Among the most-discussed topics around the Indianapolis Colts the last few months has been defensive changes, and while Jim Caldwell understands that, he said one thing is important to remember is in a very reason sense, not much is changing at all.

No scheme changes. No major philosophical shift.

Caldwell, who hired defensive coordinator Larry Coyer shortly after succeeding Tony Dungy as head coach in January, said this week as the Colts closed their 2009 organized team activities session that the reality is there will be nothing nothing fundamentally different about the Colts’ defensive approach:

Let me put it this way: there’s not anything we’re doing we haven’t done previously. Everything within our arsenal always has been the same. We may be working on some little tweaks here and there, but we’re still four down linemen, three linebackers, four deep. Our base is four-three with a Tampa 2 in terms of our coverage. We still are the same team in that sense. Don’t expect to come out and see some brand-new scheme that’s totally different than what we’ve done before.

He said much of the Colts’ defensive philosophy still revolves around pressuring the passer with players such as Pro Bowl DE Robert Mathis and four-time Pro Bowl DE Dwight Freeney:

Those guys, what they do best is they put their hand on the ground and rush the passer. They can stop the run and they hustle and those kinds of things, but those are two outstanding players at their position.

A major theme among Colts players in recent weeks has been some expected added aggressiveness — i.e., blitzing — under Coyer. While the blitz was something the Colts did relatively rarely under Dungy and former defensive coordinator Ron Meeks, Caldwell said how much the Colts will blitz — and exactly how different the Colts will look even after the offseason tweaking — remains very much to be seen:

 Much like me, he (new defensive coordinator Larry Coyer) has to get a sense of the things he’s comfortable with within our system. Some, he may use a little less of and some he may use a little more of. It just depends on his comfort level.

IFR analysis: This, obviously, will be one of the 2009 season’s most-discussed, most-anticipated storylines and I’m sure the blogosphere will burn from now until then anticipating a new, aggressive approach. So far, the information has been vauge, which is understandable, because even if they already knew, why would Coyer, Caldwell and the rest of the Colts want to inform everyone just how much they plan to change the defense next season? So far, the idea that the unit will be more aggressive has come about because of some general quotes from coaches — accompanied by some slightly more pointed stuff from players about aggressive mindsets and new defensive looks. The quotes also often have been accompanied by smiles, which gives you the idea that whatever they’re planning, players are excited about it. I’ve gone into this relatively boring detail not to lull the reader to sleep, but to illustrate that as much as people may be assuming about an aggressive, attacking defensive style under Coyer the larger truth is few outside the building have any real idea what ‘09 will bring.  The Colts have two of the best pass-rushing ends in the NFL and one of the NFL’s best young secondaries, so whatever they do almost certainly will play to those strengths, so I don’t see a shift to a zone-blitz philosophy. That said, those fans who have been clamoring for Colts defensive backs to play closer to the ball and take a chance or two now and again likely will get a chance to see whether or not that’s really a good idea.