Dan Campbell Has 'Tremendous Passion', Will Lead Detroit Lions
Alain Poupart from SI All Dolphins answers five questions regarding new Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
1.) You appear to have high regard for new Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Why do you believe the Lions are getting the right head coach at this time?
Alain Poupart: I do have tremendous regard for Dan Campbell, and was hoping he’d get the job in 2016 after he had coached the final 12 games of the 2015 season on an interim basis. It doesn’t take long to see the fire in that guy and the fact that his players will play hard for him every step of the way. If you’re looking for a leader, which is what a lot of organizations are focusing on these days, he certainly fits that description.
2.) What do you specifically recall from his tenure as the Miami Dolphins' interim head coach back in 2015?
Poupart: The first thing that stands out is that most of us who covered the team in 2015 were surprised that it was Campbell who got the call after the Dolphins fired Joe Philbin after a 1-3 start, because there were more experienced coaches on the staff.
But, then the Dolphins came out of their bye, and routed the Titans in Tennessee and then just destroyed Houston the following week at home (led 41-0 at halftime). And, it was instantly clear just how much harder the players were playing and what a breath of fresh air he was.
3.) Does it concern you that he is not known for being an X's and O's guru?
Poupart: Well, that’s always been the knock on Campbell, and it very well might have been what kept him from getting the job in 2016.
But, I wouldn’t be overly concerned, because I’m pretty confident he’ll surround himself with good coaches in that respect. Besides, he’s spent the past five seasons as assistant head coach in New Orleans, and I can’t imagine he hasn’t picked up a lot of great ideas during that time.
4.) What is the single best trait that you believe Dan Campbell possesses?
Poupart: All the words I could use would fall under the umbrella of leadership. He’s got tremendous passion, he’s fiery and he’s going to fight for his guys.
It’s funny because (present Dolphins head man) Brian Flores got a lot of kudos -- and well deserved -- for walking toward the Cincinnati bench after the Bengals' gunner twice laid highly questionable hits on Miami punt returner Jakeem Grant in December. A scuffle ensued, and a topic that immediately came up on social media centered around which previous Dolphins head coach would have done the same thing.
The first guy who came into my mind was Campbell, although I later added Tony Sparano to the list. But, you get the point.
5.) Detroit has committed to its new head coach, offering him a six-year contract. How do you envision Campbell's tenure playing out in Motown?
Poupart: Well, it’s not going to be entirely dependent on him, because he needs to be given the right players. But, I would expect the Lions to quickly become one of those teams that opponents hate facing, because they’re going to play hard and they’re going to be aggressive.
As I stated earlier, I was hoping he’d become Miami's head coach in 2016 -- and not just because he was great with the media as interim head coach -- because I think he’s going to become a very good head coach.
If I’m a Lions fan, I like this hire very much.
More from SI All Lions:
Sheila Ford Hamp and Rod Wood Statement on Campbell Hiring
Dan Campbell and Lions Agree to Contract Terms
How GM Brad Holmes Addressed Roster Questions
Past Lions' Regime Failures Led to High-Risk Arranged Marriage
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