Dan Campbell Camp 09/07/26 Press Event
Dan Campbell kicked off his Day 17 by going strright to questions.
Injury Summary
New/Updates:
Thomas Harper - Will be running around at practice today after dealing with an Ankle injury.
No Changes/Updates:
Brain Branch - Potentially Early September
Kerby Joseph - Back with the team doing rehab in the facility. Last true update on knee is that it will linger into the season on same timeline as Branch.
Giovani Manu - Added to NFI/Injury List due to previously undisclosed injury form offseason
Cade Mays - Mays is sidelined for 8-10 weeks with fractured Wrist (Target Week 5)
Mekhi Wingo/Ben Bartch - Concussion protocol
Isiah Pacheco - MCL Strain - Target Week 1 return
Sam LaPorta took a shot to the hip in the night practice, and it flared up. Hope to have him for Week 1
Jimmy Rolder - Wasn't ready when camp ended but was not placed on IR and still may linger into the season.
Damone Clark - Clark was placed in Season ending IR
Transactions
Quick Hitters
Thomas Harper will be back today at Practice
Today's practice will get them moving a bit for New Orleans, but tomorrow will be the big workday for base downs
On the Saints, Campbell had praise for them and mentioned they are an improved football team, added some good players and that Mickey Loomis, Kellen Moore and Brandon (Staley) have done a good job. Lots of veterans on the Defense also.
Asked about the two open rosters pots, said they have a pretty good idea how they want to fill them, but won't be sharing in the presser
Asked about where the team improved in training camp and Campbell said he feels really good going into Week 1, but you really won't know for sure until after Week 5, but Week 1 it's a good barometer of where they are at.
Campbell said this year's opener should be better than last year's opener being at home and with the team having more experience under its belt.
Said Petzing and Goff are working really well together and they find common ground for things that work for both of them. There is "good give and take" with Petzing providing Clarity and Goff providing input
On the addition of DJ Wonnum, Cmapbell said he has had a quiet, steady camp, which is a good thing, and that "I think he's exactly what I expected to get here to this point."
Asked about anyone he was proud of on the initial 53-man roster and Campbell spent several minutes raving about Eric O'Neil and how he earned his spot as an EDFA, how smart he is and that he gives them not only defensive help but special teams as well.
The Michigan/WMU ending came up and Cmapbell said "I heard. I didn't see it. Staying away from that."
He did say that "...if I'm Western Michigan, on to the next one. get locked in on the next one, you know, and because you got no control over what just happened regardless. Doesn't matter...Or you can sit there and sulk in it and worry about it and try to change the rules and then you go into the next game and get your face kicked in."
Cmapbell was asked about RB2 and said it will likely be a RB by committee approach with Saylors and Vaki.
Dan Campbell Press Event Transcript
Opening Statement: Hello. What's up? Okay. Uh, kind of a new season now. Um, really officially tomorrow. Uh, just for us, you know, we'll get them moving a little bit. We had a little intro to New Orleans, but really tomorrow will be our big work day for base downs. Um, but it's good to it's good that it's finally here. You know, I know our players are excited. We're excited um just to get it get it started. Man, this has been a long process just to get back to to training camp and then obviously to this point, which is what it's about to start a new season and you know and uh and get after it. So, we're looking forward to it. This is a this opponent um is it's it's a hungry opponent. It's a new turnover from what I remember when I was there. There's a few holdovers, but most of this is a it's a new roster. Um, and there's a lot of young um, hungry players, talented players. Uh, you could see their progression as the season went on. Last year towards the end of the year, you know, they started playing pretty good, pretty good football minus Atlanta. Uh, that, you know, that last game that defense played really, really good. But, but just the quarterback, uh, there's a level of maturity, composure that you see. Um that looks like that's here to stay, you know, and uh and you know, they they got some potency, you know, and Etiene now who they they got Jawan. Uh I like this O-Line, you know, I think it's a talented offensive line. Um you know, they were banged up last year. They they had a lot of injuries. And then defensively, just um knowing what what it's been, defense has always been a strength there. Uh, and then, you know, Brandon came in, brought their system in, and really didn't miss a beat. You know, uh, it's a good defense, man. They play hard. Chase Young's playing the best football he's played. Um, you know, we'll see if Cam plays. I think we all know what Cam Jordan is. I think, uh, I think Granderson's a really good player, um, up front. I was with him there. And then those backers, you know, Ellis and Warner and Kool-Aid's playing pretty good in the boundary. And um so look, it's a good unit and uh Kellen Moore has done a good job. I know a lot of people there still I know what they're about. Uh Mickey Loomis I got a lot of respect for and and the way he goes about his business and and what they've done. So this will this will be a good opponent. Um but but we got them in our house and we'll be ready to go.
