Even when he's just discussing offensive line play or the technique of a right guard, James Campen can't resist bouncing on his toes and making contact with the person next to him.
The Steelers' offensive line coach isn't always that animated. He's actually rather mild-mannered. But when you get him going on his area of expertise, he has boundless energy at 62. He's liable to pass off a stunt with two media members.
No one holding a microphone Friday after practice is going to provide any resistance against the Falcons pass rushers coming to town Sunday, so Campen is eager to see how his unit jells nonetheless. The Steelers have just one player back in the same starting spot as last year, center Zach Frazier, and so much of this summer has been about competition that this week of practice was pivotal for cohesion.
"There is a lot of that that has to go on," Campen said. "But I think we've done a pretty good job. If you don't get it in the team periods or in the preseason games in the limited opportunities then, you have to get it in different ways."
Because like any good offensive line coach, Campen wants his group to have something akin to ESP with each other. That's extrasensory perception.
Or, in lineman terms … well, it might just be a grunt. It might just be a forearm shiver.
"Sometimes there's no communication," Campen said. "Sometimes it's just a look. … That's the kind of stuff, you can't simulate that. You've got to go do that. So you try to do that the best you can in individual periods, but there's nothing like team [periods]."
Verbally or nonverbally, the Steelers linemen are plenty familiar all around, despite their lack of experience in their respective spots this season. Left tackle Troy Fautanu and left guard Mason McCormick have a full season together as a duo, albeit on the other side.
Frazier is still the glue. Right guard Spencer Anderson has been here longer than any of them, and right tackle Dylan Cook isn't far behind, considering his time in the organization goes back to 2023.
Of course, Cook is the one who has a first-round pick vying for his spot. But Campen certainly doesn't expect that to weigh on a 28-year-old from Big Sky Country whose circuitous journey has taken him from junior-college quarterback to undrafted to NFL starter in a playoff game last season.
"He's done everything we've asked him to do," Campen praised Cook. "He's gone over and played some left [tackle] just in case he's needed there. But he's grown, he's getting his feet underneath him, his base. He's playing stronger. We're all very proud of him. He's done a really good job. He's a Montana kid who was a [rookie] free agent who doesn't accept losing."
That being said, Max Iheanachor is here to develop into a cornerstone of the offensive line at some point, and Campen has been impressed with the 21st overall pick's progress, as well. Campen has had rookie starters in his room before, so there's no hard-and-fast philosophy on how soon is too soon to learn on the job.
And this job wasn't even in the cards for Iheanachor until five or six years ago. Campen appreciates Iheanachor's path as much as anyone.
"This guy, he's only been in America for nine years. He's 13 coming over from Nigeria, that's pretty remarkable," Campen said. "And the fact that he didn't even play football until he got into junior college, and then at a high, high level at Arizona State, it shows that he's willing to adapt."
