In Anthony Campanile’s early conversations with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defenders, the emphasis has been on building a culture of “honesty and accountability.”
“I mean that for myself, first and foremost,” Campanile said. “I’m going to work my (expletive) off every day. I’m going to come in this building with a passion to win. They can expect that. I’m going to be passionate when I get up in front of them.”
When asked about Campanile during the Pro Bowl games, Packers’ defensive end Rashan Gary mentioned that the No. 1 thing about Campanile is that he “holds people accountable.” Gary added that he just “wants what’s best for you.”
That player and people first mentality is one of the hallmarks of Campanile’s coaching philosophy and is, in part, what he’s going to build his culture on the defensive side of the football around.
“You’re going to be at your best when you’re doing things for people you love. Your objective on a unit is to try and get everybody as close to that as you possible can. If you have an emotional connection to what you’re doing, then you’re better.”
If honesty and accountability are two of the cornerstones under Campanile, the third and fourth are toughness and competitiveness.
Under Campanile, the Jaguars are going to have a culture of “irrational competitors,” as he put it, with a roster of defenders who are “totally irrational” when it comes to winning and losing.
And while his diverse coaching background allows for Campanile to build a flexible defensive system that is multiple, more important than the scheme, is the play-style.
“We’re going to be a run-and-hit defense,” said Campanile. “One thing you’re going to see is guys playing with a passion to not stay blocked.”
As I’m sure you can glean, there is a lot of passion that Campanile brings to a defense, and that element is often quite infectious and can be quite powerful.
“He’s a guy that’s going to get you ready to go, man,” said Gary. “He’s a guy that’s going to really make you focus on the details, and like I said, there’s never going to be a dull day with him.”
