Is Pep Hamilton The Hottest Head Coaching Prospect?

September 22, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton watches from the sideline during the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Pep Hamilton’s Indianapolis Colts lead the NFL in total offense and in passing yards per game;  and it’s not even close.

With the help of his young star quarterback Andrew Luck and the improved play of Trent Richardson, Ahmad Bradshaw and T.Y. Hilton, the Colts have produced the most explosive offense in the NFL in the passing game supplemented by a solid running attack. While his personnel has much to do with the successful campaign, Pep Hamilton has written up a playbook that is perfect for Andrew Luck. In his two years at the helm of the Colts’ offense, he’s watched the increased production from his prodigy of a quarterback, re-developed a washed up first-round pick (Trent Richardson), fostered the growth of T.Y. Hilton and maneuvered his way around a patchwork offensive line.

Colts fans may have been giving him hell at the beginning of the season but this man deserves a head coaching job.

While it won’t be fun losing Pep Hamilton this offseason, Colts fans had to know it was coming. Typically in the NFL, the offensive coordinators of teams with great offenses are the hottest commodities for head coaching positions (Mike McCoy in 2013 or  Jay Gruden, Ken Whisenhunt and Jim Caldwell in 2014). The Colts will do just fine without him with a solid core of guys to lead the offensive charge.

There are two obvious places that Hamilton may go in the 2015 offseason: the Oakland Raiders or Jacksonville Jaguars. In Oakland, Dennis Allen has been ousted and replaced with an uninspiring Tony Sparano. The Raiders have a young offensive team with Derek Carr, currently the best rookie quarterback, sitting at the helm. Hamilton could do some great things in Oakland with a promising young receiving core, a quarterback that can make plays and a steadily improving offensive line. In Jacksonville, there’s a legitimate chance that Gus Bradley may be done after failing to duplicate the Seattle defense that got him the job two years ago. Again, Jacksonville features rookie quarterback Blake Bortles and has found a gem in Denard Robinson at running back. Hamilton could be a hot prospect in Jacksonville as well as Oakland.

With the New York Jets having nothing resembling a potent offense, they’re sure to take a look at Pep after the inevitable firing of Rex Ryan (which is long overdue). The Falcons and Giants are also players in the NFC that may be done with Mike Smith and Tom Coughlin respectively and want some offensive stability to help their mid-career quarterbacks.

Let’s face it Colts fans: Pep Hamilton will probably be gone in 2015. But let’s not mourn the loss of a great offensive coordinator but celebrate what he’s done to develop Andrew Luck and his strong surrounding cast.

You’ve taken a lot of crap Pep, but thank you for your contributions to the Indianapolis Colts.