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Far too early to write off offensive tackle Tony Ugoh as key part of Indianapolis Colts' future
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Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell (AP)
Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser takes a look at Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Tony Ugoh's chances of returning to the starting lineup . . .
It may be too early to eliminate Tony Ugoh as a cricial part of the Indianapolis Colts' future after all.
Ugoh, after two seasons starting at left offensive tackle, was moved to backup right tackle/left tackle/guard last week, a major demotion and crucial career crossroads for a player brought in two seasons ago to fill on a long-term basis the high-profile and franchise-critical role of protecting three-time Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning's blind side.
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When Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell made the move, he spoke candidly of Ugoh. He said the former second-round selection from Arkansas had played well as a rookie, but not so well last season. The Colts, he said, discussed moving veteran tackle Charlie Johnson into the left tackle position for offseason and minicamps, but Johnson sustained a pectoral injury.
That gave Ugoh, for whom the Colts traded a 2008 first-round selection to move up to take him in Round 2 in 2007, another opportunity in organized team activities and minicamps to "prove himself," as Caldwell put it.
"I think he made some progress, but not quite enough," Caldwell said a day after the announcement.
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So, when Johnson returned early this week, he began working at left tackle and Ugoh spent the week working at backup right tackle. He talked of continuing to work hard, and also of the difficulty of adapting to the right side, likening it to a left-handed person learning to write right-handed.
But with Johnson held out of the Colts' preseason loss to Minnesota on Friday for precautionary reasons, Ugoh started at left tackle. He then played guard, and the early thought among fans and observers was he played well. On Saturday, Caldwell confirmed those thoughts.
"Tony Ugoh played much better," Caldwell said. "He really made some progress and came along. We are certainly pleased with the progress he's making."
It's too early to say Ugoh will definitely get his job back. This was one preseason game, but you just got a feeling more and more last week that while the Colts made the move to start Johnson in an effort to get the best offensive line possible on the field they also were very much wanting Ugoh -- a guy in which they have a lot of time and draft equity invested -- to take a step up in performance. I hate the term, "Lighting a fire" under a guy, but the way the Colts did this -- coming out quickly and publicly with the Johnson-Ugoh switch and discussing Ugoh's performance as candidly as they did -- sure made this seem a lot more like that kind of a move than was typically the case in seven seasons with Tony Dungy as head coach.
One other thing Caldwell said this past week discussing Ugoh was the Colts were "anticipating that he's going to make a leap here shortly." One preseason game isn't exactly a leap, but it's a start, and you get a real idea Ugoh's going to get every chance to leap back into his old job.
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Magnificent Seven II: On the Colts' defensive tackle position and WR Reggie Wayne
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Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell no Tony Dungy clone
EXAMINER SERIES: TWENTY QUESTIONS WITH THE COLTS . . .
1) Will Jim Sorgi be the backup quarterback?
2) Will Special Teams be Special?
3) Who will be the Colts' breakout player in 2009?
4) Will loss of former Head Coach Tony Dungy hurt in 2009?
5) What will defense look like in 2009?
6) Will DT Ed Johnson impact the defense in 2009?
7) How important is the return of OG Ryan Lilja in 2009?
8) Will K Adam Vinatieri be ready in 2009?
9) Will WRs be improved in 2009?
11) Will S Bob Sanders be healthy in 2009?
12) Will secondary be one of NFL's best in 2009?
13) Who will start at RB in 2009?
14) What roles will Tom Moore and Howard Mudd play in 2009?
15) Can QB Peyton Manning improve again in 2009?
16) Will the Colts be OK at LB in 2009?
17) Will CB Kelvin Hayden make the Pro Bowl in 2009?
18) Can TE Dallas Clark make the Pro Bowl in 2009?
19) Can OT Tony Ugoh develop into franchise-level LT?
20) Can the Colts win the Super Bowl in 2009?
THE POSITION-BY-POSITION PRE-TRAINING CAMP SERIES:
- The QUARTERBACKS
- The RUNNING BACKS
- The TIGHT ENDS
- The WIDE RECEIVERS
- The OFFENSIVE TACKLES
- The OFFENSIVE GUARDS
- The CENTERS
- The DEFENSIVE ENDS
- The DEFENSIVE TACKLES
- The LINEBACKERS
- The CORNERBACKS
- The SAFETIES
OTHER EXAMINER COLTS TOPICS . . .
- Colts QB Peyton Manning on Steve McNair
- Steve McNair's career often intertwined with the Colts
- QB Peyton Manning omitted from ESPN.com's All-Decade team
- The best of the Indianapolis Colts blogosphere . . .
- 2009 Colts training camp schedule
- SERIES: Top Five reasons to worry about Colts in 2009
- SERIES: Top Five reasons to feel good about the Colts in 2009
- Manning: Influence of Tony Dungy still felt around Colts
- A look back at 2009 Colts minicamp
- Mudd, Moore return inevitable, happy end to long story
- Colts to allow sponsors on practice uniforms
- Hints Emerging about potential Colts defensive changes
- Top Five Real Issues Facing Colts Entering 2009
- Top Five Myths Surrounding the Colts Entering 2009
- Top Five Underrated Players on Colts Entering 2009
- Top Five Breakout Players for Colts Entering 2009
- Top Five Nonissues facing Colts Entering 2009
- Why Colts QB Peyton Manning is primed for another big season
- Preseason dates and times
- Former Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy essays on Michael Vick
- Re-signing DT Ed Johnson makes DT situation even better
- SERIES: Peyton Manning Top 10 underrated moments.
- Breaking Down the 2009 Colts Schedule
- A recap of the Colts' 2009 NFL Draft
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