DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns head coaching search

I think he mentioned offers in an earlier press conformance maybe a month ago. No, I didn't see Hard Knocks...no HBO, but someday I hope to catch a rerun on another network.I heard it was real good.

Interesting to see Fangio isn't in there at all. I wouldn't count him out. Dorsey is keeping things quiet...Zegura said something on the radio about 1/15. If that is the case that's when playoffs are done hinting that his new coach is still coaching.

You don't see the resemblance?

I would.

We would interview him now. Teams don’t wait till after the incumbent team is eliminated to do interviews.

It was. I really enjoyed it.

I think you can watch them on YouTube.

Throughout the Browns’ search for a new head coach, ClevelandBrowns.com will break down the candidates after their interview with the team is complete. It continues today with a look at Dan Campbell, who has worked closely with Saints head coach Sean Payton over the past three seasons.

1. Campbell’s 11-year playing career came to an end in 2009. Four games into the 2015 season, he was a head coach, taking over on an interim basis for the fired Joe Philbin. Campbell, then the Dolphins’ tight ends coach, was put in a tough spot, and it wasn’t always easy, but he kept the boat afloat while leading the team to a 5-7 record under his watch. The Dolphins won their first two games under Campbell, scoring 38 points in a rout of the Titans and following it up with 44 in a win over the Texans. The most impressive effort came in the regular season finale, when the Dolphins prevented the Patriots from nabbing the No. 1 seed in the playoffs in an upset, 20-10 victory. Campbell interviewed for the full-time job, but the Dolphins opted to hire Adam Gase.

2. The experience, Campbell has said in interviews over the past three years, was invaluable. In an interview with The Palm Beach Post, Campbell detailed how the experience has changed his approach as a position coach. “As a position coach, you don’t know all the ins and out and whats and whys, but when you’re the head coach, you get exposed to every bit of that. It only helps you,” he said. “So to come back and be a position coach for the Saints, it allows you to look at the game a different way and you want to coach to help the head coach. In your head, you can put yourself in his seat and go, ‘Ah, I understand why he’s doing that.’ … “I don’t care who you are, if you talk to any first-time head coach, they can say all they want but they don’t know what they’re getting into. There’s little things always popping up. I bet half of them didn’t realize you have to worry about the seating chart on the plane. You know what I mean?”

3. In his three seasons with the Saints, Campbell has led a position group that has seen a different player emerge as the full-time starter each year. This season, veteran Ben Watson led the way with 35 catches for 400 yards and two touchdowns. Campbell played a pivotal role in the development of another Saints tight end, Dan Arnold, who was a previously undrafted wide receiver out of Wisconsin-Platteville. Arnold finished the season with 12 catches for 150 yards. Arnold called Campbell “one of the best coaches in the NFL,” adding “honestly, I don't think I would be here if it wasn't for Dan Campbell."


4. Campbell broke into coaching one year after his 11-year playing career came to an end. According to an NFL.com feature, Campbell visited his alma mater, Texas A&M, in spring 2010 to observe coach Mike Sherman and ultimately stayed there for a while, living in an RV off campus. Campbell initially didn’t want to become a coach after his playing days came to a close, but he quickly caught the bug. "I remember at the end of my playing career, after I wasn't sure if coaching was the right choice, thinking, 'You've got your whole life ahead of you. What are you going to do with it? What do you love? And it was football,'” he said.

5. A third-round pick out of Texas A&M, Campbell began his NFL career with the Giants and appeared in all but four games in his first four seasons. Campbell, who sported long, flowing blonde hair during his playing days, made his mark as a blocker but proved to be a valuable pass-catcher when necessary. Three of his eight receptions in 2000 went for touchdowns, and he caught more than 20 passes in back-to-back seasons in 2002 and 2003. His most productive year as a receiver came in 2006 with the Lions, when he notched 21 receptions for 308 yards and four touchdowns. Campbell played for Payton in his final NFL season (2009) but did not appear in any games.

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/bro...medium=referral

Why the Saints’ Dan Campbell should be a leading contender for the Browns head coach job: Mary Kay Cabot
Updated 7:07 PM; Posted 6:26 PM

By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com mcabot@cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Saints tight ends/assistant head coach Dan Campbell has what it takes to be the Browns’ ninth full-time head coach, and should be a leading contender for the job.

The Browns completed their interview with Campbell, 42, on Friday evening, and they were likely blown away by the Bill Parcells’ disciple.

What’s more, he just might pair nicely with another Parcell’s disciple in Browns’ offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, whom the Browns have blocked from interviewing with other teams for their offensive coordinator positions, presumably in hopes of keeping him around. Kitchens will also interview for the Browns’ head coaching job soon.

