Since Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said he learns the most about himself when times are tough, he probably knows more about himself than he ever has since stepping on a football field.
Cameron suffered through one of the worst seasons in National Football League history last year, as the first-year coach watched his Miami Dolphins finish 1-15.
He didn?t get a second chance, either, as Bill Parcells, the Dolphins executive vice president for football operations, fired him upon his arrival in South Beach.
“Any tough situation you learn a ton,” Cameron said. “When things are going well you can just ride the wave at times and not learn as much. But when you go through a tough season you learn about yourself. This is a hard, tough business. There are no guarantees here in the NFL. The things I?ve learned are too numerous to mention. The Miami experience made me a betterperson and coach and I?ve moved on since then.”
Cameron has moved on ? he was hired by Ravens first-year coach John Harbaugh as offensive coordinator.
But will Cameron be as successful in Baltimore as he was as an offensive coordinator San Diego, where he capped a four-year stint by guiding a unit that scored a league-high 492 points en route to going 14-2?
The Ravens, who begin their training camp on July 21, certainly hope the 47 year old can duplicate his success.
He takes over an offense that ranked 22nd out of 32 teams in total yards per game (302), 24th in scoring offense (17.2) and 23rd in passing yards per game (189.7) last season.
Harbaugh has faith in Cameron, who hired Harbaugh as special teams coordinator coach at Indiana University when he was the head coach of the Hoosiers in 1997.
“I don?t know if anybody?s playbook could be any thicker,” Harbaugh said “What he?s trying to do is to put guys in positions where they can do the things that they do well. At the same time, our guys have to modify from the standpoint that we?re stretching them tremendously. They?re learning a lot at a fast tempo and that?s where they have to keep up.”
Ravens tight end Todd Heap said much of the team?s offseason mini camps have been vital in learning Cameron?s schemes.
“It?s extensive,” said Heap of Cameron?s system. “You?re playing in the NFL. You can?t get overwhelmed by the offensive playbook. Then, what are you going to do out on the field? The best thing you can do is to learn it, study it, and once you get on the practice field, just let it fly.”
For Cameron, the past two years have been a series of highs and lows that has put a lot of strain on his wife and four children, who have moved from San Diego to Miami to Baltimore.
“As coaches, we get to move and enjoy the football part of it,” Cameron said. “It?s a lot harder on the wives and children. You?ve got to factor that in, which makes it nice when your family can embrace it.”
But Cameron said his teenage son Tommy put the family?s journey across the country into perspective.
“[Tommy] said as long as we?re together as a family, I?m fine with moving,” Cameron said. “Realistically, he told me ?We?ve moved, but with your job we?ve never had to worry about you coming home at the end of the day.?”
