Cam Cameron

Cam Cameron
Date of birth February 6, 1961 (1961-02-06) (age 51)
Place of birth Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Position(s) Offensive Coordinator
College Indiana
Coaching stats Pro Football Reference
1983–84

1985–93

1994–96

1997–2001

2002–06

2007

2008–present
University of Michigan
(graduate assistant)
University of Michigan
(WRs and QBs)
Washington Redskins
(quarterbacks)
Indiana University
(head coach)
San Diego Chargers
(offensive coordinator)
Miami Dolphins
(head coach)
Baltimore Ravens
(offensive coordinator)

Malcolm "Cam" Cameron (born February 6, 1961) is an American football coach. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. He was previously head coach of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League, offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers, and head coach at Indiana University. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced Cameron as the new offensive coordinator on January 23, 2008.

Contents

Early years and education

Cameron was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A multi-sport athlete, Cameron was an All-American quarterback at Terre Haute South Vigo High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. He won the 1979 Trester Award for mental attitude as a guard on the high school basketball team which went to the state finals three years in a row. He played football and basketball at Indiana University under coaches Lee Corso and Bob Knight, respectively, until a knee injury ended his playing career. As an undergraduate he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He graduated from Indiana in 1983 with a degree in business.

Coaching career beginnings

Cameron spent the first ten years of his career at the University of Michigan, where he learned from long-time Wolverine coach Bo Schembechler. After two years as a graduate assistant, he became Michigan's youngest assistant and was responsible for tutoring quarterbacks and receivers (WRs 1986-1989, WRs/QBs 1990-1993). He coached many future NFL players, including Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Todd Collins, Amani Toomer, Derrick Alexander and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard.[1] Cameron served as an assistant at Michigan alongside future head coaches Lloyd Carr, Gary Moeller, Les Miles, and Mike DeBord. His fellow graduate assistant was Mike Trgovac, who is currently the defensive line coach of the Green Bay Packers, after serving six years as the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers.

Professional coaching beginnings

Cameron was the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Redskins between 1994 and 1996. He is credited with guiding quarterback Gus Frerotte to his only Pro Bowl appearance in 1997, and also played a key role in the development of Pro Bowl quarterback Trent Green.[2]

Return to Indiana

Cameron returned to his alma mater to serve as the head coach for Indiana University in 1996, a position he held through 2001 where he won less than one-third of his games with a record of 18-37. His teams only won 12 games in Big Ten play. They were also usually short on talent; during his first year several players were forced to go both ways.

During 2001, Cameron coached quarterback Antwaan Randle El who was named a 2001 first-team All-American and the Hoosiers averaged 435.3 yards per game.

Back to the NFL

San Diego Chargers

From 2002-2006, he served as the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. In 2004, San Diego scored 446 points, third-highest in the NFL that year and the third-most in team history. Following the 2004 campaign, Sports Illustrated named Cameron its Offensive Assistant of the Year. In 2005, the Chargers averaged 26.1 points per game - good for fifth in the NFL in that category. In 2006, the Chargers offense amassed a team-record 494 points while paving the way for league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson to break the single-season touchdown record. In addition to Tomlinson, Cameron had the opportunity to work with Pro Bowl quarterbacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers, as well as All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates in San Diego.

Miami Dolphins

Cameron was interviewed for a number of head coaching jobs, including the Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams vacancies following the 2005 season but was not hired. Cameron also interviewed for the head coaching jobs with the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons in January 2007 but Miami was the only club that made an offer.

His 2007 Dolphins lost 13 consecutive games to start the season, before beating the Baltimore Ravens in overtime on December 16 for their first and only win. The Dolphins ended the 2007 season in last place in the AFC East with a 1-15 record, the worst record in the NFL that year and the worst in the team's 40-year history.[3][4] On January 3, 2008, newly hired general manager Jeff Ireland announced Cameron had been fired along with most of his staff.[5]

Baltimore Ravens

On January 23, 2008 Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced Cam Cameron as the Ravens’ new offensive coordinator.[6] Early in the season Cameron worked with Harbaugh to institute the "Suggs package," a two quarterback offense featuring Joe Flacco and Troy Smith. Coincidentally, Cameron received his only NFL head coaching win against the Ravens in 2007. He has recently come under severe scrutiny from Baltimore fans for his conservative play calling.

Personal

Cameron currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland with Missy, his wife, and four children, one of whom, Tom, is a star Lincoln Douglas debater at Loyola Blakefield. Cameron credits his stepfather, Tom Harp, an assistant under Earl Blaik at the U.S. Military Academy and former head football coach at Cornell, Duke and Indiana State, as being the earliest and most important influence on his desire to get into coaching.

Head coaching record

College

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Indiana Hoosiers (Big Ten Conference) (1997–2001)
1997 Indiana 2–9 1–7 T–9th
1998 Indiana 4–7 2–6 T–7th
1999 Indiana 4–7 3–5 T–8th
2000 Indiana 3–8 2–6 T–9th
2001 Indiana 5–6 4–4 T–4th
Indiana: 18–37 12–28
Total: 18–37

References

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Norv Turner
San Diego Chargers Offensive Coordinator
2002–2006
Succeeded by
Clarence Shelmon
Preceded by
Rick Neuheisel
Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator
2008–present
Succeeded by
Incumbent