LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
October 28, 2023
On the energy Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson brings being back in the building and if he will return from his injury by the end of the season: “It’s hard to say. I know this, it’s good having him back. He’s – you do forget about just kind of what he brings, his energy, until you see him back out there. So, it was good to just have him around. And he is, he’s all energy, man. I know rehab’s going well, he’s doing good, so it was good to see him.”
On if Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson is going to continue his rehab at the facility: “Yeah, he’s been back and forth. So, we know where he’s at and he’s rehabbing and then he comes back periodically. So, he’ll be here for a little bit and then he’ll go back out. So, it’s good.”
On if Lions C Frank Ragnow is trending toward playing Monday with his calf injury: “Yeah, hard to say just because – here’s the good news, we’ve got really three days is how it – because it’s a night game on Monday, we’ve got all of today, all of tomorrow and we’ve got most of Monday, so that’s a long time to recover. So, it’s really kind of day-to-day. We’ll see where he’s at today. I don’t see him going out there on the field, but I see him doing some work. He’s already done some this morning and then we’ll do some after practice. And then just see where it goes. So, this is still – nothing is set in stone one way or another.”
On his level of concern if Lions C Frank Ragnow is out and the number of moving pieces on the offensive line: “Yeah, well if it came to that then yeah, I mean we – that’s why one of the reasons why (Lions OL) Graham (Glasgow)’s here, man, his reliability and the fact that he’s played multiple positions. He played obviously plenty of center last year and he’s done it in this League, so lot of confidence there. We’ve got (Lions G Kayode Awosika) Yode, we’ve got (Lions OL Colby) Sorsdal, we’ve got (Lions T Dan Skipper) Skip, we’ve got all kinds of options. I mean so if it came to that we’d move (Lions T Penei) Sewell into guard, move Skip to center, Graham stays at left, (Lions T Taylor) Decker could go to center, you could move Sewell back to left, Skip goes right guard, you got Yode, Sorsdal, (Lions G Halapoulivaati Vaitai) V plays, so we’re good.”
On what has allowed the team to win three-straight primetime gam es: “I don’t know if it’s necessarily – I don’t know how much of that is – we’ve – no different than some one o’clock games. We’re doing things right, we’re ready to go, we’re locked in, we’re detailed, we’re finishing, but I do think, just in general you’re asking, I think we – man, you look forward to it. You look forward to every game, but I think it’s something that doesn’t cause us pause or pressure, or I think it’s more, man we embrace those moments. I think we’ve been that way, this roster and these players and coaches, I think we really enjoy that. Fortunate to be able to do it, so I think it’s something we look forward to.”
On what makes Raiders Head Coach Josh McDaniels a successful play-caller: “Well, he maximizes his roster, he does a good job with what he’s got. He always has. They’re going to get in the right play, but I think he does a really good job of is taking care of the quarterback, making sure the quarterback is, man he’s going to be protected, he’s going to have things that he can function with at a high level because I think it really all kind of starts there. There’s things he does that still creates problems because you don’t see them all the time. There is still enough – doing some of the things he was doing eight years ago, there’s still plenty of that in there and it’s – you don’t see a lot two-back anymore in this League. We’re one of the few teams that still does some of it, certainly they are, and so it creates issues believe it or not just fitting the gaps and things of that nature. So, he’s been really good. He learned from arguably one of the best coaches of all time, so he’s going to make sure that they take what’s there, that they don’t do something that’s ill-advised and really, they want the opponent to beat themselves, and that’s a winning formula.”
On what Lions WR Josh Reynolds has meant to the offense: “He’s been – since 2021, he’s been one of the best additions we could’ve had. I mean, he is – he’s perfect for what we are because he’s – man, the reliability factor, the hands, the route tree that he’s able to run, man, it goes a long way. I laugh every Wednesday because we go and there’ll be things where we ask him, he goes from X to Z, back to this formation change, could be F. And then here’s who you’ve got to block in the run game. I know we said it was support this time it’s got to be corner. Alright, this time we need you to come back and block this WILL linebacker. He does all these things. So, he does all the dirty work. He’s been an explosive receiver for us and he’s very reliable, so he’s a guy, you’re calling plays like (Lions Offensive Coordinator) Ben (Johnson) or you’re myself, there’s a huge comfort level in having that guy because he’s been a clutch receiver for us and some – he’s kind of been an unsung hero for us because he does so many different jobs and that’s why I said it’s a blessing and a curse when you’re Reynolds, man, because you can handle a lot. We throw a lot at him and Wednesday is always a big package for him to have to mentally lock – ‘OK, you’re here on this set, you’re here on –’ so, he just gives you flexibility to not only put him into certain spots, but it allows you to put (Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint in certain spots because he can play the other ones. So, he’s a huge asset for us.”
On the process of deciding to shadow a wide receiver with a cornerback in a gameplan: “Yeah, you can go either way with that. I think one of the positives of doing that is that you know exactly who you’re playing. If I’m covering (Raiders WR Davante Adams) 17, for example, that’s why you’re asking it, man that’s – all my film study is on him and the way he releases on his routes, the way he’s at the top, his footwork, everything, his hands. And so, you just digest that guy. You don’t have to worry about the other receiver necessarily. That’s one of the advantages. Disadvantage is that – if sometimes you get caught in single high or man, there’s – and the play gets long, that’s where it’s fine. It’s no different than anything else. The rush has got to get there then, when you’re playing these real good receivers that you want to shadow, so I think there’s things that are positive and negative about it.”
On if there is comfortability with how Lions CBs Cam Sutton and Jerry Jacobs are playing: “Yeah, and I’ll tell you what, man, both of those guys, they’ve had an unbelievable week. These last two days have been outstanding, they’ve been outstanding. I was so fired up on Wednesday – well Thursday, today’s Saturday, OK. And then yesterday, I just thought it was great, man. Our third-down work and watching those guys out there competing, it was – watching the backend, it was, man it was awesome, so. And we’ve had a good week of practice, we really have.”
On the development of the eight drafted rookies on the roster: “Look, I think they’re all improving. They’re all getting better, which is all you can ask for out of rookies, just get a little bit better every week, so that’s what I would say is I see development, I see growth and that’s good. Now, it’s not good enough, we need more. That’s what you say. We need more every week, just keep coming. But we’re not down on any of those guys, we’re excited with the growth and the production they’re able to bring us. And every week, they just get a little bit better and better and here we go man, by the end of the year, they’re basically vets. They’re not rookies anymore because they’ve played enough reps to where, OK, they’ve seen enough, so glad we’ve got them.”
On how the Monday night game impacts a quick turnaround with the trade deadline on Tuesday: “Yeah, there’ll be some things that could come up. Now, (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes)’s been grinding. I mean he hasn’t stopped on that so that’ll continue. That’ll go all the way up to gametime and beyond, but that won’t affect me or us or anything we do. Man, we’re business as usual.”
On if the trade deadline being on Tuesday impacts his game day schedule Monday: “No, not like that it won’t.”On if Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes has brought anything of interest to him ahead of the trade deadline: “Maybe.”
On if he will say on Tuesday if Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes has brought anything of interest to him ahead of the trade deadline: “We’ll see. Ask Brad.” | |
