Colts Hugh Thornton Hoping that Being Trimmer Leads to Better Blocking

According to Colts.com’s Kevin Bowen, Indianapolis Colts offensive guard Hugh Thornton has ‘slimmed and trimmed’ down this offseason, as he’s shed his weight from 324 to 315 pounds:

“Thornton, a guy has previously been listed at 336 and 324 pounds with the Colts, dropped all the way down to the 300-pound mark earlier this offseason. He says he’s around 315 pounds now,” writes Bowen. 

“This is probably the best I’ve felt in a long time,” Thornton says. “Going back to college, high school, probably just the most well-rounded—physically, mentally, spiritually. I’m just in a great place and I’m excited to see how this transformation is going to take place on the field.”

“In dropping the weight, Thornton decided earlier this offseason such a change was necessary,” added Bowen. 

“Slim and trim,” is how Thornton describes his new look in 2016.

If nothing else, the Colts offensive line’s physique just got collectively better if ESPN ever decides to take another shoot for their “body magazine” again (*shudders*, but somewhere Jack Mewhort is smiling).

Jokes aside, the former 2013 3rd round pick has looked as good as he ever has in a Colts uniform–or sleeveless “T” for that matter these days:

There’s no question that Thornton has been plagued by both injuries and inconsistency in 3 seasons with the Colts in which he’s made 32 career starts. While he has at times shown flashes of his potential, it simply hasn’t been consistent or often enough.

With his starting right guard job up for grabs and entering the last year of his Colts contract, it makes sense that Thornton is entering this offseason in the best shape of his professional career.

Simply put, this could be a make-or-break year for the 4th-year veteran and ultimately decide whether he’ll remain a Colt or be forced to pursue his professional career elsewhere.

While Thornton has his fair share of critics, he still apparently has strong support in Colts owner Jim Irsay, who apparently believes that the young offensive lineman can still become a high end starting guard for the team:

“(Hugh) Thornton has all the capabilities of being an outstanding guard in this league, but he has to stay healthy and he has to mentally make sure that he does everything to prepare himself and avoid penalties on the field,” said Irsay earlier this offseason via the IndyStar’s Stephen Holder. 

One thing that Thornton still does have going for him is youth, as he’ll turn 25 years old in June and theoretically may have time for further development.

Perhaps under the tutelage of new offensive line coach Joe Philbin, who’s been highly regarded for his teaching methods, Thornton can finally reach his full potential:

“Just being in meetings with him and obviously Phase 2 started this week, having the chance to see how he coaches and the style and the passion that he brings to the field I think is going to be great for us,” said Thornton recently regarding Philbin. 

Maybe even the Colts scheme change to more of a zone-blocking system will serve the young offensive guard well, who should be noticeably lighter on his feet.

There’s talent there after all that once made Thornton such an early round selection by the Colts.

For Thornton’s sake, time is of the essence to tap it however.

The Colts brought in four new offensive lineman in this year’s NFL Draft and already cut ties with another early round underachieving offensive lineman, Khaled Holmes(their 2013 4th round pick), recently this offseason.

With last year’s starting center Jonotthan Harrison potentially transitioning to the right guard position and a new batch of rookie bodies (as well as perhaps holdoverJoe Reitz) in the mix, and there appears to be much more competition than ever before at Thornton’s starting right guard position.

Certainly much more than departed veteran offensive guards Lance Louis or Todd Herremans ever provided for Thornton in recent seasons.

That being said, a “trimmer and slimmer” Thornton is clearly taking this offseason seriously and putting himself in the best position he can to maintain his starting right guard job in what is shaping up to be a pretty healthy competition this offseason.

Buckeye Cruise for Cancer: Fun with a serious purpose

We recently returned from the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer. It was the ninth cruise and our eighth; many of us return each year because we have been affected by cancer and want to see it eliminated.

Being an avid Buckeye fan doesn't hurt, either!

