Getty Dan Campbell coaching the Dolphins.
The Detroit Lions have shown up in a big way during the initial OTA session, with near perfect attendance from the players and that is good news for the team and the coaching staff.
Dan Campbell knows that the Lions have to have as many players around as possible to get up to speed with a new playbook, new coaching staff and even their new teammates, so he spoke with the team leadership and explained where the staff was coming from in terms of expectations.
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Lo and behold, the Lions have responded in a big way and Campbell is excited for the future as a result and praised his new team for taking the first leap with him.
As he said speaking before camp:
“I would just say, man, Almost all of them are here. And to me, that sends a message loud and clear that at least they have taken the first step. That tells us as coaches they are committed, this is something they want to do. They chose to be here because it’s voluntary. Getting these guys acclimated, the scheme, to be able to just build relationships. All I can say is this is the first step and these guys were willing to take the first step and that speaks volumes. This leadership and these players, they wanted to do this and they’re here.”
Earlier this offseason, the Lions were one of many teams across the league that had vowed to keep minicamps virtual, but it seems that most players changed their mind
Campbell Still Planning on Injecting Fun Into Work
So how does a coach make the grind of the offseason fun and keep the attention of his players? It’s an easy task if you’re a coaching staff that values hard work as well as fun and has a good way to balance things out. As Campbell explained, the way to help the guys have fun is simply to have them compete against each other and get after it.
He explained:
“We’re just being ourselves. Everybody that I’ve hired here, they know how to demand a lot out of the players, but they also know how to tell them when they’re doing a good job. The trick is always, how do you get them to work when they don’t even realize they’re working? You put them in a competitive environment and man, they can’t help themselves. The juices start flowing. Small competitive things make it fun and guess what, they’re getting work out of it and they’re having fun.”
Working will be important to these Lions given all the changes that have taken place on the roster and all that has to be done in terms of implementing new schemes, but it’s good to see that Campbell hasn’t forgotten the element of fun even as the Lions start working.
Lions Players Showing Up Important This Offseason
Initially, the Lions were one of the teams that looked like a good bet to stay virtual with their offseason workouts. Obviously, there was a bit of a sea change in the minds of most players, who wanted to get back into the building and get going with a new coaching staff. If it seemed like the players were opting out or not wanting to get better on the field, that’s not the complete truth, either. The Lions players who may not show up will be used to virtual work now, and the players can still work to get better on their own for the season. Last year, the Lions didn’t struggle due to the fact that they weren’t in the building in the spring. Obviously, a new staff will want to get their play books in the hands of as many folks as possible.
The biggest challenge for the Lions will be getting that new system and program in with a brand new coach and roster starting from scratch. The good news? The team is at least meeting them halfway at this point in time with a good portion of the roster in attendance.
That is something which Campbell understands and has taken note of. It’s a great start for the new coach and his new roster.