Got a couple open roster spots, Dan. Um not unusual to be navigating some different things on cut down day. Do you have a a pretty good idea u plan on what you're going to be doing with those or is this something where you've got to see some competition in practice to to make some decisions here coming up on the weekend? I would say we got a pretty good idea right now. Our eyes are always open. You know, we're always going to be about competition, but but I think we've got a pretty good idea of what we want to do uh going into this game and you never know, things can fluctuate, but but yeah, we know what we want to do.
Any you want to share that? No, thanks for asking though.
You emerge from training camp with a pretty good idea, same line. Um, about how much your team is improved in your mind, not just in your hope, but in your actual mind that how much they're improved. Yeah, I mean, I I feel good with where we're at going into week one. I feel I have a really good feeling. Um, now that being said, you don't you don't really know. I say it every year, you don't really know what you are until you get to week five. And then you'll really figure out what you are, what you can hang your hat on, what your strengths are, what your your true weaknesses, or what you need to cover up. Um, you know, and some of that comes with injury, but some of it is just the flow of of where you're at, where your guys are at. So, you know, the game one is always a barometer a little bit. You know, it was like like last year we went out the Lambeau and that was a tough one for us, man. But it we knew where we were at at that point, you know, and as bad as it was, it wasn't that bad, but yet we had work to do. Um, so this is no different. This is this is game one, week one. We'll find out a little bit where we're at relative to to the opponent. Um, and then you just take it to the next week and then you'll figure it out over about a month.
Uh, last year, week one went so wrong, you know, up front. some of those things that you guys were dealing with. Uh maybe some people are shell shocked, right? They don't want that to happen again. What areas do you think you're so much better at this year that you you feel like you can are more equipped to to Well, we are playing at home. That's always going to help, you know, with a young uh you know, like last year, you know, we were playing with basically two rookies up front and a new center in a in a regard even though Graham had played quite a bit. um you know, so playing at home helps a little bit just in that regard. And then we're a little more experienced. I mean, you know, Tate's got another year under his belt. Um you know, Blake Miller is has taken some pretty good reps up to this point now. He's still It's not like uh he's going to be perfect. Um that that's not what it's about. It just it's about being consistent and getting a little bit better every rep every time you play. Um that's the nature of being a young player. that's that always is going to happen. But, um, you know, and then you got Mahogany, you got Bart over there and, uh, and Juice at center. So, I just I feel like we're we've seen a lot in training camp. We've faced a lot of pressure. We've done a lot of I feel like very stressful, strenuous situations. Uh, we always do a lot, but I felt like, uh, you know, I threw a lot at our coordinators and the team, and I felt like we got what we were looking for out of it.
As you watch as you watched Jared and Drew work together this last several months, what have you liked best about that team? I think just their ability to work with each other and uh, and I feel like pull the best out of each other, if you will. You know, I think um you know, Drew brings clarity in some areas, which is good, and that's always going to help Goff, but I think at the same time, Goff has these things that he sees that he likes that he that we're capable of doing with what we have, and he knows he can do it. um to where you know Drew is open to those and we've used some of those and uh you know I think that's a good thing man because I just I think that's how you don't you don't stay still man you continue to grow and we're with where our quarterback is that playing at a high level to be able to continue to test him and push him but also allow input and allow him to do things that even though it may be a little new a new wrinkle that he feels comfortable able trying. Uh, it's a good thing. And then in regard to something Drew wants, he may not love it, but he's willing to go and give it a, you know, give it a go. I think that expands his own horizon. So, I just think it's a good give and take, and I think uh, you know, I think those guys to this point have worked really well together.