Campbell brings 10 years’ experience as an NFL tight end including three under Parcells, seven years’ experience as an assistant coach with the Dolphins and Saints, and 12 games’ experience as an interim head coach for the Dolphins in 2015, where he went 5-7.

Parcells has served as an unofficial advisor to Browns owner Jimmy Haslam for several years, and undoubtedly highly recommends Campbell.

In addition, he’s strongly endorsed by Browns’ John Dorsey’s former Chiefs’ righthand man and current Colts GM Chris Ballard, who interviewed Campbell for the head coach job last year after Josh McDaniels left the Colts at the alter. Ballard opted for Frank Reich over Campbell, but indicated it was a difficult choice.


“I think he’s going to be an outstanding head coach,’’ Ballard told Alex Marvez in an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “It’s not a matter of if, but when. Most tight ends who play in this league are very smart. They’ve got to know both the passing and running game. When we interviewed Dan, you see that in him.

"He’s been mentored and trained playing under Bill Parcells and coaching under Sean Payton. He’s got a great vision of what he wants (his team) to be.’’

Campbell emulated the leadership skills of his Cowboys head coach Parcells all the way back to the late 1990s, when he wrote a paper on the Hall of Fame coach for a leadership course as an undergraduate at Texas A&M. In his research, he identified similarities between Parcells and then-A&M coach R.C. Slocum.

"Just from a philosophy standpoint on how you play the game, offensively and defensively, it was like identical,” Campbell told Marvez in an excellent profile for The Sporting News in May. “It’s about running the football. Your quarterback makes smart decisions. You don’t win or lose with the quarterback. Those are the (games) you’re winning because of your defense and you’ve got time of possession with the run game. And then when you throw it, they’re explosive passes.”


Campbell also admired Parcells’ ability to use psychology on different players.

"One player had to be pushed differently than this one,” Campbell said in that interview. “He always talked about Lawrence Taylor needing a different message than Phil Simms, Jim Burt and Harry Carson did. I was always fascinated by that. And then once you go to play for the guy, you understand exactly what he’s doing and how he’s doing it. It’s so simple, it’s brilliant.”

In his three seasons playing for Parcells with the Cowboys from 2003-2005, Campbell learned from the master how to motivate players.

"You talk about a guy who can piss you off to the point where you just want to explode and choke him," Campbell said. “And then you step back and you go out there and you’re playing lights out. You’re like, ‘You know what? That sucker knows exactly what he’s doing. He wanted to get under my skin. He did, and now I’m giving him my best.'"

When the Dolphins fired Joe Philbin in 2015 after a 1-3 start, they chose their fifth-year tight ends coach Campbell to be the interim coach, despite the fact he was only 39 — the youngest head coach in the league at the time.

Campbell went 5-7 in his 12 games -- including a 20-10 victory over the No. 1 seed Patriots (12-4) in the season finale. But the Dolphins passed him over for the full-time gig in favor of Adam Gase, who was fired Monday after going 23-25 in his three seasons, and 0-1 in the playoffs.


Still, Campbell learned a lot in his 12 games on the job, including how to handle all the demands and responsibilities of the position. He also realized he had to be harder on his players.

“One of the hardest things for ex-players who are coaches is for them to really drive their players,’’ he said. “They’ve been in their shoes. …That’s the worst thing that you can do. That gets a lot of coaches who aren’t hard enough on them.”

Campbell, who’s set to interview with the Cardinals on Saturday according to John Gambadoro of Arizona’s Sports Station 98.7 FM and will also talk to the Packers, according to NFL Network, is the fourth candidate to be interviewed by the Browns. The first three were interim coach Gregg Williams, former Colts and Lions coach Jim Caldwell and Vikings interim offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski.

The Browns are also scheduled to interview Patriots defensive play caller and linebackers coach Brian Flores over the weekend, likely on Saturday, and have requested permission to speak with Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni and Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported the Browns will interview former Packers coach Mike McCarthy next week.


Regardless of who the Browns end up with, Dorsey made it clear the kind person he’s seeking.

“You want a man of character,’’ Dorsey said Monday. “A guy who can instill leadership into these young men. A guy who is a collaborative thinker. A guy who is a continuous learner. A guy who is consistent on a day in and day out basis and who those players can look up to and go, ‘You know what? I will follow that guy anywhere.’’’

Those who’ve worked with Campbell or have been coached by him rave about him.

“He’s got a personality now, too. He’ll put on funny clips [when coaches present the scouting report each week]. He knows when to kind of loosen up and have fun,” quarterback Drew Brees told ESPN.com. “He’s a guy who played a long time. So he’s got a level of respect coming from guys for how he played -- he’s a tough, physical guy. He just really cares about his players. You can see that in the way he talks to us, talks to his position group. He’s just a good person. So you combine all those things, and then he’s a person that you want to follow.''

