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Breaking news: Hervey to announce something.... at noon today. Press conference has been called.

Expected to be the hiring of Rick Campbell as Head Coach

Inside info or guess?

It is being reported on the CFL site that Campbell has been hired and first reported by Rick Dhaliwal. I am a bit disappointed Lapolice did not get the job and maybe not even an interview. Seems to me Hervey zeroed in on one guy and interviewed no others. This is only a good choice, if Jarious Jackson is fired, but if he returns which I think is likely, Lions will still spin their wheels. We saw how Campbell did in Ottawa with an average OC and maybe Joe Paopao is coming with him.

RT .@DhaliwalSports

The Lions are expected to name Rick Campbell as the new head coach today. #CFL #BCLions

JohnnyMusso wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 02, 2019 9:28 am

It is being reported on the CFL site that Campbell has been hired and first reported by Rick Dhaliwal. I am a bit disappointed Lapolice did not get the job and maybe not even an interview. Seems to me Hervey zeroed in one guy and interviewed no others. This is only a good choice, if Jarious Jackson is fired, but if he returns which I think is likely, Lions will still spin their wheels. We saw how Campbell did in Ottawa with an average OC. Unless Joe Paopao is coming with him, but if he is he is not an upgrade on JJ.

RT .@DhaliwalSports

The Lions are expected to name Rick Campbell as the new head coach today. #CFL #BCLions

That will be the million dollar question: what staff will he surround himself with? I think Claybrooks was a far better defensive coordinator in Calgary than what Campbell did in the same position with the Eskimos. But the latter offers other intangibles that makes him a solid HC.

His coordinators will go a long way to determining how fast the Lions can turn things around.

JohnnyMusso wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 02, 2019 9:28 am

It is being reported on the CFL site that Campbell has been hired and first reported by Rick Dhaliwal. I am a bit disappointed Lapolice did not get the job and maybe not even an interview. Seems to me Hervey zeroed in on one guy and interviewed no others. This is only a good choice, if Jarious Jackson is fired, but if he returns which I think is likely, Lions will still spin their wheels. We saw how Campbell did in Ottawa with an average OC and maybe Joe Paopao is coming with him.

RT .@DhaliwalSports

The Lions are expected to name Rick Campbell as the new head coach today. #CFL #BCLions

Why would you think they didn’t interview anyone else? It’s been reported that they requested permission to interview Lapolice and Mark Washington.

I think Campbell is going to get the freedom to choose the OC that he wants. I hope Hervey has learned to keep his fingers out of the coaching pie.

This is a safe hire. Campbell's head coaching record hasn't blown me away. This is not to say that he's not a competent head coach, but the Redblacks' W-L-T record since inception has been as follows:

Regular season 44 62 2
Playoffs 3 1 0
Grey Cup 1 2 0

His most impressive work was taking an expansion team and in one short season turning it into a 12-6 regular season in 2015 then that thrilling Eastern Final finish against the Ti-Cats on Burris's deep sideline pass to Ellingson if memory serves me. They won the Grey Cup the following year despite a losing (8-9-1) regular-season record.

The talent he's had to work with prior to this disastrous 2019 season has been much higher on offence than defence (IMO). Guys like Burris and Harris at QB, Sinopoli, Ellingson, Diontae Spencer at receiver, Powell and Madu at RB. Ottawa has also played in a weak division which may have artificially inflated their W-L record.


DH

squishy35 wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 02, 2019 9:42 am

I think Campbell is going to get the freedom to choose the OC that he wants. I hope Hervey has learned to keep his fingers out of the coaching pie.

Well if you believe Hervey, the mistake he made with Claybrooks was not being hands on enough in picking the coordinators.

As I mentioned on another post recently, there are not a lot of good available OCs. I'd be OK with Maas in that role. Talk on 1040 is that Reilly has been trying to convince Maas to come to BC.

Regardless, Jarious has to go. And as much as I love Joe Paopao, no thanks.

The_Pauser wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 02, 2019 9:38 am

JohnnyMusso wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 02, 2019 9:28 am

It is being reported on the CFL site that Campbell has been hired and first reported by Rick Dhaliwal. I am a bit disappointed Lapolice did not get the job and maybe not even an interview. Seems to me Hervey zeroed in on one guy and interviewed no others. This is only a good choice, if Jarious Jackson is fired, but if he returns which I think is likely, Lions will still spin their wheels. We saw how Campbell did in Ottawa with an average OC and maybe Joe Paopao is coming with him.

RT .@DhaliwalSports

The Lions are expected to name Rick Campbell as the new head coach today. #CFL #BCLions

Why would you think they didn’t interview anyone else? It’s been reported that they requested permission to interview Lapolice and Mark Washington.

Yes I heard they received permission to interview Lapolice, but never heard any news that he interviewed, unlike with Campbell. As for Washington, never heard that, but he was never a serious candidate for Lions wanted a guy with HC experience to avoid another Claybrooks. Also Hervey fired Washington so why would he come back and work for him?

I think Lapolice never was interested in the Lions job for Ed Hervey is on unstable ground and likely is next on the firing line in a year or 2 if Lions don't turn it around. And Lions for sale too, so new owners may want their own people in 2 years or so when team sold.

Also in some circles Ed Hervey is viewed with Ottawa's Gm as the worst in the league. I have even heard some people compare him to Kavis Reed and Joe Mack. Maybe unfair, but he does not have a good reputation so I can see Lapolice turning him down.

The latest rumour is Reilly has been on the phone with Jason Maas trying to convince him to come to BC to be their new OC. Is Reilly the new GM? Seems like he has a lot of influence here.

Heard it on TSN 1040.

Campbell speaks: https://www.bclions.com/2019/12/02/that ... tarts-now/

LaPolice wasn't interested in being Wally's successor and declined to be interviewed.

No real reason he wanted to be here this time either, other than being the favorite of an (eventually) outgoing owner.

As long as the coordinating staff is turned over, this was the right call.

That was a boat race. Campbell was introduced at The Lions’ presser. He said he wants to line up his staff soon.