Making sure his players maintain their confidence.
That含羞草研究社檚 the biggest challenge facing B.C. Lions Head Coach Rick Campbell as he tries to get his football team back on track after five consecutive losses.
The most recent defeat was Saturday in Ottawa, where the Redblacks beat the Lions 34-27 in a game which B.C. led 17-12 at halftime but couldn含羞草研究社檛 finish.
含羞草研究社淚 think their spirits are good but it will test your confidence when you don含羞草研究社檛 have success in a while. That含羞草研究社檚 when you含羞草研究社檙e at risk of losing your confidence. I just want to make sure they don含羞草研究社檛 lose their confidence or their belief because the way we got to where we are, it含羞草研究社檚 a five-game winning streak and a five-game losing streak. It含羞草研究社檚 not like kind of bouncing back and forth between wins. So that含羞草研究社檚 the biggest thing,含羞草研究社� explained Campbell during a Monday morning interview at the Lions Surrey practice facility.
Even though B.C. lost in Ottawa, Campbell saw some positive signs in the game.
含羞草研究社淲e played like a team that can compete with anyone we play. I would say we played more like ourselves. And if we do that, we含羞草研究社檙e going to win some games coming down the home stretch. The reality is we are right in the mix with everybody else with seven games to go, so there含羞草研究社檚 a lot of reasons to want to keep going. We含羞草研究社檙e right there,含羞草研究社� said Campbell, whose team is part of the logjam in the CFL含羞草研究社檚 West Division.
B.C. (5-6) is tied for second in the West with Winnipeg (5-6) with both teams trailing first-place Saskatchewan (5-5-1) with Calgary (4-6) and Edmonton (3-8) also in the mix.
There really isn含羞草研究社檛 much to choose from any of the teams in the West, or the CFL for that matter.
The 2024 season has been extremely competitive with 27 of the first 48 games being decided by one score or less. This past weekend saw all four games decided by a combined 15 points 含羞草研究社� or 3.75 points per game.
Campbell is known as a head coach who maintains an even-keel approach throughout the season. He doesn含羞草研究社檛 get too high after the wins nor too low after the losses and asks his coaches and players to do the same. A five-game losing skid could test that resolve but he sees too much talent on this team for it to be an issue.
含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 have to do too big of a sell job. There are times when you含羞草研究社檙e on teams that aren含羞草研究社檛 quite good enough and you have to really try to get them to rally every week and keep fighting. We need to rally and keep fighting, but we含羞草研究社檙e a good enough team, and I don含羞草研究社檛 think I have to sell people on that. We含羞草研究社檙e the same team that won five games. The proof is already there - they know the potential is there 含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 something that I talked about after the last game,含羞草研究社� said Campbell.
Campbell is confident in his team含羞草研究社檚 character and believes it will make a difference.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 not like we含羞草研究社檝e never won. We have good coaches and good players that are solid people. And in my experience, if you have some character and some toughness about you, then you含羞草研究社檒l ride through the ups and downs of the season. So that含羞草研究社檚 what gives me hope - that we have pretty high character people. In my experience, that usually helps you out at the end of the day,含羞草研究社� said Campbell.
One point that stuck with me from the approach Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet had last year was that he preached that his players needed to get used to playing in pressure situations and to be confident in those type of games.
It含羞草研究社檚 something that I brought up with Campbell.
含羞草研究社淚 think when you haven含羞草研究社檛 had success in a while 含羞草研究社� which we haven含羞草研究社檛 含羞草研究社� maybe you question that but it含羞草研究社檚 going to be tight. I actually have said that from the start 含羞草研究社� even when we were winning games,含羞草研究社� noted Campbell.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e always said that it always comes down to the end and we had that knack to make plays. That was why we were 5-1 because we were the team making plays late in the game when it was close. And that含羞草研究社檚 the reality of the CFL this year. You can look at the game between Edmonton and Montreal (on Sunday). It came down to the last play of the game. You can easily argue that Montreal is the best team in the league and what含羞草研究社檚 Edmonton? 3-8? It came down to the last play of the game, so you better embrace those close games because that含羞草研究社檚 just the reality.
含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 the way the league is this season.含羞草研究社�
When it comes to the West, it含羞草研究社檚 entirely possible a team wins three or four games in a row, gets into the playoffs with 8 or 9 wins, and then continues that run into the post-season. Getting on a heater in October will probably punch your ticket to the Grey Cup.
If you want an example of that, all you have to do is look at last year含羞草研究社檚 Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes. The Als were below .500 in mid-September, sitting at 6-7, before going on a five-game win streak to end the regular season.
含羞草研究社淚 think you can argue that any team is still in it. Hamilton is up against it just from a win-loss scenario in the Eastern standings but they played Winnipeg tough last game. You can argue any team has a chance to do it and that含羞草研究社檚 what I see,含羞草研究社� said Campbell.
There is an old adage in sports 含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 not how you start, it含羞草研究社檚 how you finish 含羞草研究社� and you can probably apply that to the CFL this year.
That being said, Campbell hopes that his team is playing their best football at that time.
Time will tell if they are but first there is the matter of snapping this skid.
OVERTIME
* Campbell doubts that injured quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. (knee) will play in the rematch against Ottawa this Saturday in Victoria. 含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 think he含羞草研究社檚 100% in talking to him today. He含羞草研究社檚 definitely getting very, very close, and we含羞草研究社檙e going to see if he can practice this week. But he含羞草研究社檚 not going to be an option until he is 100% and feeling good. There含羞草研究社檚 no reason to throw him in there until he含羞草研究社檚 feeling totally good. I含羞草研究社檓 hoping that he practices this week and we含羞草研究社檒l see how that goes,含羞草研究社� explained Campbell.
* Touchdown Pacific celebrations kickoff midweek which means the Lions will fly out after practice on Wednesday in preparation for the game against Ottawa (Saturday 4 p.m.; 980 CKNW, TSN) at Royal Athletic Park while the Redblacks arrive in Victoria on Thursday.
* Kicker Sean Whyte含羞草研究社檚 consecutive field goal streak was snapped at 47 when Ottawa含羞草研究社檚 Jovan Santos-Knox blocked a 37-yard attempt on the first play of the second quarter in Saturday含羞草研究社檚 game.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 含羞草研究社渢he Moj含羞草研究社� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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