LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL OTA #5 QUOTE SHEET
June 1, 2023
On his concern for Lions WR Jameson Williams learning about the impact that social media can have on his image after liking a tweet about wanting Ravens QB Lamar Jackson to come to Detroit: “Yeah, look I think – first of all, those are guys are under – certainly than when I played, but under more stress than any time in the history of professional sports, I think all sports. And because you are, you are truly under a microscope. You have a direct connection and link to the fans, the media, everything which I think you open yourself up to. But I think that is very much in today’s world that we live in. You just have to understand that. Now, as far as – I mean yeah, I do believe that it was harmless. And honestly when I saw it, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. (Lions QB Jared) Goff knows where he stands. The team knows. So, I really don’t think it is a big deal. I think he was just, more than anything he was like, ‘Hey I like Lamar,’ bump. More than, ‘Hey, yeah, yeah, I’ve got to have him. I don’t like – ,’ you know, he never said that. It is a little bit like the catch thing, ‘Would you like more targets?’ Somebody said, ‘Hey, need to get him the ball more.’ He said, ‘Hey I liked it.’ What does that mean? He’s not (expletive) about getting more balls, he’s just, ‘Yeah, OK cool. I liked that comment.’ So, I just don’t think it’s a huge deal. Now as far as the other – look, he’s a work in progress. He has room to grow and develop to continue to mature as a player or person in this League. And I do see growth. I see growth. And that’s all you can ask for.”
On what he would do if Lions WR Jameson Williams liked a post about Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay taking his place as head coach: “I would be fine. Man, it’s fine. Now, I would probably go talk to him directly and be like, ‘You have a problem with me? Is that why you said it?’ ‘He’d go, ‘No, Coach. I just like Sean McVay.’ I’d be like, ‘OK. I got it.’ I mean Sean has won the freaking Super Bowl. I got it.”
On how he views the relationship between Lions QB Jared Goff and Lions WR Jameson Williams: “Yeah, I think they have a good relationship, I do. I don’t feel like there is anything toxic or there is any ulterior motive. I think it is, yeah, I don’t see an issue. I think all of this is growth and development and baby steps. Here we go man.”
On how they are educating the players on the League’s gambling policy after news breaking out of more Lions players being investigated: “Yeah, we just make a point of emphasis over and over. Just continue to state it. They know it. We don’t know all the details. That’s in the League’s hand. But my understanding is very much – they call it Wave 2, but it could be a Wave 1, 1a, or 1b, I should say. So, I think this is very much in the same timeline. We’ve made a point of it and that’s all we can do and it’s out of our hands.”
On the next step in Lions S Kerby Joseph’s game: “Yeah, I think the consistency overall, which comes with being a young player. Like we see the plays he is capable of and now it is just being consistent, over and over. Here’s the thing, a little bit with Kerby, because he’s instinctive, he’s a good athlete, he’s range-y. There are times where he could veer off a little bit and maybe go out of the wheelhouse of what we want, just a little bit. But that is all part of being a young player that has some ability and is learning to grow. And so just the consistency, just do your job, be conscious of your landmarks, understand what is going on beneath you. But man, there is a ton of growth still with this player. That is what is exciting. And he is very conscientious, he works at it, he is instinctive. And that fires you up for a young player. That’s what you want, guys that have shown the potential, but yet they continue to grow and have a lot of room to grow.”
On the new ways that he is educating his players of the NFL’s gambling policy with new investigations occurring across the NFL: “Well I think, for us, it’s much more an emphasis from us, as opposed to just leaving it to the League. Like we need to make sure that we really hit this ourselves and make a point of it. We did, but obviously not enough. The proof’s in the pudding. So, for us, let’s take it out of their hands. They will have what they do every year, but now we need to put our own emphasis on it. And I think that is the best way to do it, is to highlight it. And that is what we are trying to do.”
