CAM CAMERON

'Malcolm "Cam" Cameron' (born February 6, 1961 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina) is currently head coach of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was previously offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers and head coach at Indiana University.

Contents

Playing career

Coaching career beginnings

Professional coaching beginnings

Return to Indiana

Back to the NFL

San Diego Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Personal

References

External links

Playing career

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 two 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. He was instrumental in the development of many future NFL players, including Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Todd Collins, Amani Toomer, Derrick Alexander and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard. [1].

Professional coaching beginnings

Cameron was the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Redskins between 1994-96. He's 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 1997 - a position he held through 2001 where he compiled a record of 18-37. Despite his team's defensive struggles, Cameron helped quarterback Antwaan Randle El develop into a 2001 first-team All-American [3], during which time the Hoosiers averaged 435.3 yards per game.

Back to the NFL

San Diego Chargers

Cameron is well recognized as one of the NFL's most gifted offensive innovators and play-callers. 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 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. He is recognized as the mastermind behind the development of Pro Bowl quarterbacks Drew Brees and Philip Rivers, as well as all-pro tight end Antonio Gates.

Miami Dolphins

Cameron's success in San Diego did not go unnoticed by NFL teams and he was interviewed for several head coaching positions in recent years, including the Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams vacancies following the 2005 season. Cameron also interviewed for the head coaching jobs with the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons during the first week of 2007 before eventually landing the Miami job.^[1][2]

Personal

Cameron was born on February 6, 1961 in Chapel Hill, NC and currently lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with Missy, his wife, and his children, Thomas, Daniel, Christopher and Elizabeth. He often 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.

References

1. http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/20070102-1736-bn02cameron.html
2. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2007/01/18/0118finsfeed.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=46

External links

★ Cam Cameron Bio at MiamiDolphins.com

★ Miami Dolphins Coaching Staff at NFL.com