(Vancouver) The British Columbia Lions have fired head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
Posted at 12:53 p.m.
Gemma Karstens-Smith The Canadian Press
The Lions also named co-general manager Neil McEvoy to vice president of football operations and promoted assistant general manager Ryan Rigmaiden to general manager.
The British Columbia team confirmed the information on Wednesday, with president Duane Vienneau declaring in a press release that Campbell had allowed the club to return “to respectability and to be in the game.”
Campbell’s departure comes a season after the Lions began the campaign with a 5-1 record, before losing five straight games and finishing the year at 9-9. They made the CFL playoffs, but lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Western Semi-Finals.
Campbell, who is 53 years old, joined the Lions in December 2019 after six seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks, including the 2016 season during which the club from the federal capital won the Gray Cup.
He and McEvoy had been co-general managers since the start of the 2021 season, after former general manager Ed Hervey resigned.
The team went 38-30 in the regular season and 2-3 in the playoffs in four seasons under Campbell.
After the Lions were eliminated in the playoffs earlier this fall, Campbell told reporters that every position within the organization would be the subject of an analysis.
“There will be many decisions to make,” he said. I believe there are several good elements within this organization. The foundations are good. However, we will need to think carefully about departures and additions of personnel to ensure that the club progresses. »
Question 1: To start off, can you please introduce yourselves and give a brief overview of your roles within the British Columbia Lions organization?
Guest 1: Hello, I’m Neil McEvoy, newly promoted Vice President of Football Operations for the British Columbia Lions. My primary responsibility is to oversee all football-related matters within the organization, including player personnel, coaching staff, and game-day operations.
Guest 2: Hello, I’m Ryan Rigmaiden, the new General Manager of the British Columbia Lions. My role is to manage the football operations side of things, working closely with Neil to ensure we’re making the best decisions for the team moving forward.
Question 2: As the newly appointed Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager, what were your initial thoughts upon hearing about Rick Campbell’s departure from the team?
Guest 1: I have to say, it was a surprise to me when I heard the news. I’ve worked closely with Rick for several years now, and he’s brought a lot of great energy and passion to the club. However, we understand that the team needs to make changes to continue improving and moving forward.
Guest 2: I completely agree with Neil. Rick is a great coach, and I think he did a lot for this organization during his time here. However, we need to focus on the future and find a coach who can take us to the next level. We believe that the changes we’ve made will help us achieve that goal.
Question 3: What factors led to the decision to fire Rick Campbell and promote you both to your new positions?
Guest 1: Well, as you mentioned, we had a solid season last year, but we also had some areas where we struggled. The playoffs were disappointing for us, and we felt that a change was needed to push the team towards consistent success. We both have a lot of experience in football operations and have worked well together in the past, so it made sense to promote from within the organization.
Guest 2: Additionally, we wanted to ensure continuity in our approach and culture within the team. While we acknowledge the need for change, we believe that maintaining familiarity with our systems and values will be beneficial for our players and staff.
Question 4: How do you plan to use