Left tackle Terron Armstead said he’d “run through a brick wall’’ for Campbell.

"He got it, man. He got it,’’ said Armstead. “Everybody here would do whatever for that guy. Being so relatable, having done it for so long, just has a great connection with the younger players. I've never seen him badmouth anybody, [it's] more talking up to you. Even when they mess up, he's gonna talk up to them. And you just want to play for somebody like that.’’


Payton, who coached Campbell as assistant head coach to Parcells from 2003-05, also praises him.

“He’s a fantastic leader,’’ Payton told ESPN.com. “Obviously played a long time in this league. He’s everything you want. Extremely dedicated, hardworking. He’s exactly how he was as a player. And I tried to hire him a number of times and finally had that opportunity. So, we’re fortunate to have him.”

Within the next month or so, the Browns just might be too.


https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2019/01...-kay-cabot.html

Good article. I liked the quotes from guys in pro football. Like I said earlier, there are a ton of great things being said about this guy.

I get that he isn't the "sexy" pick, but I think he would be the best pick. If Dorsey doesn't think so....I will have no problem w/it. Dorsey is the man.

I do think that if we hire Campbell, we will be able to keep Kitchens as OC. I think that would be huge. I also hold out hope that we can retain Williams. I understand that GW might want to move on if he isn't named HC, but I bet Campbell would keep him if he wants to stay w/the Browns.

Hiring a bright, hard-working, young guy who was also an NFL player while maintaining continuity would be a huge for the Browns. At least in my opinion.

I haven't budged on wanting us to retain the guys we currently have.

Oh, and this is for anybody who is still bitching about Hue supporters : I WAS WRONG ABOUT HUE!!!

Here is the thing about keeping Kitchens as the OC for 2019. We will likely being looking for a new OC in 2020 as he will be the hot HC candidate. I Would definitely put plan in place for Kitchens ultimate replacement.

I am intrigued by Adam Henry (from the little I know about him). I would try to develop him to be ready to take over as the 2020 (or at worst 2021) OC

Or just hire Kitchens as the OC.

I believe Jester is trying to say that the Browns will have lot of offensive success next year and that he will be a hot HC candidate in 2020. Thus, we would lose him after one year.

I'm not sure I totally agree w/that premise, but I believe that was his point.

But this assumes Williams viewed it as a promotion to begin with. For a guy who has such a string personality and is so sure about himself, I don't think it can or should be underestimated that the guy knows how to stay in his lane. That's probably the biggest reason he didn't get canned with Hue and Haley.

On top of that, Williams talks a lot about concepts of Leadership. Too often when we talk about leadership, we tend to narrow our focus to the top person in charge. The second in command is just as important because one of their responsibilities is to step in to the above position in the absence of leadership. It was a concept we worked in all the time when I was in the service. I may be assigned to perform the duties of a higher rank, but that didn't mean it was a promotion. All it meant was I was carrying out my responsibilities until someone of the proper rank arrived to take over.

It's just speculation of course, but I think there's a pretty solid chance Williams didn't see filling the HC spot as anything more than the logical choice to hold the spot. To his credit instead of taking the position and trying to tread water, he pushed ahead and helped instill in this team the demeanor and personality we've been waiting for.

Whether or not we retain him as HC or DC, I hope come 2019 we still have someone with his philosophy and belief in the players that he has.

The good thing about Campbell is he’s young, he has no allegiance to either side of the ball so he can impartially lead the team. I know a lot of dolphin fans wanted him to be brought back

That is pretty much what I was trying to say.
If we are wildly successful on offense (as we hope), he will be a HC in 1-2 years
But if we aren't successful on offense, we'll still be looking for a new OC

I've been pretty intrigued, and after reading a bit, I think this dude is a top notch candidate. He seems like a leader, a hard worker, and someone that players have highly regarded in all of his coaching stops. Doesn't seem like the "imperialistic-know-it-all" type and likes working with other coaches in formulating game plans. Comes right out and criticisms himself for the things he did wrong in Miami, even though he was thrust into a nearly impossible situation -- and shined. I took the liberty to bold the stuff about his experience in Miami as interim HC.

Pretty long article with a lot of copy and paste material we've read in others. From the Sporting News in May of this year...

http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/...oo131f095zz7qgp



A matter of when: Dan Campbell on deck for real shot at NFL head coaching

By: Alex Marvez

Published on May. 18, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS — After being left at the altar by their top coaching candidate, the Colts should feel head-over-heels about Frank Reich following their shotgun wedding. During his media appearances in this newlywed phase, Reich has whispered sweet nothings about the football fixes Colts fans have longed to hear. The positive vibe was sorely needed after New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels pulled his Runaway Bride act and reneged on taking the position.