So much um, work into roster additions before they get here, but what how has DJ Wonnum maybe met expectations to when you signed him? And is there any areas where maybe he's exceeded them? Well, I and DJ's another one. I'm glad we got DJ here. He, you know, and I don't mean this in a bad way. This is a I mean this in a very good way. It's been kind of a quiet just steady training camp for him. I think he's come in and just done his job. I think he's done it. He's been very consistent in what we've asked him to do. There's nothing flashy about it, but man, he's a crafty, sneaky, uh, smart, veteran football player that understands how to play the run, understands how to he's got some slipperiness as a rusher. Um, and I think he's going to compliment Hutch very well on the other side. So, I think he's exactly what I expected to get here to this point. And I love that, man. I you know I told my first taste was what we saw in Minnesota and those times that he would come in and uh he was a rotational player. He played special teams, but I just remember when he came in man, he was one of those guys just a man he's a lunch pail guy that's going to give everything he's got and he plays a smart brand of football and I love that about him.
You look at the initial 53-man roster. Was there anybody that you were particularly proud of for just the growth of the guts and the grit that they showed kind of over training camp? There's a number of guys. Um, but I probably the first one I think about is O'Neil. You know, you talk about a guy who was kind of on the outside looking in from the time he got here in spring. Uh, you know, that uh had to kind of defy all odds. He had to find his way to um, you know, he had to make plays every day. He had to catch our eye every day. And he did that every day. whether it was special teams or defense, he did something every day that there's not a coach on any given day that's not saying something good about O'Neil. O'Neil today on this, O'Neal on this and you just you can't ignore it. And so he's the most obvious rookie free agent man comes in and earned his right. It's awesome. That's what we're about. And that's and he's a special teams player, too, by the way. Guy can play special teams, man. Like he's going to be able to give us some valuable reps on a couple of teams. So, um, and then we're not even talking about the defense. You know, there's things on defense. He's just a, you know, he's a pretty smart, he's a smart player, especially for a rookie, man. He's he's got high football intellect and plays hard and, you know, plays the run, plays the pass, can get an edge. So,
In general, but um, there was a crazy finish at Michigan this weekend. I don't know if you saw it. I heard. I didn't see it. Staying away from that. Yeah.
Well, I was wonder, you know, obviously you had the controversial finish in the playoffs with New Orleans a few years back. Um, wonder if there were any other high school, you know, college games that come to mind and just kind of what you learned about bouncing back from adversity from those situations? No. Um, not necessarily off the top of my head. The only thing I did think about and there again without me seeing anything is, man, if I'm Western Michigan, on to the next one. get locked in on the next one, you know, and because you got no control over what just happened regardless. Doesn't matter. And so the best way to prove your own worth is to knock off the next one, man, and make sure you're ready. That was the only thing I thought of if that was me. Um, that's what we got to be ready for. That was it.
Probably easier said than done. Like, how do you get your team to, you know, from situation? You just make it happen. You have to. You got to make it happen. You have no other choice. Or you can sit there and sulk in it and worry about it and try to change the rules and and then you go into the next game and get your face kicked in. So, you know, I'm ready to go. Dave,
You were talking earlier about guys working their way onto a roster. Whenever you have Jacob Saylors behind Jahmyr right now, this guy that worked for the UFFL up to this, saw some flashes in in camp in the preseason. How ready do you feel that he is for the opportunity at RB2? Well, I kind of mentioned this to me, it's by committee, too. Now, Vaki, I see Vaki getting some reps, too, now. I mean, I don't see like, okay, well, Saylors is like running back, too. Sailors brings uh special teams value and there's things that he's been able to do. He we've seen more of them, right, than Vaki in games, preseason games, but Vaki's been some pretty good reps in practice. Um, and we know Vaki's a very valuable special teams' player, too. But, but we feel like Vaki's ready to take some of this on, too, as a runner and a pass protector and a receiver. So, um, so we feel good with either one of those guys in there when Jah needs a breather.
Really quick on here. When training camp ended, you kind of were in a pickle in terms of injury situation at safety with Harper and then looked like Maddox even got banged up on that final play. Just what does that room look like healthwise? Yeah, well, we feel Harper's going to be running around out there today, you know, um, and then hopefully, you know, everything goes well today. We see him taking more reps tomorrow and and so we're anticipating he'll be ready to go. So we we feel good about that room right now.
Transcripts are created with the assist of AI
Comments