Rick Campbell

Rick Campbell
Ottawa Redblacks
Date of birth (1970-12-20) December 20, 1970
Place of birth Spokane, Washington
Career information
Position(s) Head coach
College University of Oregon
High school Harry Ainlay High School
Career history
As coach
1996–1998 Oregon
Graduate assistant
1999–2004 Edmonton Eskimos
Defensive backs / special teams coordinator
2005–2008 Edmonton Eskimos
Defensive coordinator
2009 Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Defensive backs / special teams coordinator
2010 Calgary Stampeders
Running backs coach
2011 Edmonton Eskimos
Ass. head coach / special teams coordinator
2012–2013 Calgary Stampeders
Defensive coordinator
2014–present Ottawa Redblacks
Head coach
Career highlights and awards
Awards 3× Grey Cup champion (2003, 2005, 2016)
2015 Annis Stukus Trophy

Richard Campbell (born December 20, 1970) is the head coach for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League. He was the Calgary Stampeders' defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2013 and was also an assistant coach with the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He is a three-time Grey Cup champion, once as the special teams coordinator with the Eskimos in 2003, again with the Eskimos as the defensive coordinator in 2005,[1] and once as the head coach of the Ottawa RedBlacks[2] in 2016. He attended Washington State University.[3]

Early life

Campbell was born in Spokane, when his father, Hugh was the head coach of the football team at Whitworth College.[4] As a result of his father's coaching career, Campbell grew up in Spokane, Edmonton, Los Angeles and Houston, before returning to Edmonton. Campbell was a high school football star at Harry Ainlay High School.[5] Following his high school graduation, Campbell attended the University of Oregon, majoring in education before serving as the secondary and special teams coach for the Ducks as a graduate assistant from 1996 to 1998.[6]

Edmonton Eskimos

Campbell was highly sought after as a coaching prospect, following his stint at the University of Oregon. When Kay Stephenson, the team's head coach at the time, asked his father Hugh for permission, he was denied. Upon being asked by Don Matthews to appoint him to the coaching staff, fearing a backlash in the media, the elder Campbell reluctantly agreed.[7] Campbell served as the team's special teams and defensive coach under both Don Matthews and Tom Higgins, earning a Grey Cup ring in 2003. Campbell served in those capacities until 2004, when he was promoted to defensive coordinator, under new head coach Danny Maciocia. Campbell earned his second Grey Cup ring in 2005, and stayed on in that position until 2008.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Shortly after Hall's hiring, Campbell left the Eskimos, and was appointed the defensive backs and special teams coordinator under new Bombers head coach Mike Kelly.[8] The Bombers campaign was a disaster as the team finished the season at 7-11,[9] and Kelly was fired in the off-season due to personal conduct issues. Campbell would resign from his post shortly after Kelly's dismissal.

Calgary Stampeders and return to Edmonton

Following his departure from Winnipeg, Campbell returned to Alberta, but this time with the provincial rival Calgary Stampeders.[10] Campbell served as the running backs coach, under John Hufnagel. Campbell resigned at the end of the season to serve as the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Eskimos under new head coach, Kavis Reed.[11]

Campbell's return to the Eskimos lasted only one season, as he returned to Calgary to replace Chris Jones, who left the Stamps that off-season to accept the same position with the Toronto Argonauts.[12] Under Campbell's tutelage, the Stamps recorded 63 sacks, en route to the league's best record for two consecutive seasons. The Stamps defense under Campbell were known for their aggressive style of play, leading the league in turnovers on downs and second in fewest points allowed.

Campbell's work with the Stampeders led him to being considered as a prime candidate for various coaching vacancies around the league.

Ottawa Redblacks

Campbell got his first opportunity to become a head coach, as he was named the first head coach in the history of the Ottawa Redblacks franchise.[13] Campbell returned to his hometown for the first time as a CFL head coach on July 11, 2014 when the Redblacks played the Eskimos.[14] The Eskimos would go on to defeat the Redblacks 27-11 in that game.[15] Campbell won his first game as a CFL head coach on July 17, 2014 when the Redblacks defeated the Toronto Argonauts, 18-17.[16] Despite the initial momentum, Campbell's team finished their inaugural season at 2-16, which was the worst record in the CFL.

Campbell's second season saw a vast improvement as the Redblacks went from 2-16 in their inaugural season to a 12-6 record, which included clinching the franchise's first ever playoff berth. The Redblacks would also clinch a first round bye and home field advantage in the CFL East Division Finals. Under Campbell's tutelage, the Redblacks became the first Ottawa-based CFL team to have a winning record since 1979, along with being the first Ottawa-based CFL team to finish first in the East Division since 1978 and the first Ottawa-based team ever to finish with 12 regular season wins. Campbell won the Annis Stukus Trophy as the CFL's Coach of the Year on November 26, 2015. This special occasion also marked the first time in CFL history that both a father and son each won the award.[17] Campbell guided the Redblacks to the 103rd Grey Cup game, in which the team fell 26-20 to the Edmonton Eskimos.

Campbell's third season saw the team regress to an 8-9-1 record, but earned a dubious distinction of being the first division champion to win with a sub .500 record. Campbell guided the Redblacks franchise to their first Grey Cup championship, defeating the Calgary Stampeders 39-33 in overtime in the 104th Grey Cup. The victory was the first by an Ottawa franchise since the Ottawa Rough Riders won in 1976.

CFL Coaching Record

Team Year Regular season Post season
WonLostTiesWin %Finish Won Lost Result
OTT2014 2160.111 4th in East Division - - Failed to Qualify
OTT2015 1260.666 1st in East Division 11Lost 103rd Grey Cup
OTT2016 891.475 1st in East Division 20Won 104th Grey Cup
Total 22321.3892 Division
Championships		 3 1 1 Grey Cup

Personal

Campbell and his wife Jeri moved to Ottawa, shortly after his appointment as the Redblacks head coach.[18] Despite spending the majority of his life in Canada, Campbell became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 2011.

References

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