But the newlywed phase between an NFL team and its new head coach is typically one of unadulterated bliss. As the seasons pass, it becomes obvious that not all honeymoons are meant to last.

If the Colts founder again this season, Reich will get a pass because of his late arrival and the roster deficiencies second-year general manager Chris Ballard is trying to correct. After that, there are no built-in excuses for either. Ballard might not be given the chance to court a replacement should this marriage fizzle. While the McDaniels fiasco would then become the media focus of his downfall, an underlying “what-if” scenario shouldn't be forgotten; one that would leave the Colts wondering about another flame Indianapolis let get away during its bromance with Reich.

***

As part of the Saints' coaching contingent at the NFL Combine, Dan Campbell is back in the same city where he interviewed for the Colts job just three weeks prior.

It still feels like a whirlwind akin to his 12 games as the Dolphins’ interim head coach in 2015, the stint that first put Campbell on the NFL radar as having the potential to run his own team.

In his most detailed interview to date about the Colts job screening, Campbell said he initially believed there was at least cursory interest from Indianapolis following Chuck Pagano’s firing.

That was until word of McDaniels’ imminent hiring leaked pre-Super Bowl. At that point, Campbell was fully prepared to return for another season as Saints assistant head coach, also assigned to tutoring the team’s tight ends.

But the Colts were forced to reopen their search posthaste when McDaniels withdrew hours after the team announced he had agreed to take the job.

The Colts opted not to reconsider candidates who already had interviewed for the job. Instead, three new names emerged in Campbell, Reich and Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.

"Once (McDaniels) fell through, I was kind of hopeful that it may happen. Sure enough they called,” Campbell told Sporting News during a break from Combine workouts. “Even at that, everything was done so late. It seems like at that point everything (hiring-wise) is done. So when it popped back up, it was like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ It was a surprise, yeah."

The interview that followed was different, too, because of the circumstances. The Colts, who quickly eliminated Frazier from contention, were moving at a rapid pace to shift the focus from the coach who decided not to be there to the one who wants to be there.

That didn't give Campbell enough prep time as he would have liked. The other issue was the challenge of lining up a quality coaching staff to pitch Colts management when most of the top available assistants had already committed to other teams.

"It was a little more difficult than normal," Campbell allowed. “I just tried to rapid-fire for 24 hours. However, here is one of the best things: Chris Ballard was awesome. He was like, ‘Look, don't worry about our personnel. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.'"

Campbell said the focus of his meeting with Ballard and Colts owner Jim Irsay was "more about what I wanted to do from a management standpoint, schematics, what I was looking to build, how I wanted everything to run. That’s what I focused on."

Campbell didn't get the nod, but that was expected. Reich had more going for him, from being the offensive coordinator of the freshly minted Super Bowl-champion Eagles to familiarity with the Colts having previously worked in Indy as an assistant (2008-11). Reich also received a strong behind-the-scenes push from Bill Polian, who still remains close to Irsay despite his 2012 firing as Colts president and general manager.

Another strength for Reich was Indianapolis feeling comfortable that the longtime NFL quarterback was best suited to work hands-on with Andrew Luck in creating an offensive system designed to get the QB back on track following his return from major shoulder surgery.

Although he has earned praise for his work as a position coach, the 42-year-old Campbell has never displayed his Xs-and-Os acumen as a coordinator. Campbell’s ascent through the ranks is based on other strengths, like having a big-picture vision (an essential component for head coaches to succeed that few possess) and an ability to inspire players based on knowledge gleaned through 11 NFL seasons as a journeyman tight end.

Being a Bill Parcells protégé hasn’t hurt, either.

***

During his playing days as a Texas A&M tight end in the late 1990s, Campbell took a class on leadership while pursing his undergraduate degree. The focus of one project paper was Parcells, who Campbell said shared many of the same beliefs as then-Aggies head coach R.C. Slocum.

"Just from a philosophy standpoint on how you play the game, offensively and defensively, it was like identical,” Campbell said. “It’s about running the football. Your quarterback makes smart decisions. You don’t win or lose with the quarterback. Your defense is balls-to-the-wall, all-out.

“Those are the (games) you’re winning because of your defense and you’ve got time of possession with the run game. And then when you throw it, they’re explosive passes.”

Something else stood out about Parcells that Campbell has tried to emulate: the ability to connect with players from a myriad of different backgrounds.

