DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR ANTHONY CAMPANILE
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
AUGUST 4, 2026
(On what he has seen in padded practices) “I thought today, for us defensively, was a little
bit better than yesterday. But that’s what you’re trying to do, you’re trying to build a callous
and, just honestly, entering blocks the right way, entering tackles the right way, all the
fundamental things that are important to winning and playing good football, certainly
playing good defense. And we have a great look at it because I think our offensive line
coaches do a great job. Those guys are really firm in the front. They play with great pad
level. Our backs run with great pad level. I know Chad’s [Running Backs Coach Chad
Morton] all over them about that every day. More of that will continue to make us better.”
(If the goal is for the run defense to be even better) “I think so. I think we know we can be
better. There’s definitely some meat on the bone there. We left it on the bone. They’re all
pretty bought into the process. Some of you guys who have been around here to practice,
you see [Former Defensive Line Coach] Pete Jenkins here in individual drill, and he’s kind of
been everywhere I’ve been since I was in Miami, and like he’s the G.O.A.T. So much of what I
believe comes from Coach, and he’s honest. He comes in here, and he’s ripping my ass
and ripping everybody, he’s just telling the truth. We got him in here kind of just watching
everything, making sure we’re doing a great job with the drills and training the guys the right
way. He’s done a pretty good job for all the teams in the SEC the last 10, what, 20 years, 30
years. So having him here, I know it is going to help us.”
(On how tough days on the field can help raise the standard) “I believe in being honest and
even what anybody perceives as a great day isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. You’ve got to
tell the truth and you’ve got to see around corners and see what the problems lying ahead
are. It might not get you here, but my college coach, Coach Schiano [Rutgers Head Coach
Greg Schiano], used to talk about that all the time: it gets you when it gets you. And you’ve
got to be on that, and I think that’s a huge part of coaching. So, never as good as you think it
is, never as bad as you think it is, but you have to be honest. It’s the only way for anything to
get better. It’s the only way anything improves.”
(On the impact DT Ruke Orhorhoro can make) “Yeah, I think he can make a great impact for
us. He’s playing really hard, learning our system. A lot of the fundamental things that he’s
learning every day are new to him. So, in that regard, a lot of this stuff is fresh, and now
you’re starting to see him apply it and I think he’s doing a good job with it. Like everybody,
he’s got a gap to close on where he wants to be, and that’s true of everybody out here, but I
think he can help us. I think he’s done a really good job in the rush, and he’s done a good
job on early downs so far in camp, in the padded days, the last few padded days especially,
which is great.”
(On what he watches beyond the line of scrimmage) “I try to always watch from the middle
out, personally. I try to watch the game from the middle out, and I think the more you do
that, the more you can see. The better you get at doing that, the more you can see. And you
have to really, in practice, in my opinion, if you can relax your eyes, you can see a lot more.
If you’re staring at one particular spot, you don’t see the whole picture. But I think our
coaches do a great job of anything I miss, they’re constantly filling me in. Every time I ask a
question, all our guys are watching their guys and where they’re standing in the drills and
where they’re standing in the practice. That’s by design. We talk about that a lot, and they’re
doing a really good job of that. Watching the players’ eyes, watching their entry and all that
stuff. That stuff is important, I think, for them to get better.”
(On LB Branson Combs being off to a good start_ “Yeah. I think, like I said the last time I was
up here, that’s a heated competition in that room. I think competition brings competitors.
And Liam [Head Coach Liam Coen] did an unbelievable job of that here last year. Like, [DT]
Matt Dickerson played his ass off on scout team last year. And we ended up bringing him
up, and he did a great job for us out on the field. So that’s real here. Our head coach
believes in that. He believes in competition. And if you’re doing a great job and you’re
producing, you’re going to get an opportunity to play. So, that’s what it’s all about. It’s about
stacking days and continuing to produce. But the guys in there are in a good competition
and they’re all playing hard.”
(On the physicality that padded practices bring) “Yeah, I think we just want that for
everybody. We want that to be the culture of the room, you know what I mean? When we
get together and meet, we’re going to call that out when we don’t see it. Just going to be
honest. If it isn’t up to the standard and we’re not doing that and we’re not performing
physically and we’re not violently finishing, trying to whoop the other guy’s ass on every
play, it’s going to get called out. And if you are, it’s going to get celebrated. And I just think
that’s a good culture to have and hopefully we’re trending that way, but our players believe
in that. From the defensive backs all the way down to the D-line, they all believe in that. And
they’re great guys to coach, honestly, because of that. They’re great. We have great, great
dudes here. Great dudes.”
(On the success of the secondary in camp) “Yeah, I think they’ve just continued to grow
from last year. All those guys, Jarrian [CB Jarrian Jones], Antonio [S Antonio Johnson], and
then Eric [S Eric Murray] and Jourdan [CB Jourdan Lewis] and their leadership and what
they’ve been able to do for some of those young guys like Caleb [S Caleb Ransaw], Rayuan
[S Rayuan Lane III], I think [S] Jalen Huskey, [CB] Jabbar Muhammad. And all those guys,
Buster [CB Montaric Brown], how they’ve all improved over time. It’s great to see, because I
think Matt [Defensive Pass Game Coordinator Mathieu Araujo] and I have a very, very
similar coaching style. We’ve kind of coached together for a long time and we’re damn near
like brothers, you know? It’s good to see them, and I think he’s doing a great job with them.”
(On the leadership Murray brings to the young safeties) “He’s a total pro. It’s like having a
coach, because even in the meetings, Eric can fill the guys in and fill in the spots. If there’s
anything that he feels like he could clarify or make easier or give past experience to the
young guys, it’s awesome to have a guy like that who’s willing to share. Some veterans, they
may be closed off; he’s not. He’s really hands-on with the young guys and he wants them to
do well. And again, he’s honest with them. He just tells them the truth. Like, if it isn’t good,
he’s telling him why it isn’t good and how it can be better.”
