Volume 124 Issue 78
kansan.com
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Thursday, January 19, 2012
COMMENTARY
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Edited by Pat Strathman
Seasoned coach to coordinate Jayhawk defense
NFL and learning pro-style sentences in college makes the transition easier.
A new vibe is surrounding Kansas football. This has arguably been the biggest offseason in Kansas football history, and fans are excited for the Weis era to commence. The college football community can now pay heed to Kansas Jayhawks football.
However, with Weis at the helm, Kansas football is now on the radar. The program may not have immediate success, but recruits and transfers will now consider Kansas because Weis knows how to develop players into NFL prospects.
College football teams filled with highly talented and skilled players with pro prospects usually make frequent trips to bowl games. Kansas has never had that consistency because it has lacked players with pro prospects. Football recruits are eager to play for schools that pride themselves in football because they don't want to be in the shadow of basketball players.
ETHAN PADWAY
epadway@kansan.com
twitter.com/UDK_B12Fball
It took Kansas football coach Charlie Weis over a month, but after hiring Dave Campo, he now has the coach in charge of turning around the unit that finished last in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total yards allowed and scoring defense.
"I was looking for a concept and once I saw somebody I knew and that I could trust, that fit that concept," Weis said. "I knew it would be right."
Campo comes to the Jayhawks after spending the previous 23 seasons at the professional level, including the last four as the secondary coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
to return to the college ranks instead of taking an upper level organizational role under Cowboys' owner and General Manager jerry Jones.
Weis convinced Campo
Campo
"I knew that Jerry would want
that to be involved in the organization in some capacity, which he had the opportunity to do that." Weis said. "So I said, 'Dave, you don't want
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to do that. you
This is the second time Campo has left the Cowboys organization. The first time came after he was fired after three seasons as
not ready to do that.' He said,
'You're right, I'm not ready to be
done coaching yet.'
In his time with the Cowboys, Campo won three Super Bowls and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1995 before his unsuccessful tenure as head coach. Campo spent stints on the coaching staffs of the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars before returning to the Cowboys in 2008.
coach following in 2002.
Campo initially joined the Cowboys as the secondary coach in 1989, following Jimnie Johnson from the Miami Hurricanes, where they were the 1987 National Champions.
"I wanted somebody that speaks the same language as me," Weis said. "He certainly speaks the same language as me. He's significantly older than me, obviously. We speak the same language, we've known each other
DARREN WOODSON: 4-time all-pro selection, 5-time pro-bowl selection under Campo. Campo converted Woodson from linebacker to safety in the NFL.
TERENCE NEWMAN: 2009 pro-bowl selection under Campo. Recorded his best statistical season in 2010 with 77 tackles and 5 interceptions in 2010, both career highs.
BENNIE BLADES: 1987 Jim Thor奖warrior winner as nation's top defensive back under Campo. College Football Hall of Fame member.
NOTABLE PLAYERS UNDER CAMPO
RASHEAN MATHIS. Had his best season under Campo in 2006 when he was named to the all-pro team, selected to the pro-bowl, tied for third in the NFL with eight interceptions.
DEION SANDERS: 4-time pro-bowl selection under Campo. 4-time all-pro
selection under Campo.
for a long time, we have a mutual respect."
In addition to his duties as defensive coordinator, Campo will also be in charge of the defensive secondary, where he
will try and improve a unit that finished the season ranked 110th in the nation in pass defense.
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Edited by Amanda Gage