"One player had to be pushed differently than this one,” Campbell said. “He always talked about Lawrence Taylor needing a different message than Phil Simms, Jim Burt and Harry Carson did.

"I was always fascinated by that. And then once you go to play for the guy, you understand exactly what he’s doing and how he’s doing it. It’s so simple, it’s brilliant.”

Campbell would discover that first-hand four years into his own NFL playing career. Following four years with the Giants, Campbell was signed as a free agent by the Cowboys in 2003 after Parcells had agreed to become Dallas’ head coach.

The 6-5, 265-pound Campbell remained primarily a blocking tight end during three seasons under Parcells. At the same time, Campbell was focused just as much on studying Parcells himself as mastering the Cowboys playbook.

One lesson learned was the value of outside-the-box thinking when it comes to game-planning, especially when facing a superior opponent. Campbell vividly remembers how Parcells laid the groundwork for a 31-28 upset over Kansas City during the 2005 season.

"They were No. 1 in the league in points per game, and we were not that type of team, although we had a good defense," Campbell said. "Parcells said, ‘Look, we’re gonna be aggressive. We’re gonna throw the ball down the field. On fourth down, we’re gonna go for it.’

"It was totally opposite than the nature of how he had taught us to play. But we won the game because we outscored them."

By that point in Dallas, Cowboys players had grown to drink whatever flavor Kool-Aid that Parcells was serving them.

"You talk about a guy who can piss you off to the point where you just want to explode and choke him," Campbell said with a laugh. “And then you step back and you go out there and you’re playing lights out.

"You’re like, ‘You know what? That sucker knows exactly what he’s doing. He wanted to get under my skin. He did, and now I’m giving him my best.'"

Campbell said that type of connection wouldn't be possible without Parcells having the ability to “see through B.S.” like no other coach he ever had before.

"Some guys can talk their way out of stuff, or say, ‘I am a leader. I really push it to the max. I’m really a team guy,’ when they’re not," Campbell said. "It’s all coming out of their mouth, but there are all these little hints behind the scenes where that’s not going on.

"Bill could sniff that stuff out a mile away. That’s important because that’s how you weed out the cancers."

Such knowledge would come in handy sooner than Campbell ever could have expected.

***

Campbell’s direct tutelage under Parcells ended in 2006 when the tight end signed with the Lions. Campbell enjoyed what would prove his most productive season as a receiver with 21 catches for 308 yards and four touchdowns. It also was the last season he could stay healthy.

Campbell appeared in only three games over the next two years because of elbow and hamstring injuries. His final NFL season, in 2009 with New Orleans, was spent on injured reserve after he tore a knee ligament during training camp.

Spending so much time away from the gridiron gave Campbell plenty of time to contemplate his post-playing career.

"Towards the end it’s, ‘Alright, I’m hurt. I’m at home. I’m taking the kids to soccer, basketball, picking them up from school and taking them to school. That’s awesome, right?’” said Campbell, who has two children with his wife Holly. “After a while, I’m like, ‘Uh, this Mr. Mom is not gonna work for me.’ I’m getting real itchy and antsy and I gotta do something with my time.

"So it’s like, ‘What are you gonna do? What do you know? What do you love?’ It was all football."

During his time in Dallas, Campbell made a positive enough impression on Tony Sparano — another Parcells protégé who had since become Miami’s head coach — to earn a 2010 coaching internship.

"He was always a tough, smart player,” said Sparano, who is now Minnesota’s offensive line coach. “He also was demanding on himself. I thought that would carry over into being demanding on the players.”

Campbell was hired as Miami’s tight ends coach the following year, and in order to look more professional on the job, he cut the long hair that remained from his playing days. Joe Philbin was impressed enough by Campbell and his work that he was kept on the staff when Philbin replaced Sparano as Dolphins head coach in 2012.

Campbell proceeded to help in the development of two tight ends (Charles Clay and Dion Sims) who would eventually land lucrative free-agent contracts elsewhere after their rookie contracts expired. But it wasn’t until Philbin was fired four games into the 2015 season that Campbell would enter the mainstream coaching spotlight.

The Dolphins weren’t just an on-field mess after an uninspiring 1-3 start. There was friction behind the scenes between assistant coaches and key players. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill had angered members of the scout team with belittling comments following a practice. It had become obvious Philbin lacked the gravitas needed as a head coach to fix the issues.

Even though he would become the NFL’s youngest head coach at the time, the 39-year-old Campbell had that kind of presence. Miami’s football czar Mike Tannenbaum recognized it.

Tannenbaum cited Campbell’s “leadership, toughness and energy” when promoting him to try and clean up the mess Philbin had created.

"I did know that it was dysfunctional when I took it over,” Campbell said. “There were issues going on, particularly on (defense), and a lot of different things that were in play that I had no idea about.

