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Lions fire head coach Rick Campbell as part of sweeping off-field changes

Assistant general manager Ryan Rigmaiden has been promoted to general manager
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B.C. Lions co-general manager and head coach Rick Campbell speaks during the CFL football team香蕉视频直播檚 end of season media availability, at their practice facility in Surrey, B.C., Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Change swept through the B.C. Lions on Wednesday as the club fired head coach and co-general manner Rick Campbell.

The team香蕉视频直播檚 new GM says there are more moves to come.

香蕉视频直播淎cross the board in this building, we all have to chase greatness harder,香蕉视频直播 said Ryan Rigmaiden, who was elevated from assistant general manager to general manager.

香蕉视频直播淔rom the equipment staff on up, everybody in this building, we all have to raise the bar. I believe that starts with the head coach, with that message.香蕉视频直播

In addition to firing Campbell and promoting Rigmaiden, the Lions named former co-general manager Neil McEvoy vice-president of football operations.

The changes follow a season where the Lions started 5-1, then lost five straight games and finished with a 9-9 record. B.C. made the playoffs, but lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the western conference semifinal.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a lack of mental toughness on this team. And I think internally, we香蕉视频直播檝e all been discussing that for the last year,香蕉视频直播 Rigmaiden said. 香蕉视频直播淚nstilling a new head coach with some different ideas and different values, I think, is going to be the biggest part of (changing) that.香蕉视频直播

Lions president Duane Vienneau acknowledged that ousting a head coach after making the playoffs may seem odd to some onlookers.

香蕉视频直播淲e just felt that we have the player personnel here at this club and we maybe didn香蕉视频直播檛 perform to our potential like we should have,香蕉视频直播 Vienneau said.

香蕉视频直播淲e asked ourselves the reasons why. And sometimes when you香蕉视频直播檙e not performing the way you should be performing when you feel you have the right players in the room, you need to make a change to get to that next level. And that香蕉视频直播檚 the main reason why we did it.香蕉视频直播

Campbell, 53, joined the Lions in December 2019 following six seasons with the Redblacks, including the 2016 campaign where Ottawa won the Grey Cup.

He and McEvoy were made co-general managers ahead of the 2021 season after former GM Ed Hervey stepped down. Hervey was named general manager of the Edmonton Elks on Tuesday.

The COVID-19 pandemic postponed Campbell香蕉视频直播檚 first game with B.C. until 2021. The team went 38-30 record in regular-season play and 2-3 in playoff appearances over his four seasons at the helm.

He previously held coaching roles with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos before joining the Redblacks in 2014.

The hunt for a new head coach will begin 香蕉视频直播渋mmediately,香蕉视频直播 Rigmaiden said.

B.C. plans to interview eight to 10 candidates, including Lions offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic and defensive coordinator Ryan Phillips.

香蕉视频直播淭here are several coaches that are currently unemployed that we香蕉视频直播檙e going to talk to, there are several here internally that we香蕉视频直播檙e going to interview as well,香蕉视频直播 Rigmaiden said, adding that the team will also ask to speak with other coaches currently employed by CFL teams around the league.

Asked what he was looking for in a new bench boss, Rigmaiden spoke of three key traits.

香蕉视频直播淟eadership, accountability and toughness,香蕉视频直播 he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 think that香蕉视频直播檚 essential for every head coach no matter what sport you香蕉视频直播檙e talking about. So that香蕉视频直播檚 going to be something we香蕉视频直播檙e going to emphasize.香蕉视频直播

Campbell faced the unique situation of juggling two starting quarterbacks last season.

B.C. started the campaign with Vernon Adams Jr., but the 31-year-old American suffered a knee injury in early August. While he was hurt, the Lions inked Canadian star Nathan Rourke to a deal as he made his return to the CFL after two years in the NFL.

Campbell said he香蕉视频直播檇 rely on Rourke to close out the year even after Adams returned, but Rourke struggled and the head coach went back to Adams for the final regular-season game and the playoffs.

The quarterback situation was 香蕉视频直播渁n interesting challenge,香蕉视频直播 Vienneau said, but the way it was handled didn香蕉视频直播檛 prompt the coaching change.

香蕉视频直播淎t the end of the day, it really came down to 香蕉视频直播楧id we achieve what we wanted to achieve this year on the field with our record of performance?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 he said.

The Lions next head coach won香蕉视频直播檛 face the same dilemma.

Rigmaiden said Wednesday that B.C. plans to deal Adams to another CFL team and rely on Rourke going forward.

香蕉视频直播淚 think everybody香蕉视频直播檚 looking for a starting quarterback with (Adams香蕉视频直播) skill set. I would guess right out of the gate that two or three teams are interested,香蕉视频直播 he said. 香蕉视频直播淎nybody who isn香蕉视频直播檛 firm on quarterback is going to, I think, at least want to have a conversation.香蕉视频直播





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