Former Maryland QB Frank Reich is the new Indianapolis Colts head coach

The Indianapolis Colts announced Frank Reich as their 20th head coach in franchise history Sunday afternoon.

He spent the last two seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator, engineering the offense that helped win the Eagles their first Super Bowl. It looked as if he’d be returning to that role next season after he hadn’t accepted any of the open head coaching positions, but then Josh McDaniels decided not to take the Colts job and stay on as New England’s offensive coordinator instead. Reich quickly became a finalist, and the rest is history.

In 1984, Reich wrote his name into Maryland football lore when he led what was then the biggest comeback in college football history, leading the Terps back from a 31-0 halftime deficit in Miami to beat the Hurricanes 42-40. About nine years later, Reich repeated the feat in relief of Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. Reich led the greatest comeback in NFL history, bringing the Bills back from a 35-3 third-quarter hole to win 41-38 in overtime.

After 10 years away from football, Reich broke into the coaching world as an offensive assistant with the Colts. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2009, helping coach Peyton Manning to a career-best 68.8 completion percentage, 4,500 yards and 33 touchdowns. His coaching journey has since taken him to Arizona in 2012 as a receivers coach, San Diego in 2013 as a quarterbacks coach and then as Chargers offensive coordinator for the 2014 and 2015 seasons before heading to Philadelphia.

He’s the sixth Maryland alumnus to become an NFL head coach. Most recently, Mike Tice coached the Minnesota Vikings from 2001-05. Before him, Dick Nolan coached the San Francisco 49ers from 1968-75 and the New Orleans Saints from 1978-80; Dick Modzelewski coached the Cleveland Browns in 1977; Ron Waller coached the San Diego Chargers in 1973; and Brooke Brewer coached the now-defunct Akron Pros in 1922.

In other news

It was a busy weekend for Maryland sports, as spring sports are now in action while winter sports are still going on.

The men’s basketball team handled Northwestern early Saturday afternoon, and Darryl Morsell and Dion Wiley were a huge part of that win.

Want to relive the game in still form? Lila’s got you covered.

All the while, the men’s lacrosse team began its title defense by beating Navy 10-4. Freshman Bubba Fairman notched a hat trick in his first game, and was one of several new faces to make an early impact.

The women’s teams took their turns on Sunday. The basketball team took down Rutgers, 72-54, while the lacrosse team began their own title defense, obliterating William & Mary 18-7.

In perhaps the most exciting matchup of the weekend, the wrestling team lost a close dual to No. 19 Minnesota.