"I felt like I spent the first couple of weeks just trying to sort through that and get the right chemistry."

Campbell began doing that immediately by firing defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle and making other staff tweaks (offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was axed later in the season). He changed the arrangement of player lockers to better promote camaraderie. He emphasized the importance of competition through such motivational tactics as a tug-of-war, a full-contact Oklahoma drill and practices that pitted front-line offensive and defensive players against each other rather than the scout team.

Campbell’s tactics paid quick dividends. Miami won its next two games, against Tennessee and Houston, by a combined 82-36 margin. The success inspired a series of classic internet memes that included the well-muscled Campbell riding an actual dolphin and comparisons to the PC Principal on South Park.

All kidding aside, the positive response from Dolphins players reflected how much Campbell had grown professionally since he entered the coaching ranks. As then-Dolphins tight end Jordan Cameron told me at the time, “Sometimes you can just get into a routine. It’s hard to explain. You’re not aware that you’re not competing. You’re just going through the daily motions.

"Dan opened our eyes a little more to the fact you’ve got to have that mindset you’re going to beat the guy across from you.”

Said Campbell: “One of the hardest things for ex-players who are coaches is for them to really drive their players. They’ve been in their shoes. They know how hard it is and how bad some of this stuff sucks and the grind of it. And they somewhat feel sorry or empathy for those players they’re coaching.

"That’s the worst thing that you can do. It really is. I think that gets a lot of coaches who are not hard enough on them.”

Campbell said he was guilty of making that mistake at times with the Dolphins — and it won’t be one he makes again.

"I didn’t hold them accountable all the time like I should have,” Campbell said. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. It’s kind of like when you’re in that position, you’re trying to keep some life in this team and you’ve got to be careful, because if you go full bore the other way you’re not gonna get anything out of them. They’d already lost a coach and you’re already in dire straits. So you’ve gotta try to keep upbeat and positive.

"But if I had it my way and I was going in fresh, I’d have been a little bit harder. Just call things out for what they were more than I did."

Campbell’s button-pressing could only take the Dolphins so far. Miami stuck around in playoff contention until a Week 13 loss to the Giants dashed those faint hopes.

At that point, Campbell began using younger players more to “start trying to build to the future." Campbell, though, had a good idea that Miami’s future wouldn't be involving him. In a move widely anticipated in league circles, the Dolphins hired offensive whiz kid Adam Gase as their new head coach shortly after Miami completed a 6-10 season.

Campbell admits he was disappointed about not getting to build on the foundation he had tried to create. But he did receive the type of education that can’t be gained without first-hand experience.

"I’m a lot more prepared now because when you take over, you don’t realize all the little things that come along with it,” Campbell said of the head-coaching job. “You sit down, you’re getting ready to watch tape and it’s like, ‘Hey, you gotta do this interview. You gotta go meet with player programs. We need to go talk about this guy’s contract. The Jets are wanting to get rid of this guy and I think we may be able to claim him (on waivers) — do we want him? Who do we want to put in first class (for a road game) this week?’

"You’re like, ‘Golly man, I haven’t gotten to football yet.’ You have to make the most of your time and be as efficient as you can. You really have to be a master multi-tasker to really be good at that job."

Campbell’s next step in his coaching evolution is gleaning even more from someone who fits that bill.

***

Just like with Sparano, Campbell made such a positive impression while playing on offenses run by New Orleans coach Sean Payton that a Saints coaching offer was tendered once the Gase hire became official.

“There’s a presence about him and realness to him when he coaches,” Payton told Sporting News during a telephone interview. “It’s the same way when he deals with anyone in the building from a fellow staff member or someone down the hall in marketing.

“I don’t want to say he’s old school in that way, but he’s very much of a worker. He’s someone I consider a real talented coach and heck of a good person.”

As assistant head coach, Campbell is entrusted with a slew of different tasks like addressing the team to start the day if Payton is occupied with other responsibilities. Campbell, like other Saints assistants, also is expected to offer input into game plans. Payton likes a collaborative process.

The effectiveness of such an approach is reflected by New Orleans fielding a top-four unit in yards and scoring in the two seasons since Campbell’s arrival.

“We all have ideas and Sean puts the final touch on it,” Campbell said. “I feel like that’s why we’re so good and efficient and effective — because we all work together.

“Just to the point where I am right now where there’s a little bit of notoriety, that’s because of those guys that I work with.”

Payton believes the exposure Campbell has received working under and with a myriad of different coaches already is serving him well.

“Offensively, he’s got some very good thoughts,” said Payton, who was a Giants assistant when the club made Campbell a 1999 third-round draft pick. “Often times, former players who become coaches will value some of the same strengths that that they had.