The Cruise raised more than $1.7 million this year. The proceeds over the years have funded many projects. For instance, we helped furnish the rehab exercise room at the Stefanie Spielman Center. We have also purchased a mass spectrometer and a high-powered microscope to be used in research.

The athletes participate in the event willingly and give their time throughout the year. They attend various fundraisers and put up with all our requests for pictures. One year, three athletes paid for a family to go on the cruise because their seriously ill child told them that she wanted to go.

Several athletes participate in the Second and Seven Foundation, which works to promote literacy with economically disadvantaged kids. Others visit classrooms to encourage children to work hard, listen and stay in school. Jack Mewhort (a Buckeye and presently an Indianapolis Colt) recently visited our daughter's classroom in Indianapolis. He spent time answering their questions and encouraging them to be the best they can be.

Buckeye fans should be proud of the great things these athletes do for their community. Next year will be the tenth anniversary of the Buckeye Cruise. If you have ever thought of going, 2017 might be the year.

Speaking of community, SCOR has begun a drive to help Helping Hands, Reynoldsburg's local food pantry. We recently collected 200 bars of soap. We are currently collecting 200 tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes. We are excited about this drive and the fact we are giving back to our community.

Here's what's going on in April:

* Thursday, April 7: At 9 a.m. is the second Men's Golf Meeting. Also, at 11:15 a.m., Arley Owens with Keep Reynoldsburg Beautiful will discuss what we can do to keep our community looking its best.

* Friday, April 8: We will attend SRO's presentation of Sweeney Todd.

* Saturday, April 9: the community celebration of Tartan Day.

* Wednesday, April 13: We will attend Fiddler on the Roof at Otterbein Theater. At 2 p.m., Franklin County Auditor Clarence Mingo will discuss the Homestead exemption program. Call the office at 614-866-5890 to reserve your spot.

* Friday, April 15: At 9 a.m., attorney James Hardgrove will present a discussion of the surviving spouse's rights in an estate.

* Thursday, April 21 at 9 a.m.: Shoes-4-Diabetics will conduct a shoe clinic for diabetics on Medicare and private insurance. Call the office to schedule an appointment.

* Wednesday, April 27 at 8 a.m.: We will depart for Sculpted Neon: The Artistic Side of Cincinnati. Call the office if you are interested.

* Friday, April 29 at 10:45 a.m.: We will meet, look over the movie options and head off to the movies and lunch.

Go Bucks --- beat cancer!

Debbie Mullarkey is a Reynoldsburg resident, a retired teacher and a longtime member of the Senior Citizens of Reynoldsburg.

NFL Mock Draft 2016: Another mock draft has Colts taking offensive lineman Taylor Decker

Another mock draft, another projected offensive lineman for the Colts in the first round.

I's Monday, and for two teams that means celebrating conference title game victories.  But for everyone not named the Broncos or the Panthers, the offseason is underway, and Monday is a time to look at mock drafts to see what people are predicting each team to do in the 2016 NFL Draft.

For the Indianapolis Colts, almost everybody has them taking an offensive lineman in the first round of mock drafts, and that continues today.  SB Nation's Dan Kadar has his most recent mock draft up where he has the Colts taking Ohio State offensive tackle Taylor Decker with the 18th overall pick.

The offensive line for the Colts still isn't completely figured out. Decker can play either tackle spot, so that versatility would go a long way in making the fix. A playmaking running back like Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott would be a difference making option, too.

Kadar lists other potential options for each team in his most recent mock draft, and in addition to Decker, Kadar mentions Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot and Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin.

Decker is a very popular pick for the Colts in mock drafts right now, as it seems like he's the one who has been projected to the Colts the most in the early stages of the draft process.  The 6-7, 315 pound lineman was a three-year starter for Ohio State at left tackle, playing in 54 career games and starting 42.  He was a first-team All-American in 2015 and won a National Championship as a junior in 2014.  Though he was primarily a left tackle in college, he has the skills to play at either tackle spot in the NFL, which is a luxury and something the Colts would surely value.

