Pagano Has Huge Expectations for T.Y. Hilton
By Evan Massey
Jan 11, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
T.Y. Hilton(13) catches a pass against the New England Patriots in the second half during the 2013 AFC divisional playoff football game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
When the Indianapolis Colts selected wide receiver T.Y. Hilton out of Florida International with the 92nd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, there weren’t many people out there expecting him to become a star. After his first two seasons in the league, he has become just that and is looking to put up even bigger numbers this season. Last year, he caught 82 passes for a total of 1,083 yards and five touchdowns
Head coach Chuck Pagano is a very excitable coach, but he is even more excited about T.Y. Hilton than most of his players.
“It’s just a matter of getting creative. It’s easy to line him up and run him down the field and run go routes, crossers and things like that, but I think there’s so much more that we can do with a guy like that. Right side, left side, inside, outside,” he said, checking off the launch points at which he expects to line up this season. “I want to do more.”
It definitely sounds like Pagano is going to be using Hilton in different areas this season than he has been used in the past. The Colts know that Reggie Wayne‘s career is coming to the end, and they also know that they have no one else on the roster with more potential than Hilton in the future. They will need to begin figuring out how to use Hilton to his full potential, and how to put him in the best position for him to succeed.
Hilton’s numbers have risen quite a bit since he originally joined the league, and he is expecting to put together another big year in 2014. Not only does the press and coaching staff believe that Hilton has the ability to be a number on receiver, he has also made it clear that he believes it too. Confidence is always a good thing for a “star” to have, but he will have to win over quite a few critics with a big season once again this year.
Overall, this is going to be a season where Hilton is given the opportunity to show exactly what he can be. Wayne isn’t going to be used as much as he has been in years past, and Hakeem Nicks isn’t going to be the number one target for Andrew Luck. Hilton is going to be the guy that is targeted more than anyone else, and he will have to prove himself and make it very clear that he is a true number one option.