(On if he’s seen the benefit of a second year in the defensive system) “Yeah. I think we’re all
just trying to stay day to day at how we can get better, how we can improve it. And there’s so
much to improve right now. But hopefully, that’s what we’re hoping for, you know what I
mean? That second year in the system… I think their communication is better overall.
When you’re not learning something, you’re kind of practicing it again and again. There’s a
foundation there already. There’s cumulative reps, so there’s better communication is one
thing I would say.”
(On what he has seen from DE Travon Walker) “Even you watch him in the individual work,
doing the run game stuff and trying to be super intentional about everything he does. I see
that stuff showing up in the practice. And then in the pass rush, he’s looked really, really
good this camp. So, I think he’s improved a bunch even from where we were here last
spring.”
(On if DE Wesley Williams could be an option inside on third down) “Yeah, I mean, he’s a
guy that’s going to get bigger, you can see, but he’s already a big guy. So, he’s got a little bit
of a similar stature to Tra [DE Travon Walker] where he’s a big end, a guy that’s got a lot of
strength, and he’s probably going to be able to continue to put more weight on. And he’s a
twitchy guy, so that’s what we really like about Wesley. He’s really, really smart. He’s got
great attention to detail. So, he’s been able to move around a little bit outside and inside,
which as a young guy, that’s tough, but he’s done a good job with it. So, we’re hopeful that
he’s able to give us a little bit of help there as well.”
DEFENSIVE END TRAVON WALKER
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
AUGUST 4, 2026
(On if it feels like camp actually starts when the pads go on) “Camp’s been started, but
when the pads come on, it definitely takes a toll on your body once you get a couple days
in. 100 percent.”
(On how the first two days of padded practices went) “I feel like it went pretty good.
Obviously, you’re going to have those ebbs and flows throughout camp days, and you’re
going to win reps, you’re going to lose some reps, but I mean, it’s all a part of camp. You’re
here to get better.”
(On how much more comfortable he is in the system and if he sees a difference on film)
“Definitely comfortable, for sure. And as far as seeing a difference, obviously from last year,
I had an injury, so I was playing through some things. Now I’m just getting back into that
rhythm that I left off at.”
(On if there’s anything specific he’s working on during camp) “I’d say for me, it can vary. Just
coming out of a practice like this or something, I will go in the film room and just say, for
instance, we’re back on the field tomorrow or something, if I feel like I really need to
emphasize something from the day before during the next day, then I’ll put forth the effort
to work on whatever that is. But I’m always trying to iron out something, for sure.”
(On being moved to different spots on the line) “Me personally, I think that for anybody who
plays the game of football, I feel like if you can move pieces around, especially an
individual player along wherever, especially on the front, I feel like it can definitely create –
the offense won’t be able to ID where he’s going to be every play, so it’s definitely going to
keep them guessing as well.”
(On how disruptive he and DE Josh Hines-Allen can be on the same side) “Man, that
definitely could be disruptive, but I feel like if I’m with anybody on this defensive line, I feel
like we’re going to be disruptive regardless.”
(On if there’s a specific area he’d like to improve this season) “One thing that I did tell
myself I really wanted to improve on, obviously, I’m a big power player, I just feel like I need
to start playing with my length a little bit more. I feel like if I play with my length a lot more,
it’ll keep guys from getting on me so much and having to bench press and having to use my
strength all the time. If I just start off locked out, I feel like I’ll take advantage of a lot more of
my reps.”
(On if he cares whether the team receives more respect this season) “Man, I’ve been here
five years. Throughout those five years, we’ve had some ups and downs. When I first came
in, we made a playoff run, even though we didn’t go deep. We’re not worried about anything
in the past. We’re just steadily trying to continuously improve every day. That’s the main
goal. We’re not dwelling on anything. No, sir.”
(On whether he watches tape differently than he did when he first entered the league)
“Definitely. You’re always going to see different things. You can go watch the same film, just
say for instance, we practice Monday, say you go back and it’s Wednesday, you go back to
that Monday tape, you might see something that you maybe didn’t pick up on as far as a
small little step or something like that. You’re always going to find little small things that
you can always correct from film. So, I definitely agree with him on that.”
(On OL Anton Harrison) “Man, Ton, he’s athletic. He’s big, strong. That’s what I really feel
like sets Anton aside. He can be moved around as well. Like I said, he’s an athlete, so I feel
like he comes from a basketball background. A lot of guys that come from that background
can move well. So, I feel like the position that he plays, that’s critical.”
(On what he expects from the first game at EverBank Stadium) “I couldn’t even put a date
on probably the last home game that we had. What it’s going to feel like, to me, it’s going to
feel like football. You step on the football field, it’s time to play football. But obviously
playing in front of a home crowd, it gives you a little extra spark, but other than that, it’s
football at the end of the day. I don’t care how fancy it is. I don’t care how old it is. We’re
going to play football.”
(On WR/CB Travis Hunter’s return) “Growth. That’s the first thing that came to my mind
when I saw him, especially the offseason pictures. That means he really was just honed in
on his work, he took the weight room seriously, took his recovery serious as well. So, that’s
just something that’s exciting to see.”
(On Hunter gaining muscle) “It’s expected, man. Coming from college, that transition from
college to becoming a professional, so I feel like he’s just in the right mental space as far as
being where his feet are. He’s not in college anymore. He wants to improve his game, and
that’s probably just a step to plenty more things that he can do to continuously grow his
game. Which I know he will.”
(On his goals for this year) “Take it one week at a time, get a win one week at a time and
everything else will work itself out from there.”
