One of the biggest things Colts head coach Shane Steichen looks for in quarterbacks is a deep commitment to the process of playing the position. Cam Turner, who was hired to coach whoever the Colts' next starting quarterback is, sees things the same way.
"You get guys that — (Shane) always says it – are obsessed with the game, love the game," Turner said. "And that's what we're looking for. Obviously you need guys that can throw the ball, are accurate, can make good decisions, can process information. But that 'it' factor as far as, they're obsessed with it, they love football, they love talking it, they love studying it, they love their teammates — all of that goes into it."
Turner spent time coaching quarterbacks with the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals, where he worked with Cam Newton (2017) and Kyler Murray (2019-2022). Newton in 2017 set a career high with 754 rushing yards, while Murray developed into a dynamic thrower and scrambler – in 2020, Murray rushed for 819 yards, threw for 3,971 yards and either threw or rushed for 37 touchdowns.
Turner, though, doesn't think quarterbacks need the athleticism and possessed by Newton and Murray – it's certainly a helpful advantage, he said, but natural feel for the pocket and knowing when to escape pressure and create is important, too.
"Fortunate enough to be around those two guys," Turner said. "With their athletic ability and ability to run, we can get creative with them in the run game. Not everyone has that."
The larger point, though, is Turner, Steichen and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter will tailor the Colts' offense to the talents of the team's starting quarterback – whether that player resembles Murray, Newton, Jalen Hurts or someone completely different.
"Coach Steichen did a great job with Jalen and molding him, and playing to his strengths — catering the playbook to what he does well," Turner said. "We're not slapping a playbook in front of them and saying here's what we're running, this is it. You kind of want to evolve with the quarterback, find out what he does well and do more of that, find variations of that and tailor it to what they do well, whoever it may be."