If taken by the Colts, Decker would likely start at right tackle, taking the place of Joe Reitz (who could then either move to guard or be a backup for pretty much the entire line).  With Anthony Castonzo and Jack Mewhort already in place as young building blocks along the line, adding another one in Decker could be a big benefit.  There's still a long way to go before the NFL Draft, but the early mock drafts are all pointing to one thing: offensive line help for the Colts in the first round.

Playoffs have shown Colts the importance of a good offensive line

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts spent the season watching their quarterbacks consistently take a pounding from defensive players. In addition, running back Frank Gore was hit behind the line of scrimmage more than he should have been because of poor offensive line play.

The first step in attempting to improve the offensive line took place when head coach Chuck Pagano hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin to coach the offensive line. Philbin has experience coaching offensive linemen from his days with the Green Bay Packers.

“They are the heart and soul of the football team, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” Philbin recently told Colts.com. “They kind of dictate the tempo of the team. As you know, we’ve got some outstanding skill players here in Indianapolis. Very, very fortunate [to have them]. It’s the O-line’s job to let those guys make plays in a game, when it counts. You have to be unselfish. There is a great coordination that has to take place with the offensive line working together.”

If giving up 37 sacks and 118 quarterbacks hits, which was second in the NFL, wasn’t proof enough, all the Colts had to do was look at the NFC Championship Game to get further validation of the importance of having a good offensive line.

Lost in the dominating performance of their defense was the Carolina Panthers’ ability to protect quarterback Cam Newton, who was only sacked one time. They also rushed for 144 yards on the ground against the Arizona Cardinals.

It doesn’t matter how many skill position players Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has around him if the offensive line can’t give him a clean pocket. New England quarterback Tom Brady found that out when the Denver Broncos hit him 23 times in the AFC Championship Game.

The Colts have to get tougher and better overall up front. At this point, you can probably say left tackle Anthony Castonzo and guard Jack Mewhort are the only two returning offensive linemen expected to start next season barring an injury. The other three positions on the line are up for grabs.

Colts snap counts: Andre Johnson's diminishing role

Looking at this week's Colts snap counts sheds some real light on the diminishing role of receiver Andre Johnson.

In Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Johnson, in the first year of a three-year, $21 million contract, saw more dramatic drop-off in his involvement. Johnson was on the field for just 33 snaps, equating to 45 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps in the game. That's a startlingly low number for a starting wide receiver, but it's an indication the Colts recognize what they have to do to win. By comparison, Donte Moncrief played 80 percent of the snaps, while Griff Whalen played 34 percent.

For context, let's look at some of Johnson's snap counts from earlier in the season. Take the Colts' Week 6 game against the New England Patriots. Johnson played 85 percent of the snaps that night, with Moncrief at 73 percent and Whalen at 5 percent. In Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints, Johnson played 92 percent of offensive snaps, with Moncrief at 90 percent and Whalen at 3 percent. In Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers, Johnson played 78 percent of snaps, Moncrief 92 percent and Whalen 12 percent.

Week 9 — the same week Rob Chudzinski took over as offensive play caller — Johnson's big decline really begins.

That week, against the Denver Broncos, he played just 42 percent of snaps. Moncrief played 70 percent and Whalen 30 percent. That continued after the bye in Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons, with Johnson playing 48 percent of snaps, Moncrief 84 percent and Whalen 24 percent.

That's a stark contrast in Johnson's level of involvement. He is still capable of contributing — as he did with a big 22-yard gain on a post route Sunday — but those kinds of plays have come few and far between for Johnson. The Colts are no longer going to keep Johnson on the field at the expense of keeping other potential playmakers off it.