“Dan was a tremendous blocker and functional in the passing game. Yet in his evaluation of college players or pro free agents, he still puts a high value on (tight ends) who can run and get open. He has a really open mind to what we’re looking for and ways to do things.”

Payton acknowledges Campbell might not be with the Saints much longer, as the latter is set to enter the 2019 offseason as one of the NFL’s top head coaching candidates. Someone else who would offer a strong endorsement is Ballard, who described the decision to hire Reich instead of Campbell as a “tough choice.”

“Most tight ends who play in this league are very smart,” Ballard told me on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “They’ve got to know both the passing and running game. When we interviewed Dan, you see that in him.

"He’s been mentored and trained playing under Bill Parcells and coaching under Sean Payton. He’s got a great vision of what he wants (his team) to be. I think he’s going to be an outstanding head coach. It’s not a matter of if, but when."

Should it happen, the comparisons between Reich and Campbell — and whether Indianapolis made the right decision in the post-McDaniels mess — will begin in earnest once again.

This is the dude.

sure sounds like it as far as I'm concerned.

He sure looks the part, lol. That was a motivating article.

Here is what I posted about Campbell on 10/31/18

My current favorite is: Dan Campbell New Orleans - Assistant HC/TE Coach

He has (seems to have) the qualities and experiences that I value in a head coach.

1, he has NFL experience - his is both as a player and a coach. I think this is important because the NFL culture and the college culture are different.

2, He has successful experience as a head coach, either NFL or college - Yes, I consider a 5-7 record after taking over as interim HC of the floundering Miami Dolphins to be successful. Being a great coordinator is not predictive of being a great HC. The necessary personality characteristics are different. An OC could be the greatest offensive mind in the history of the NFL. That doesn't mean that he will be able to make the transition to HC. All these guys are knowledgeable about the game. This is a tough transition. Belichek had struggles as a 1st time HC. He readily admits that in Cleveland he took too much upon himself and has since learned to delegate more. I think that is one of the biggest problems with 1st time HC's. They want to be their own coordinator. Hue, Shurmur, McDanial ... There is just sooo much to do that one guy can't do it all

3, He seems like a no nonsense take no sheet kinda guy. The greatest coaches in the football are no nonsense kind of guys. BB, Parcels, Paul Brown, Nick Sabin, Urban. Some are non nonsense no fun like BB. Others are no nonsense, but also able to have fun with the players, Sean Peyton, Dabo Sweeney. I think this characteristic is important because while these are grown men, many are young men still growing up. They need the lines drawn and enforced. Teams need that discipline.

4, He seems energetic/enthusiastic. The HC needs to be able to exude enthusiasm and instill it into the players.


Are all four of these mandatory for a guy to be a successful HC? Of course not. But I think the fewer of these qualities a guy has, the more likely you are to swing and miss. Looking back, Hue IMO had only #1, Shurmur had #1 and #3. Looking forward, I also like Dabo Sweeney, he has #'s 2, 3 and 4. I don't think he has #1 but he seems to have the type of personality that could adjust.


2 last comments

First is that I use the word seems a lot in this post. I don't know these guy personally so I am going by my impression with only limited 1st hand knowledge.

Second, Another thing that I like about Campbell is that he is well versed in the Saints offense, Not only is he one of their offensive coaches but he also played for Sean Peyton when he was a player. If there was ever an offense built for Baker it is that Saints offense.

https://www.dawgtalkers.net/ubbthreads.php/topics/1541749/re-head-coach-candidates#Post1541749

I dunno Clem.. he did use the word "Golly"...

In all seriousness though, the more Dawgs are posting info about him, he seems impressive. On top of that, he seems to be a guy who's philosophy doesn't seem so different than what's been established here.

It may even be the best chance at retaining GW and FK for those who'd like them to stick around.

On a side note, I'm not so sure we should be too worried about losing Freddie after one more year. Regardless of who is OC for us, anyone who has a good year causes us to risk losing them. I think the only real remedy to that problem is $$$

Before interviewing him, Dan Campbell was one of the coaches that intrigued me.

Now that we have, he's up near the top of my list.


I've only heard good things about the guy. He's a leader. Well liked from his time in Miami. Thought of very highly by the Saints.

Not a bad choice at all.


I'm still waiting for us to interview McDaniels. He too is at the top of my list of the bunch. Head Coaching Experience. Long-time coordinator. Lots of experience. Still young and hungry with a lot to prove. Learned from the best.

I'd say those are my top two choices that i can think of. This guy Nick Sirianni interests me also. I think i'm shying away from Mike McCarthy, as that's too much Packers love and his defenses were always bleh and 3-4 base defenses. All those years with Rodgers and only one Super Bowl.......