On the injuries of Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez and Lions RB David Montgomery: “Yeah, neither one of them are going to practice today, but it’s nothing serious. I have a feeling somebody else may tweak something out there today. And we do have a number of guys that we are going to sit, just to be smart with today. So, I know you guys are going to want to know – we’re going to probably have 10-12 guys out, and it’s just preventative. Let’s just be smart, there again. It’s not about the physical right now. It is more about the mental and making sure that we can get guys healthy and ready for camp, training camp, July.”
On how far ahead Lions TE James Mitchell is this year coming off an injury last season compared to Lions WR Jameson Williams’ injury last year and the progress he made: “Yeah, very much in the same boat, but I would say this, Mitchell had a lot more playtime, which has really helped his growth. But I can’t say enough good things about Mitchell. He’s a quiet guy, goes about his business. He is another – he’s very smart and instinctive and I think (Lions Tight Ends Coach) Steve Heiden is going to be really good for him too, our new tight end coach that we got, and I can already see growth and development in him. There again, that’s going without pads. But I think just part of the emphasis for him would really be in the run game, the blocking. He was a receiver in college before he was a tight end. So, he kind of has a feel and knack for some of those things. But it was the run game because we think there is a lot of potential. We think he can be an all-around type tight end for us, more of a Y athletic, Y tight end. He puts everything into it. And there again, you want guys – you have to want to do it, you have to be eager, you have to want to learn. And he has all of that. So that would lead you to believe that he will continue to develop.”
On when he thinks Lions DL Levi Onwuzurike will return coming off an injury: “I would say he is probably about right on schedule for what we thought. He just got on the grass, really about a week ago, to where he can begin to run. And so, then really, it’s OK how fast can – now that he is moving, he is out there on the grass, he is able to run, he is off the AlterG. How fast can his body come back? So, we don’t entirely have that answer. Certainly, we are hoping that we get him in camp at some point. But I can’t give you a timeline of that right now.”
On the value Lions WR Kalif Raymond will bring to the team now that Lions WR Jameson Williams will not play in the first six games of the season: “Yeah, Leaf is our Iron Man. Particularly in that room, he is a guy that has been there for us and when we have needed him, he has always shown up. And I mean, Leaf and I talked about this, last year part of the plan was he was going to be a specialized player for us. He was going to get 15 reps a game. He is our starting punt returner. And it was we’re going to utilize him. keep him fresh, but be able to use his explosiveness, because he is explosive. Well shoot man, the injuries we had, he got thrust back into really a starting role for us. And he can play all of the positions. He can play the X, he can play the slot, he can play the Z. He is smart. He is tough. He is heads-y. He is a go-getter. He is resilient. He is a huge asset for us. Thank God we have him. So, he will be big for us while Jamo is out.”
On how much better the offense can be in year two of the system: “I think a lot of what we are into now is just – here’s what happens, you implement your system, which is what we did last year. We kind of revamped what we had had. And (Lions Offensive Coordinator) Ben (Johnson) laid it out and so what happens is you do some good things and then the next year it is, alright how much do you just really – let’s get really, really good at this, versus, here is a couple new ideas. And you are always going to want a few new ideas. But, how much of it, versus just, let’s go back to the basics of what we did last year and let’s do them better. Let’s just fundamentally get a little bit better. A little bit sharper with it. That is the tug-of-war we play right now. I’d like to believe that certainly, we want more, I mean that is what this game is. We did some good things offensively, but we want more out of it. And I think that is what we are into now and what camp will certainly be.”
On his satisfaction with the wide receiver room and if they are interested in signing free agent WR DeAndre Hopkins: “Yeah, I’m not going to comment on that one. But I like our receiver room. I think we have a good mix of different types of guys. I think it is important, really in your skill position, between tight ends, backs, and receivers, that you have a mix of different types of skillsets. And I feel like we have that. We have possession, explosive. We have speed. We have consistency, quickness. So, I just think we have a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things and so the more versatility you have, that opens up your packages, personnel-wise, and match-up-wise.”