Here's the rest of this week's snap counts:

OFFENSE

LT Joe Reitz, 74, 100 percent

RG Hugh Thornton, 74, 100 percent

LG Jack Mewhort, 74 100 percent

C Jon Harrison, 74, 100 percent

QB Matt Hasselbeck, 74, 100 percent

RT Denzelle Good, 74, 100 percent

WR T.Y. Hilton, 61, 82 percent

WR Donte Moncrief, 59, 80 percent

RB Frank Gore, 51, 69 percent

TE Dwayne Allen, 48, 65 percent

TE Coby Fleener, 43, 58 percent

WR Andre Johnson, 33, 45 percent

TE Jack Doyle, 25, 34 percent

WR Griff Whalen, 25, 34 percent

RB Ahmad Bradshaw, 22, 30 percent

RB Boom Herron, 3, 4 percent

DEFENSE

ILB D'Qwell Jackson, 67, 100 percent

FS Dwight Lowery, 67, 100 percent

CB Vontae Davis, 67, 100 percent

CB Greg Toler, 65, 97 percent

SS Clayton Geathers, 62, 93 percent

ILB Jerrell Freeman, 46, 69 percent

DE Kendall Langford, 45, 67 percent

OLB Erik Walden, 43, 64 percent

OLB Trent Cole, 40, 60 percent

OLB Robert Mathis, 39, 58 percent

CB Darius Butler, 36, 54 percent

DT Billy Winn, 34, 51 percent

NT David Parry, 34, 51 percent

OLB Jonathan Newsome, 24, 36 percent

DT T.Y. McGill, 24, 36 percent

DT Zach Kerr, 21, 31 percent

ILB Nate Irving, 18, 27 percent

CB D'Joun Smith, 2, 3 percent

S Colt Anderson, 1, 1 percent.

Athlete Stocks May Soon Be Listed On NASDAQ

Athlete tracking stock company Fantex intends to allow you to purchase and sell a security linked to 10 separate professional athletes. Earlier today, it filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. If approved, you may soon be able to trade “FXSP” on the NASDAQ Capital Market .

A total of 10 athletes, across 2 sports and at a various sections of their careers are to be tied to the anticipated ticker symbol. They are Vernon Davis, Alshon Jeffery, Mohamed Sanu, Jack Mewhort, Ryan Shazier, Kendall Wright, Andrew Heaney, Terrence Williams, Michael Brockers and EJ Manuel.

Tight end Vernon Davis #80 of the Denver Broncos may become part of a 10-athlete stock for purchase/sale on NASDAQ. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Each athlete will have a different weighting attached to his athlete brand contract, which will total 100% for the purpose of the contemplated FXSP stock. The largest weight will be held by Chicago Bears wide receiver Jeffery (19%); the smallest weight is attached to Broncos tight end Davis (3%).

“Our six completed IPOs paved the way to unlocking an asset class previously closed to the capital markets,” said Fantex, Inc. CEO and co-founder Buck French. “By bundling multiple tracking stocks into a single, NASDAQ-listed security, we believe Fantex is providing the next evolution for those looking to invest in the business of professional sports.”

As of right now, individuals can buy and sell individual athlete tracking stocks on the Fantex marketplace connected to Davis, Jeffery, Mewhort, Sanu and Brockers.

An Initial Public Offering for Wright is listed as “Coming Soon.” According to Fantex, the previously filed registration statement filed for Wright will be withdrawn, as the new “Fantex Sports Portfolio 1 Units,” such named as those connected to the proposed NASDAQ stock, contain the Wright offering therein.

Historically, Fantex has purchased 10% interests in athletes’ “brand incomes” in exchange for a specific amount of guaranteed money. For instance, under the terms of Fantex’s brand contract with Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman Mewhort, Fantex acquired a 10% interest in his brand income for $2.52 million. Fantex expects Mewhort to earn $58.8 million in gross lifetime brand income, most of which is expected to be earned from an estimated 9 years of future NFL salaries and bonuses (in addition to a slight amount of money from off-field income).

