Frustrated Campbell learns from mistakes

[Daytona Fin]

Dan Campbell is like the rest of us. He doesn’t know what his future holds.

In the coming days, Campbell — the Dolphins’ interim coach since October — will get a chance to sell team owner Stephen Ross and vice president Mike Tannenbaum on letting him keep his job. Beyond that, he’s basically in the dark.

But as for his recent past? Campbell knows plenty about what went wrong — and what he would do differently if he does get another shot as an NFL head coach, either here or somewhere else.

“I would do a better job of holding everyone more accountable, from staff to players,” Campbell told the Miami Herald ahead of what many believe will be his final game in Miami.

“Everybody that’s involved. Some of the things that I did were to keep everybody up and in a positive nature, because of the circumstances. I feel like I did what I had to do, and the best that I could. But that’s the one thing that I definitely know that I would change.”

Campbell is no ordinary interim coach. The players love him, and showed it with blowout wins in his first two games in charge.

The Patriots brought those hopes crashing back to Earth with a 36-7 beating. Making matters worse, Cameron Wake tore his Achilles tendon — a season-ending injury.

“I felt like we were really close to going places that I felt like we needed to go and have been looking for, for a long time,” Campbell said. “[So] I think it did more damage than just the loss.”

And the loss of Wake was a double whammy. Of course, there’s the on-field toll; he was again playing at a Pro Bowl level. But perhaps just as important, it created a leadership void in the locker room.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh both tried to fill it — in their own ways. Campbell has recently spoken about the strides Tannehill has made in that regard.

But both could do more.

“I don’t think there’s any question about that,” he said. “I think that any time that your most productive players are in those roles and can be leaders for you or improve in their leadership, it’s only going to help the team. Certainly, those are two guys that you’d love to see grow more into that area, and it would help.”

The Dolphins’ 5-10 record has been tough on everyone — his family included.

“It hasn’t been easy,” Campbell said. “My wife has done a great job of being able to hang in there, but I know it hasn’t been easy. We’ve made it work. They’ve made it work.”

The argument against the Dolphins keeping Campbell is pretty straightforward: The Dolphins have not been appreciably better under his stewardship than they were when Joe Philbin was coach.

But the argument for keeping him includes this point: Campbell never really got a true shot as head coach. He inherited a roster, a coaching staff and an offensive and defensive system from Philbin. So how can you fairly judge him?

Campbell wanted no part of that conversation, out of fairness to the people still here.

When asked to sum up 2015, Campbell kept returning to the word “frustration.” Losses hit him particularly hard. And there have been far too many of them.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article52759865.html#storylink=cpy

 

[andyahs]

Dan Campbell we all knew was given an almost impossible task but most of us rooted for him. In the end he may get another shot but now is not his time.

 

[LANGER72]

I would keep Campbell on the staff if the next HC agrees, but they both must have the same philosophy for it to work.

 

[dlockz]

I would keep Campbell on the staff if the next HC agrees, but they both must have the same philosophy for it to work.

I say give him a chance as Te coach. I advocated giving him the intrim job because the other guys were garbage but he isnt ready to be a head coach.
not sure he is ready to be a coordinator

 

[Mogwai]

I still respect the hell out of Campbell. I genuinely like the man. There was a lot to learn. He did very well in impossible circumstances. He's someone else who is too good for this franchise. I hope he manages to find a role with someone like the Steelers and be properly groomed for a future HC position.

 

[rpg]

Not sure why everyone here loves Campbell because he can have good halftime speeches in place of Philbin but has shown poor coaching matters in time management and half time adjustments and has not used the tight ends adequately when he was the coach. Everyone here says its 100 percent on the players but why over the last few years the fins have played very well against the best teams at times and losing very badly against some of the worse teams. If the fins want to get to the 500 mark again then the GM, Vice President, and all coaches must go. Why keep Hickey and Tannebaum when eventually they all will be canned.

 

[Fin Fan in Cali]

I wish Dan and his family the very best. I hope this was a very valuable learning experience for him and becomes a better coach for it.

 

[Scotty P]

Dude has heart and truly cared....wish him the best. I feel like we will regret this one day

 

[dlockz]

Dude has heart and truly cared....wish him the best. I feel like we will regret this one day

I dont think so. I mean do you keep an unqualified coach around for years just because you think he might be good one day

 

[DuderinoN703]

I like him. It isn't his fault he took over a team who used to be coached by a ****ing mummy.

 

[TheWalrus]

Impossible situation to be put in and he didn't do the impossible. Not shocking. Even the greatest swimmer in the world can't do the backstroke in hydrochloric acid.

That being said he has as much of a chance to turn into a great head coach as any of the names being floated right now imo. Anyone who thinks they have the magic juju to spot a great NFL head coach is selling you a line of **** long enough to encircle the world.

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

I realize that it was impossible for him to fix our personnel and schematic nightmares mid-season, but the fact is that his gameday coaching stunk.

 

[TheWalrus]

I realize that it was impossible for him to fix our personnel and schematic nightmares mid-season, but the fact is that his gameday coaching stunk.

Which takes experience, like a lot of things. And even then some guys never get it. Andy Reid hasn't. Ask any Chiefs or Eagles fan. Chuck Noll was legendary for being a lump on gameday. Basically useless.

The problem for Campbell is it's impossible to tell if they fact that the locker room respected him counts for anything. I mean, this locker room respects Mike Pouncey to the tune of naming him MVP. Yuck. Talk about being damned with faint praise. It's like winning Iron Chef: Swamp.

 

[royalshank]

I still respect the hell out of Campbell. I genuinely like the man. There was a lot to learn. He did very well in impossible circumstances. He's someone else who is too good for this franchise. I hope he manages to find a role with someone like the Steelers and be properly groomed for a future HC position.

this. You are right Mog - he is too good of a professional and person for this org. So sad how far we have fallen.

 

[royalshank]

Dude has heart and truly cared....wish him the best. I feel like we will regret this one day

agreed.