LIONS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BEN JOHNSON OTA #5 QUOTE SHEET
June 1, 2023
On what the biggest difference is for him and his offense going into the new season: “That’s probably one I haven’t reflected on very much. To be honest with you, it has been enlightening in some ways because I have been able to step back and focus on what we did well a year ago at this time, in the springtime. Which when I look back at it, I feel like we really did a nice job installing the offense to our guys and they digested the information really well and it applied to the fall time for us. So, the transition into year one was really good. Going to year two for us, as an offense, it really becomes less about learning the system all over again. It’s more – our theme this springtime has been back to the basics. And so, we’ve been harping consistently on the fundamentals. We’re breaking it down to the nuts and bolts for each position group. And our coaches have kind of led the charge on that. For me personally, I have a lot of confidence in the guys around me, probably – if there is one thing I’d say from me a year ago, I micro-manage, maybe a little too much, just for the sake of making sure that we were all on the same page of what the vision was. And now that we have been together for a year, and we do have a couple new coaches, I have a lot more trust in these – they already know. They know the language. They know the vernacular, so there have been more individual meetings as opposed to offensive meetings because these guys know what the expectation is, and they are running with it, and I have a huge comfort level with the coaching staff around me. So that has probably been the biggest change from year one and year two, just in terms of the second-floor operation.”
On why he wants to be the best team in the NFL at play-action instead of expanding the playbook:
“I think, when we look back at what we did in self-scout, all of our plays from last year – I came away with it personally that even if we didn’t run one new play this year, if we ran all the same plays that we ran last year, that we would be a better offense because we have to execute better than what we did. And we did a lot of nice things a year ago, and it really means nothing going forward to this year. We have to be a lot better in terms of the execution and we should be because we should know what the problems are for the plays that we are running now, run plays, protections, pass concepts. And so, I personally expect a huge step forward in terms of the growth, the knowledge base of our players, the experience they have under their belts now. And so that’s why the emphasis has been on the basics. Let’s get really good at the fundamentals because that is what helped us win games at the end last year. The fact that we led the League in ball security, we didn’t turn the ball over the second half of the season, that equated into wins for us. So, I think just the recognition of the little things all adding up and paying big dividends for us in offense, that’s really the point of it. We will still push the envelope. We’ll still be innovative and creative on offense, don’t get me wrong. But I just came away saying, ‘Shoot man, we left a lot of meat on the bone in a lot of ways.’ Because I think I talked about it, some of the runs we could have had explosives. We could’ve had eight, nine yards when we were still at three or four, so just a few things when we looked back at last year.”
On how the offense decreased turnovers from the first to second half of last season: “I think it is just recognition for each position group. I think we talked about (Lions QB) Jared (Goff) early on in the season and he had some interceptions that I mean he grimaces at when we watch the tape right now. And I think the recognition that, ‘Hey, this is a problem, and we have to get this corrected,’ all these guys came through. The same thing happened short yardage for us early in the season we were the 31st ranked team the first half of the season in short yardage. We brought it to their attention, they took a lot of pride in getting it fixed and we ended the season on a high note, in terms of our short-yardage percentage. So, I think any time that we have a problem, just bringing it up and the acknowledgement, ‘Hey, we have to get this fixed. All hands on deck to get this fixed,’ and we have seen results in every facet that we have touched that way.”
On the plans he has for the additions he wants to make to the offensive playbook: “Yeah, there are a couple of new things that we have implemented already this springtime to get a look at, get on tape and coach up. And then in training camp, we will probably be in the envelope a little bit further. We just don’t have enough reps right now. We need to get our foundation underneath of us and understand the foundation of what we are doing right now. So, this springtime you are not going to see a whole lot, but once we get into training camp, we’ll start pushing the envelope there.”
On the differences he sees in his running back room this year compared to last year: “Yeah, I don’t know if I can compare them to last year right now. I mean we have only been on the field here a couple of weeks and we don’t even have pads on. But what I can say about that room is that we have a lot of really hard workers. I’m very impressed with the professionalism of (Lions RB) David Montgomery. He has come in from day one with a very deliberate thought process in terms of how he approaches the weight room, how he approaches meetings, how he approaches his field work. He just wants to be a really good player and that has rubbed off on some of the other guys in that room, not that they didn’t have it before, but they kind of have taken his lead, in some ways. He’s the oldest guy. He has had four years of really good tape in Chicago and so he brings a lot to the table there. And then we have some young guys in that room still growing. (Lions RB) Jermar Jefferson, has been here. You see him get better every year that he has been here. (Lions RB) Craig Reynolds has been Mr. Consistent from really day one since he stepped in the building. And then we have some rookies in there that are still learning and finding their way, but show some flashes right now, some big-time talent.”