Bruce Arians would still interest me. But that's with the hopes of retaining Kitchens as OC. But Kitchens might be a serious candidate for the Cardinals, so who knows how that would work out.

If we hire an outside coach, kitchens and William's have to go.

Otherwise, there will be a mutanty I. The locker room. Every player has a favorite.

J/C - Enjoyed the Campbell articles thanks for sharing guys.

The one thing that stood out is commonality in themes between his view and GW. Accountability, competition, cameraderie. I’ve stayed away from the Hue debate as I’ve seen good posters get far too involved. I’m thinking that the bar was so low, mostly anyone would have been an improvement. Not to denigrate the job GW and FK did - I love the changes they made and I’d like them retained. However, if we get a good coach in here who preaches and practices the same tenets as GW which, let’s be honest, should not be rocket science in any domain of leadership, I think we’ll be fine.

If we do pick up DC, I’m hoping he may opt for GW or BW due to the NO connection. I hope we keep FK too but it’s now apparent to me as long as we hire a guy who schemes for Baker and our strengths, we should be gold.

When you consider it all, it’s simple. We need coaches who can leave their ego (to some degree) and attachment to “their” system and mould their philosophy and scheme. That’s what I see McVay as having done.

I'm thinking that too.

Trusting Dorsey on this.

Campbell and Kitchens. I don't care who runs the Defense. Williams is replaceable. Run defense sucks and no single DT is gonna fix it. He blitzes way too much and leaves MASSIVE gaps underneath when they don't get home.

We CANNOT hire kitchens as OC with fear of losing him. He hasn't done squat yet.

I've said elsewhere, Campbell is the guy.

It would be a coup if we got he and Kitchens together

I think the only way that happens is if Freddie is made coach. That might work and not split the locker room. Greg has players on his side. I don't think a new coach would want to keep him around since he did a great job and has players on his side. I think that is a recipe for disaster, and in reality, Freddie probably has to go as well.

I would agree that Campbell seems the likeliest choice. He seems to fulfill the character, football acumen, and leadership components of Dorsey’s ideal candidate. Won’t call him an offensive-minded coach – because that is connotative of a cutting-edge coordinator – but he owns an offensive background and I believe that’s Dorsey’s preference. Plus, Campbell spent a few years incubating offensive philosophies under Sean Payton, so I’m willing to bet he’s more innovative than most would believe. Can’t say how compatible they are on a personal level, but they share similar qualities. They’re both no-nonsense grinders and football lifers. Imagine that’s a great start.

Still worried about long-term continuity at offensive coordinator, but I’m confident Campbell would keep Kitchens and I have more faith in Campbell finding his eventual replacement than Gregg Williams. Interested to know who Campbell touted as potential defensive coordinators for his staff. He’s got ties to Bowles and Williams.

And I admire his appreciation for the administrative aspect of the job. That’s the area where Kitchens is an unknown. I have near-complete trust his football acumen. I have no idea if he’s prepared to handle non-coaching duties. I suspect Dorsey is very interested in hearing about any football operations assistants that Kitchens trusts who could accelerate his development in that area. That’s probably a huge part of his interview.

Yeah, finally got a chance to read the article and I'm kinda sold on this guy!
Above everything he brings relative youth. That is important. I'd love a guy with the ability to coach "Chuck Knox" long! He brings many of the things that I like about GW without the GW baggage and he's not a retread. I want a guy who seriously begins here, cuts his teeth here and becomes one of us.

That was a great read. Thanks.

I'm not going to gush over the guy and say he's my new top choice based on one article where he said all the right things to make me feel good about him .... but he sure does sound like a hell of a good coach who would fit Cleveland very well.

Great articles guys. Thanks
I agree Vers this is the guy
Love to get Campbell keep Kitchens and get Todd Bowles as DC

Dayum, the Williams love has vanished. I'd still like to keep things intact, but I'm slowly warming up to McDaniels or Campbell.

Im not sure it will be him, but i'm intrigued by Sirianni as well.

I just don't see GW being the guy, and I think he would have been named by now if he were

Im not going to pretend I know all the candidates and I go back and forth on some of the names and what I hear... but if the choice is mine... I'm taking McDaniels as my HC.

I don't know much about Campbell, I did read the reports on his time as an interim in Miami. It wasn't bad, pretty much on par with Williams here.

It Williams and Kitchens can be retained, then I'm be fine I think with that set up.

I don't think the Williams love has vanished. I just think reality has set in. Most have come to the conclusion that Dorsey is going another route so we have moved on to looking at the alternatives.