Colts name Ravens' Pagano as new head coach

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Indianapolis Colts have hired Ravens' defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano as their new head coach.

The official announcement came via a post to the team's website. A formal news conference is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday. Owner and CEO Jim Irsay will introduce the new coach who replaces Jim Caldwell who was fired after the Colts' 2-14 showing.

Pagano spent just one year as DC with the Ravens but coached the club's secondary for the previous three seasons.

• See what players and fans are saying about the new coach

He’s spent time coaching North Carolina, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns and the Miami Hurricanes.

A former safety himself, Pagano has a long history of coaching defensive players. He began coaching in 1984 as a graduate assistant at the University of Southern California.

"The Ravens have had one of the league's toughest defenses over the past several seasons," 24-Hour News 8's Chris Widlic said, "and the defense is one area the Colts really needed to work on after last season."

Wednesday evening, Jim Irsay said the following on Twitter about his new coach:

Indy,we got one hell of a football coach with fire in his eyes! When I said,coach,r u ready 2b The Colts head coach,he said.. "Let's hunt"

— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) January 26, 2012