On his confidence in the current backup quarterbacks: “Yeah, no, I love the room right now. There is a great camaraderie in there and I think that is really important when you need to find that backup quarterback position. It’s not only a guy that can go in there and win games, but for the majority of the season, if all things go right, he is there to support that starter and we have that right now, not only with (Lions QB) Nate (Sudfeld) and (Lions QB) Hendon (Hooker) and (Lions QB) Adrian (Martinez), we have a good group. And they are learning, they are growing. And once again, we are evaluating consistently we are putting pressure on them consistently to see what they can do out on the field in team settings. The truth really comes out, I believe, when you have the bullets flying for real, which we can’t have right now. So, the training camp will really tell us where we are at behind (Lions QB) Jared (Goff), but so far, I feel really good about that room.”
On the lessons he has learned from his first season of play-calling and how he plans to improve this season: “Yeah, I mean I think I grew throughout the season, even from a weekly basis. I will go back to the two times we played Green Bay last year. The first time, I thought I did a really poor job calling that game, I thought. And then the second time we played them, I grew from some of those experiences we had the first game. So yeah, it’s a work in progress. There are certainly some things that I learned that I can do a better job keeping our guys in positive situations and giving them the best chance to execute on the field and that is really my goal as a play-caller is just to keep us out of plays that don’t really have a chance from the get-go.”
On how Lions TE Sam LaPorta will improve the tight end room: “Yeah, listen, that is up there. That is probably top three in terms of toughest positions to play in this offense because there is so much on their plate. It’s run game, it’s pass game, it’s protection, and they had the least amount of meeting time, truthfully. They have to be in special teams and (Lions Tight Ends) Coach (Steve) Heiden doesn’t have much time, so what he has been doing so far has been pretty remarkable when you see the growth that they have already made in just a couple weeks on the field. In terms of now, they have versatility, all of them do. And that’s what (Lions Head) Coach (Dan) Campbell wants. That’s what I want. That’s what Coach Heiden wants. We want guys that we can line up all over the place, could be extended, could be in-line, could be in the backfield and still function at a very high level. So, the more multiple they are, the better off and more unpredictable we will be on offense, and I think that is what they all do. Sam LaPorta has been impressive for a rookie, in terms of digesting the offense right now. (Lions TE) James Mitchell has made great strides going into year two. I see (Lions TE) Brock Wright getting better every day. Right now (Lions TE) Shane Zylstra is doing the same thing, so there is a lot of really encouraging things coming out of that room right now.”
On what the new offensive coaches add to the staff: “Yeah, you know (Lions Head) Coach (Dan) Campbell always brings up, ‘It’s not having necessarily the smartest coaches all the time. It’s not necessarily having the hardest, the most demanding coaches. It’s having the right mix,’ and that’s really what we have. We have some guys that are really good teachers. They have extremely good work ethics. They are very demanding out of their position groups, which is really what I look for in an assistant coach, so they all bring that to the table and then they have completely different offenses that they come from. (Lions Tight Ends) Coach (Steve) Heiden came from, really more of the run-and-shoot from Kliff Kingsbury last few years, but he has a wealth of experience playing and coaching in the Bruce Arians system, which we have some concepts from. And (Lions Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach) Scottie (Montgomery), he’s worn so many hats over the years, quarterbacks, receivers, running backs. He’s been a head coach, he’s been a play-caller, so I can lean on him heavily, and same thing with (Lions Senior Offensive Assistant) Jim Hostler. I mean these guys – it’s awesome to be in the room right now because we have so many opinions and I love it when they bring things up because it just hits me from a different light and I’m growing. I’m getting better because we have these new voices in the room.” |
