Dave Campo
Encyclopedia
Dave Campo is an American football
coach, a former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys
, and currently secondary coach with the Cowboys.
, where he lettered in football and baseball.
. Of more than 50 such degrees awarded by CCSU, Campo's remains the only one titled Doctor of Health and Physical Education.
(1974); Pitt
(1975); Washington State
(1976); Boise State
(1977–79); Oregon State
(1980); Weber State
(1981–82); Iowa State
(1983); and Syracuse
(1984–86).
In 1987, Campo joined the University of Miami
staff under head coach Jimmy Johnson
as secondary coach. At Miami, he helped the Hurricanes to a two-year record of 23–1 and the 1987 National Championship. Safety Bennie Blades
was the 1987 Thorpe Award winner before being selected with the third pick in the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions
.
After two seasons with the Hurricanes, Campo followed Johnson to the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 as assistant secondary coach. After Dick Nolan (a Landry holdover) left following the 1989 season, Campo became the secondary coach and was a part of two Super Bowl championships as secondary coach (the 1992 and 1993 seasons). When Butch Davis
left the Cowboys to become the Miami Hurricanes' head coach after the 1994 season, Campo was promoted to defensive coordinator
. In his first season as defensive coordinator, the Cowboys won the super bowl. After five seasons as defensive coordinator, Campo was named as the fifth head coach of the Cowboys on January 26, 2000.
in the season opener. Later in the game, the Cowboys lost Joey Galloway
, their prize off-season free agent acquisition, for the season and quarterback Troy Aikman
for several games with a concussion. The Cowboys lost to the Eagles 41–14 and ultimately finished the season at 5–11.
With considerably lower expectations for the 2001 season after Aikman's retirement, the Cowboys again finished 5–11, but Campo was given credit by many for getting the most out of a less talented team. However, Campo was harshly criticized after a Thanksgiving Day game against the Denver Broncos
when, trailing 26–10 early in the fourth quarter, Dallas scored a touchdown to make the score 26–16. Campo at first decided to go for two which would narrow the lead to 8 points (a one possession game) but after a timeout decided to kick the extra point leaving Dallas down by 9 points and needing two possessions rather than one. Dallas was only able to score one more touchdown and lost 26–24.
In 2002, Dallas was believed to have much better talent, having acquired all pro defensive lineman La'Roi Glover
and drafting talents such as safety Roy Williams and receiver Antonio Bryant
, and a now-more experienced starting quarterback in Quincy Carter
. The team was featured on HBO's Hard Knocks in the pre-season and Campo's leadership on that show was widely praised. However, the Cowboys stumbled in the season opener losing to the expansion Houston Texans
in the Texans' very first game. Dallas entered week 13 with a 5–7 record and led the San Francisco 49ers
27–24 with about 2 minutes to play. Facing a fourth and one at the 30-yard line, Campo opted for a field goal attempt even though there was a considerable amount of time left in the game. The attempt failed and taking over at the 30, the 49ers drove down the field to win the game. Campo's team was blown out the next two games and finished the season 5-11 again, after which he was fired. To date, he is the only Cowboys head coach to have never posted a winning season or coached a playoff game. He was often seen on the sideline with his hands on his hips and screaming at refs and other players. This came to be known as 'Campo Livid.'
After his dismissal from the Cowboys, Campo was hired as defensive coordinator by Cleveland Browns
head coach Butch Davis
, Campo's predecessor as Cowboys defensive coordinator. After Davis resigned from the Browns, his successor Romeo Crennel
decided not to keep Campo on the coaching staff. Campo then joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as Assistant Head Coach and Secondary Coach. In January 2008, Campo was re-hired by the Cowboys as their secondary coach.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach, a former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, and currently secondary coach with the Cowboys.
High school years
Campo attended Robert E. Fitch High School in Groton, ConnecticutGroton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
, where he lettered in football and baseball.
College years
Campo attended Central Connecticut State, where he lettered football and baseball. In football, he played defensive back. In baseball, he played shortstop and was a two-time All-East selection. In 1999, Campo was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from his alma materCommencement at CCSU
Central Connecticut State University's annual Commencement Exercises are held each May at the XL Center in Hartford. In most years, a separate graduation ceremony for recipients of advanced degrees is held on campus at Herbert D. Welte Hall....
. Of more than 50 such degrees awarded by CCSU, Campo's remains the only one titled Doctor of Health and Physical Education.
