Columbus East didn’t search for change for the sake of it. The Olympians searched for alignment — with their past, their present, and where the program believes it can go next. On that front, the hire of Tyler Campbell as the next head football coach checks every box.
Campbell steps into one of Indiana’s most tradition-rich programs, one still defined by state championships and the enduring legacy of Hall of Fame coach Bob Gaddis, while also coming off a five-year run under Eddie Vogel, a longtime assistant who helped sustain that foundation. The challenge is clear: preserve what made Columbus East great, while positioning it to compete in a modern game that demands evolution.
Campbell believes those two goals are not mutually exclusive.
“The standard that Coach Gaddis and those teams established — toughness, discipline, and doing things the right way — should never be replaced,” Campbell told Indiana Preps. “Our responsibility is to honor that legacy by preserving the values and expectations that built it.
At the same time, the program has to belong to the current players. Our stamp will come through how we teach, how we connect with kids, how we develop the whole person, and how we adapt schematically and culturally to today’s game.”
Continuity First, Evolution Second
Campbell is mindful of the continuity that has long defined Columbus East. Programs that retain coaches for decades, he notes, don’t do so by accident.
“Any person who spends multiple decades in one place has undoubtedly impacted that place in a very positive way,” Campbell said of Vogel. “He was part of the Gaddis years that saw so much success and also won a conference championship in his five years as head coach.
I hope we can continue to run a program that makes people want to stay.”
While the values remain non-negotiable, Campbell acknowledges that change presents opportunity — particularly in culture and scheme.
“Anytime you bring a change in, it gives you an opportunity to adjust and recalibrate things from a fresh perspective,” he said. “As I get into things and learn more about the specific situation of East football, I’ll have a better idea where evolution will be greatest.”
Lessons From Ben Davis
Campbell arrives from Ben Davis, where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in one of the state’s most demanding football environments. The expectation there, much like Columbus East, was simple and constant: win.
The biggest takeaway he plans to bring with him is alignment.
“Everyone from the administration, to the assistant coaches, to the equipment crew, to the community must be aligned for a program to have state championship success,” Campbell said. “Coach Mann did a great job of making sure everyone understood our goals and how we would achieve them.
Our goal at East is to create that type of alignment as quickly as possible.”
Identity on the Field
Philosophically, Campbell wants Columbus East to play with edge and intent.
“We want to be a team that plays relentlessly hard for a full game,” he said. “We want to be the aggressor and attack as often as possible.”
Offensively, that will mean emphasizing execution over volume, using tempo, formations, and motion to get playmakers the ball in space. Defensively, the focus will be on gap soundness and creating long-yardage situations. Special teams, Campbell says, won’t be an afterthought — but an opportunity to change games.
Across all three phases, situational football will be central.
“We must win situational football,” Campbell said. “That comes from constantly practicing it and developing an identity within every situation we face.”
A Coach, Educator, and Community Fit
For Columbus East athletic director David Miller, Campbell stood out early in a search centered on fit as much as résumé.
“We were looking for a leader who would build a program grounded in hard work, discipline, accountability, and toughness, while also bringing a forward-thinking approach and a strong understanding of X’s and O’s,” Miller said.
Campbell’s background spans youth football, high school, college, and professional levels. He has coached under influential names such as Hal Mumme, the architect of the Air Raid offense, and Bob Stoops during his time in the XFL. He also brings prior head coaching experience and a proven track record of player development, strength and conditioning emphasis, and staff growth.
“I am excited to see Tyler implement his vision for East Football and build a strong football program,” Miller said.
For Campbell, the job is ultimately about people.
“I’m called to being a coach and educator because of what it allows us to do in serving kids and serving a community,” he said. “One of our goals is to win state championships, but ultimately our goal is to help mold great young men through football.”
With a storied past behind it and a new chapter beginning, Columbus East football is betting that honoring tradition — while refusing to be trapped by it — is the path forward.