Defensive back deals with highs and lows of CFL player’s career
As a CFL player, Tevaughn Campbell knows he has to take the good with the bad.
He did both Saturday during the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 19-14 loss to the Montreal Alouettes at Mosaic Stadium.
The former University of Regina Rams defensive back (and U of R Cougars sprinter) recorded the first interception of his CFL career, but also dropped a sure pick. He had two pass knock-downs, but also missed a couple of tackles on Als slotback Nik Lewis.
Yet Campbell let it all go like water off a DB’s back.
“At a young age, you’re taught as a defensive back to have a short memory,” Campbell said. “Everything that happened in the game at every moment, I just forgot about it and went on to the next play.”
The 23-year-old product of Scarborough, Ont., started in Saskatchewan’s secondary Saturday due to an injury to Justin Cox.
Campbell’s first chance to make a big impact came when Montreal quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., overthrew a receiver. The ball hit Campbell right in the hands but skidded through.
He made up for that drop in the third quarter, fending off receiver B.J. Cunningham to make a leaping interception.
But Campbell also failed to stop Lewis in the open field twice on the same drive. The march ended with Adams throwing a touchdown pass to Marcus Henry that put Montreal ahead 19-5.
Good plays develop confidence in young players, but they can’t let mistakes bother them.
“I take it step by step,” said Campbell, a CFL sophomore. “I can’t let one bad play bring me down and affect the rest of my game. I’ve just got to forget about the last play, keep going and try to make the team.”
In reality, that’s what every player is doing on every play. Some will succeed and retain their jobs, while others will fail and lose their roster spots. The Roughriders are playing out the string for 2016 — they’ve been eliminated from playoff contention — but the coaches are evaluating players for 2017. Campbell realizes he’s auditioning.
“If I have balls caught on me, get run over in the run game or don’t make plays, my job’s in the air for next year,” he said. “At any point in time — beginning of the year, first game, second game or even if we were going to playoffs — you’ve always got to play for your job.”
Roughriders cornerback Fred Bennett was with the Calgary Stampeders when they selected Campbell in the third round (22nd overall) of the 2015 CFL draft.
Bennett took Campbell under his wing in Calgary and has continued to mentor his younger teammate this season after trades reunited them with the Roughriders.
“There’s a lot of talent there and he’s really athletic; he just has to put it together,” Bennett said. “It starts with playing a little more and getting that confidence up.
“I let him know just now, ‘OK, now build off this. You put it out there and everybody has seen what you can do. You take that momentum and you build off it.’ ‘’
Bennett and other DBs were razzing Campbell in the lockerroom after Saturday’s game for his dropped interception, but Bennett noted that was his way of keeping Campbell grounded.
The veteran added that he’ll keep encouraging Campbell and reminding him of what it takes to stay on the roster — not that Campbell needs to be reminded.
“My job is always up in the air,” he said. “It’s the CFL. Everyone’s expendable. You’ve just got to think one day at a time.”