The Indianapolis Colts are moving toward the 2025 season in need of a new Defensive Coordinator. The Colts, for the last three years, were led by former Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley who did a solid job in charge of the defense but could never seem to get a consistent showing from his defense over the three years he was in charge for. After another wildly inconsistent season from the defense it came time for the team to make a change at the position, and Bradley was ultimately fired and a new Defensive Coordinator will take charge.
In this series, we will look into each of the defensive coordinator candidates that the Colts interview for the job vacancy and look into each of their respective backgrounds.
Next up is current Cleveland Browns Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda.
Ephraim Banda is a 13 year veteran coach. Banda has spent most of his coaching career in the college ranks starting off as a graduate assistant at the University of Texas in 2012. He became close with Texas defensive coordinator at the time Manny Diaz and in 2015 follows him to Mississippi State to continue to work on his defense this time as defense quality control.
Banda again followed Diaz this time to the Univeristy of Miami where he was named safeties coach in 2016. In 2019 he was promoted to co-defensive coordinator due to Diaz leaving to coach at Temple. Banda then was hired by Utah State where he was defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2021 where he stayed until 2023.
Banda made the move to NFL coaching in 2023 after new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was hired by the Cleveland Browns and added Banda to his staff. Banda was named safeties coach by the Browns. Banda has worked with Browns safeties Juan Thornhill, Grant Delpit and Rodney McLeod this year who have had brilliant seasons on defense.