Coaching career
Campo began his coaching career in 1971 at his alma mater, coaching two seasons followed by stints at Albany (1973); BridgeportUniversity of Bridgeport
The University of Bridgeport is a private, independent, non-sectarian, coeducational university located on the Long Island Sound in the South End neighborhood of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The University is fully Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges...
(1974); Pitt
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
(1975); Washington State
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
(1976); Boise State
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
(1977–79); Oregon State
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
(1980); Weber State
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
(1981–82); Iowa State
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
(1983); and Syracuse
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
(1984–86).
In 1987, Campo joined the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
staff under head coach Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
as secondary coach. At Miami, he helped the Hurricanes to a two-year record of 23–1 and the 1987 National Championship. Safety Bennie Blades
Bennie Blades
Horatio Benedict "Bennie" Blades Sr. is a former American football cornerback and safety in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-University of Miami:...
was the 1987 Thorpe Award winner before being selected with the third pick in the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
After two seasons with the Hurricanes, Campo followed Johnson to the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 as assistant secondary coach. After Dick Nolan (a Landry holdover) left following the 1989 season, Campo became the secondary coach and was a part of two Super Bowl championships as secondary coach (the 1992 and 1993 seasons). When Butch Davis
Butch Davis
Paul Hilton "Butch" Davis, Jr. is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He was the head coach at the University of Miami from 1995 to 2000, the Cleveland Browns of the NFL from 2001 to 2004, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2007 to 2011.-Early...
left the Cowboys to become the Miami Hurricanes' head coach after the 1994 season, Campo was promoted to defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. In his first season as defensive coordinator, the Cowboys won the super bowl. After five seasons as defensive coordinator, Campo was named as the fifth head coach of the Cowboys on January 26, 2000.
Dallas head coach
Campo's head coaching debut was marred by a successfully executed, surprise on-side kick on the opening kickoff by the underdog Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the season opener. Later in the game, the Cowboys lost Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
, their prize off-season free agent acquisition, for the season and quarterback Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
for several games with a concussion. The Cowboys lost to the Eagles 41–14 and ultimately finished the season at 5–11.
With considerably lower expectations for the 2001 season after Aikman's retirement, the Cowboys again finished 5–11, but Campo was given credit by many for getting the most out of a less talented team. However, Campo was harshly criticized after a Thanksgiving Day game against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
when, trailing 26–10 early in the fourth quarter, Dallas scored a touchdown to make the score 26–16. Campo at first decided to go for two which would narrow the lead to 8 points (a one possession game) but after a timeout decided to kick the extra point leaving Dallas down by 9 points and needing two possessions rather than one. Dallas was only able to score one more touchdown and lost 26–24.
In 2002, Dallas was believed to have much better talent, having acquired all pro defensive lineman La'Roi Glover
La'Roi Glover
La'Roi Damon Glover ; born July 4, 1974) is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League who ended his career with the St. Louis Rams. Glover retired from the NFL on June 22, 2009...
and drafting talents such as safety Roy Williams and receiver Antonio Bryant
Antonio Bryant
Antonio Bryant is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
, and a now-more experienced starting quarterback in Quincy Carter
Quincy Carter
Lavonya Quintelle "Quincy" Carter is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys...
. The team was featured on HBO's Hard Knocks in the pre-season and Campo's leadership on that show was widely praised. However, the Cowboys stumbled in the season opener losing to the expansion Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the Texans' very first game. Dallas entered week 13 with a 5–7 record and led the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
27–24 with about 2 minutes to play. Facing a fourth and one at the 30-yard line, Campo opted for a field goal attempt even though there was a considerable amount of time left in the game. The attempt failed and taking over at the 30, the 49ers drove down the field to win the game. Campo's team was blown out the next two games and finished the season 5-11 again, after which he was fired. To date, he is the only Cowboys head coach to have never posted a winning season or coached a playoff game. He was often seen on the sideline with his hands on his hips and screaming at refs and other players. This came to be known as 'Campo Livid.'
After his dismissal from the Cowboys, Campo was hired as defensive coordinator by Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach Butch Davis
Butch Davis
Paul Hilton "Butch" Davis, Jr. is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He was the head coach at the University of Miami from 1995 to 2000, the Cleveland Browns of the NFL from 2001 to 2004, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2007 to 2011.-Early...
, Campo's predecessor as Cowboys defensive coordinator. After Davis resigned from the Browns, his successor Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and current defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. Before becoming the head coach of the Browns, Crennel won three Super Bowls in four seasons as the defensive coordinator of the New England...
decided not to keep Campo on the coaching staff. Campo then joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as Assistant Head Coach and Secondary Coach. In January 2008, Campo was re-hired by the Cowboys as their secondary coach.