that press conference?). Rebuilding is a big risk, and although I will deeply miss Manning in his blue and white jersey leading the Colts down the field, I agree with Bob Kravitz. Luck may not succeed right away, but he will succeed, and his drafting was the best long-term business decision for the Colts to make. The harsh reality of it all is that the National Football League is – at its core – a business.

To promote season ticket sales, the Colts will be hosting a special event at Lucas Oil Stadium on June 13th. The free event will include a fan open house, a full-squad mini-camp practice, and a select-a-seat opportunity. An event like this is unprecedented in the Colts’ recent history; normally offseason activities are all but top secret. Details and a full schedule are posted on the Colts’ official website.

The best way to attract fans is by signing exciting players, and – as Irsay says – the roster is still being tweaked to collect a group worthy of a sold-out crowd. This week OT George Foster joined the Horseshoe, replacing fullback Ryan Mahaffey. Foster was a former first-round pick of the Denver Broncos, but he’s been shuffled around to four different teams since, most recently playing for New Orleans. The Colts also added another cornerback after acquiring Cassius Vaughn last week. They claimed Korey Lindsey off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals, waiving S Micah Pellerin in the process. Lindsey has yet to play a season in the NFL. He spent most of his rookie year on the Cardinal’s practice squad and was released on Wednesday.

The Colts are also reportedly trying to sign the dynamic cornerback Mike Jenkins from the Dallas Cowboys. Jenkins has been sitting out of OTAs and has voiced his displeasure with his current contract. Can the Horseshoe entice “America’s Team” to part with their talented yet disgruntled player? Stay tuned.

But not everything has to change. Tradition is honored, and former players are welcomed back. After all, C Jeff Saturday has already been offered a front office position upon his retirement after contributing to the successful negotiating efforts during last offseason’s lockout. Former Colts linebacker David Thorton has rejoined the Colts as the director of player engagement. A team captain for the Colts by the time he reached his third year in the league, he joins the team’s front office just two years after concluding his nine-year playing career with the Tennessee Titans. His job will require him to “maximize the professional and personal lives of Colts athletes.” Thorton certainly has experience in this field. He spent four seasons with the Colts from 2002-2005 and was part of the team’s winning effort in Super Bowl XLI. It will be nice to see his familiar face back with the team.

That’s all for #Horsebytes this week! Check back next Friday for the next installment.

With rookie minicamp in the books, Colts’ players get one last short vacation before officially returning to work and beginning OTAs – Organized Team Activities – on May 15th. With the 2012 regular season now less than 5 months away, the Colts are working hard to ready themselves for play after enduring some of the most radical offseason changes in recent memory. The team’s attitude is one of determination; these Colts are willing to do whatever it takes. But this week, #ColtsNation learned that sometimes “whatever it takes” can overstep some boundaries.

Rookie Camp Review

The Colts ended rookie minicamp last Sunday, and most walked away from the orientation impressed. According to ESPN’s AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky, the rookies handled Coach Pagano’s “overload” of playbook information pretty well. Recently-drafted Colts TE Coby Fleener told the Indy Star’s Phil Wilson that Andrew Luck had already mastered several 30-word play calls. It’s all systems go in Naptown, but the team isn’t taking any chances on their new prized quarterback. Luck was required to wear a red jersey - an indication the player is not to be touched – during all workouts. This was a practice Peyton Manning refused to follow, saying he didn’t like to be separated from the other members of the team. However, Luck will have to reach more of a veteran status before he can be awarded this privilege.

Grounded…literally

With camp over, Luck will not be able to return to Indianapolis until mid-June, after he finishes his final undergraduate exams at Stanford. To help with the missed practice time, Jim Irsay offered his private jet to the soon-to-be-graduate to help him organize workout sessions with out-of-town players. However, the offer was made prematurely and without much thought. According to league rules, the move is prohibited. The offer of Irsay’s jet would be viewed as an impermissible bonus – a way of “skirting the salary cap.” That means Luck will have to fly commercial – meaning the seat next to him will be up for grabs. Let the bidding war begin.

Back to Anderson

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For a while, there was speculation that the Colts would not return to Anderson University for their 2012 training camp. However, the team will in fact return to the facility for the third straight year, and the camp will be open to the public. Players will report on July 28th, and the first practice will take place on July 29th. Andrew Luck will be back by then.

You May Not Have Known…

Twitter is the place to go for little-known facts and obscure statistics, and these two tweets were the most eye-opening for me this week. I’m sure you’re all aware of the excessive amount of wheelin’ and dealin’ that took place during the first round of the NFL Draft. In a very bold move, the Cleveland Browns traded up to draft the dynamic running back from Alabama, Trent Richardson. However, did you know that the Browns inquired about Luck? Apparently the Browns contacted the Colts about possibly trading for the first pick so that they could acquire the Stanford prodigy. Thankfully, the Colts said no.

Another fun fact involves the Colts second-round draftee – Coby Fleener. Fleener majored in Communications at Stanford, and he wrote a feature on SI writer Peter King for a school assignment. The story was posted on Twitter, and it’s incredibly well written. I see a second career for Fleener – as a fellow Communications student, I can appreciate good writing, and I was impressed.

Goodbye to Addai

In the final news story of the week, Colts running back Joseph Addai signed with the New England Patriots this week – in other words, he went to the dark side. Addai was the Colts’ first round selection in 2006, and he played six years with the team. He became a fan favorite and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 2007. He didn’t go to the most desirable location – at least, in the eyes of many fans – but he is certainly going to a team with talent and should fit in well with the Pats’ offensive scheme. Remember, #ColtsNation, the NFL is a business, and these kinds of things happen all the time. Be happy for Addai and remember all the great moments he gave us. Listen to Robert Mathis!

That’s all #HorseBytes has for you this week. Check back in next Friday for updates on the first OTAs of the year!