LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET

LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET

August 29, 2022

Opening Statement: “I’ll start with this, I didn’t get to this last night, but I was with (Dolphins Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs) Jason Jenkins in Miami, VP of Communications out there. Outstanding human being and man, his family, I’m thinking about them and it’s a – he’s too young. It was too young for that to happen. But he’s – salt of the earth type guy and was certainly sorry to hear that. So, my heart goes out to his family. As we speak right now, I literally just left (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes)’s, so we’re still in the middle of all this, this whole process. So, I know this will be frustrating for all of you, but I really don’t have anything new to add that I didn’t say last night. But I’ll open up and answer what I can answer.”
On if there have been any roster cuts so far today: “No. Nope.”
On how much confidence they have in Lions RB Godwin Igwebuike as a kick returner and why he had few opportunities this preseason: “I think we have a real good feel of what Godwin can do because we got a full season of it last year, and so we have a real good grasp of that. And so, then it was, ‘Let’s give (Lions WR Maurice) Alexander an opportunity. Let’s give (Lions RB) Craig (Reynolds) an opportunity. Let’s give (Lions RB Justin) Jackson an opportunity last night.’ So, that’s kind of what it was. Let’s see can somebody else do this and where can they go with it as well? Just to – it gives us flexibility with the roster.”
On if there is kick returner who stood out to him in the game against the Steelers: “Well look, I thought (Lions RB Justin) Jackson and (Lions RB) Craig (Reynolds) yesterday both had good returns. Now, there were a couple of penalties that make them look real good. But I think both of those guys showed that they have the ability to get what’s there, and so that’s a starting point.”
On Lions CB Chase Lucas and how he feels about him coming out of training camp: “Yeah, I mean we – look, we like Lucas just what he’s been able to do. He’s a pretty smart kid and he’s got a lot of energy, a lot of passion, but it’s – he’s one of these guys that we’re talking about right now, ‘What do we do?’ But I would say that there’s nothing that’s been disappointing by what he’s done to this point.”
On if he accomplished everything he wanted to in training camp this year and how he would assess the preseason overall: “I would say – I would say to this point, yeah. But the vision that which I had to prepare us physically and mentally, I feel like is right on par right now. And I think we got what we needed to get. Now going a week out from Philly, I think we’ll physically be ready for this game and I think mentally we’ve been through a ton of situations that’ll have us prepared. And fortunately, we still have a week here before we even do the true prep for those guys. So, we get a couple of practices in and then next week we’ll really grind out the game plan for them. But yeah, I like where we’re at and I think everything that we’ve preached we’ve tried to do and I think those guys have done it. So, I think we’re as ready as we’re going to be physically.”
On the backup quarterback conversations that he has had with Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes: “Yeah, I mean I think it’s what anybody would think for the position, and is it somebody we know can come in and if something happens you know that they can steer the ship and they can sustain and win some games? If you lose your starter for two or three games, can they win those games for you is what you’ve got to decide. So, that’s what we’re wrestling with.”
On how he balances knowing the backup quarterbacks in the building with the unknown of who could become available elsewhere: “Yeah, well I think the best way to answer is whoever is out there, you’ve got to know it’s a clear upgrade from what’s already in this building would be the best way to say it. Because if it’s not then why would you do it?”
On where he feels he has gotten better as a coach and as a team this preseason compared to last preseason: “Yeah, I just – there again, I really feel like the game situation, the end of half, end of game is where I feel like we’ve really improved. I feel like I’ve improved, but I feel like us as a team because we’ve – from the time we hit spring until even through training camp, I mean, we got so much of that type of work, and just the fact that we were talking about last week, but we had these situations that we work on. And it’s the intent of the drill, but that situation leads into another in the midst of the drill and those are now spontaneous and those are highly beneficial. Because now you’re put on the spot, and you’ve got to think fast and what do we do? What do the coordinators do? How does the quarterback handle it? The defense – and so, that’s kind of the beauty of it. You’re working the situation and you know what the situation is and all of a sudden, you’re put in a whole different deal there. And I think that’s been really good for us and I feel like we’ve really excelled there through camp. Now, you’ve got to prove it in the games, you’ve got to do when the heat’s on, but I do think that’s where we’ve really – I think we’ve come forward a little bit.”
On if there are any position groups he is focused on upgrading through waiver claims: “Honestly, we’re – I would say everything is available. We’re looking – anywhere we feel like we can upgrade since we’re two on the claim list, we’re looking. (Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes), we were just discussing it up there, it’s – we’re looking anywhere. I mean from – shoot we’re looking at halfback, we’re looking at tight end, we’re looking at O-line, we’re looking at D-line. Anything is available, and if we feel like it truly will upgrade us, and it’s somebody that we feel like would fit our culture and what we’re about then we’re open to anything.”
On if he is worried that with a stronger roster they may lose potential practice squad players to other teams on the waiver wire: “Yeah, you are, I mean, because there are a number of these guys that we’re going to have to move on from that we would love to have back in this building, that didn’t just – they didn’t quite make the 53, but we’ve had a lot of time invested in them and with them and we know what they’re about and we understand the growth. And there is a comfort level to some of those guys, you bring them back, if something does happen, you feel like they can – they’re plug and play, and there’s comfort in that. So, you always want that, but you also want to know, man are there some players that are out that aren’t in this building right now that you believe can come in and have a tremendous amount of upside and maybe can develop into true starters at some point? So, you’re – there’s kind of a balancing act that you’ve got to have.”
On how much more difficult the roster decisions are going to be compared to last year: “Yeah, it’s – I mean, it’s a lot more difficult than even last year. It was tough last year, but this year it – because we are so much farther along. And it’s a credit to (Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes), because our talent level is better, and the competition is better, and I’ll just say it again, the better the competition, the better the players rise to that occasion. And so, you have a talented player and if he’s not getting challenged every day, he’s not going to grow. But now you get somebody that can challenge that player, they begin to grow together, and they get that much better. And that’s kind of where we’re at. We’re just, I feel like, starting to get into that phase of it, whereas last year, we weren’t quite there. So, it’s a credit to Brad and these are difficult. Because we are, we’re ultimately, we’re going to probably have to let go of some players that were here all last year that we depended on, did everything we asked them to do and produced for us last year, but that’s a sign of progress too.”
On if they have made any decisions about placing any players on Injured Reserve: “Yeah, I think there’s – I think some of these is you’re trying to figure out, alright, who would be available for Philly? And you get, well there’s a 44 percent chance that the guy being 50/50, it’s hard to figure out on some of these guys. There’s a window depending on some of these injuries. I think everything’s on the table, and I think we’ve got about four guys right now between, (Lions DL) Levi (Onwuzurike) and (Lions S Ifeatu) Iffy (Melifonwu) and (Lions LB Julian) Okwara, that are – and (Lions S) C.J. Moore – and so then it’s, well who has the best chance of being available? And then from there, maybe we have to make decisions on the other guys, and is this guy an IR candidate? And if you do, then who are we losing to do that? You’ve still got to put them on the roster, and then make the transfer. Well, you just lost somebody to do that still, so that’s a hard juggling act, but those are things we’re all going through right now.”
On if they have made a decision about carrying Lions CB Jerry Jacobs on the 53-man roster or placing him on Reserve/PUP to begin the season: “That’s another one that we’re talking about, and that’s a tough one because if we don’t PUP him that’s a spot, and we don’t see him being ready for Philly. So that’s another one up for debate.”