Brand income is defined within the contracts that Fantex creates with players. Generally, it includes income generated from current team contracts, expected future on-field income, certain endorsements and appearance fees. Potential post-career activities are sometimes included in the formula as well.

Acquisitions of brand income are often contingent on Fantex obtaining financing necessary to pay the stated purchase price.

UBS Investment Bank will be the lead underwriter for Fantex’s mission to list FXSP on NASDAQ. It serves as the sole book-running manager for the proposed offering.

Darren Heitner is a lawyer and the Founder of South Florida-based HEITNER LEGAL, P.L.L.C., which has a focus on Sports Law and Entertainment Law.

Five Colts under pressure in 2015

This is a big season for the Indianapolis Colts. But here are five Colts, in particular, who will have a spotlight shined on them for various reasons.

>> Coach Chuck Pagano

In three seasons, he has notched 33 wins, three playoff appearances and three playoff victories. Yet, he’s a lame duck with no contract beyond this season and an owner who consistently sends subtle messages that his defense hasn’t cut it in recent seasons.

So, yeah, there’s a little pressure on Pagano.

No one knows how this ends for him. There are many potential scenarios. The team could meet expectations and make a run at the Super Bowl. Or it could totally underwhelm and put Pagano at risk.

Either way, the coach’s fate is, and will continue to be, one of this season’s biggest storylines.

It’s not going away. And the pressure will only continue to grow.

>> RT Jack Mewhort

He was very solid as a left guard during his rookie year last season. And Mewhort’s reward was to earn the right to change positions to right tackle, where he’ll now have to fend off speedy edge rushers who are among the best athletes in the game.

That’s pressure.

Mewhort had some isolated struggles in the preseason that foreshadowed some of the challenges he will face. The Colts are asking a lot of him. They’re projecting Mewhort can pull this off, but what if they’re wrong?

Either way, we’ll know more on Sunday, when pass rusher Mario Williams awaits in Buffalo.

>> DE Kendall Langford

Remember when the Colts made that flurry of free-agent signings in the spring? And remember how little thought you gave to Langford?

You might want to rethink that. Langford is an excellent fit for the Colts defense, given the fact that he’s been much more productive in 3-4 defenses. But this isn’t quite what Langford signed up for.

He intended to play alongside Art Jones and a veteran defensive line. Now, Jones is on injured reserve, Josh Chapman and Montori Hughes have been released and Langford is the grownup in a room full of kids.

A pair of rookies is likely to start alongside Langford: David Parry at nose tackle and Henry Anderson at defensive tackle. Where Langford originally was planning to be the beneficiary of Jones’ presence, it’s now conceivable he will draw significantly more attention from opposing offenses who know well his ability to slow their running game.

Suddenly, Langford has gained a more central role in the Colts defense – like it or not.

>> S Clayton Geathers

It’s odd that a player not even projected to be in the starting lineup would be listed here. But given what the Colts are planning to ask of this rookie, he belongs on this list.

The Colts’ decision to use Geathers as a dime linebacker this season – a hybrid linebacker/safety that is, essentially, a sixth defensive back – is a direct response to their struggles against opposing tight ends in 2014.

Just think back to the Colts’ inability to stop New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and their insistence on using players like D’Qwell Jackson to cover him. Well, those responsibilities will now fall to Geathers in many instances, as coaches use him in select situations.

Can he step up to this challenge? Geathers is talented, but he’s raw. Look for some bumps along the way.

>> LB Bjoern Werner

He made the final cut, but this 2013 first-round pick seems to be on borrowed time. Werner flamed out as a pass rusher and now is playing strong-side linebacker, a position that seems better suited to his skill set.

But if he doesn’t produce in the limited playing time he figures to be afforded, it’s going to be difficult for the Colts to justify keeping him on the roster moving forward. The lack of depth at the strong side (he’s Erik Walden’s primary backup) likely means he has a place on the roster for the duration of this season.

But in 2016, Werner is going to be a prime target to be cut unless something changes