Campbell Fighting Camels Football Preview
Posted: August 24, 2012 Filed under: Camel Foe | Tags: Fighting Camels Leave a comment »For the 2nd consecutive season, MB is adopting the Campbell Fighting Camels as our obscure football team to highlight and follow throughout the season. Each week during the season, we will give a preview (MB-style, of course) of their upcoming game and opponent in our section entitled Camel Foe. This week, we will take a look back at the 2011 season and a look ahead at 2012, the 5th season since Campbell reinstated football in 2008.
2011 In Review
Campbell finished 6-5 in 2011 and 5-3 (4th place) in the Pioneer Football League, marking the first winning season and highest PFL finish since restarting the program in 2008. Campbell finished 1st in the PFL in rushing (18th in all of FCS) to claim its 3rd consecutive conference rushing title and had 5 of the league’s top 20 runners. The Camels placed 11 players on the all-PFL lists with 2 first-team selections, 2 second-team selections, and 7 honorable mentions.
The Camels opened last season with a 41-14 loss to Old Dominion before whitewashing The Apprentice School 76-0. They then started the conference season with losses to Jacksonville (57-21) and Drake (31-14). The 1-3 start was erased as Campbell reeled off a 5-game winning streak during which they averaged 37.6 points per game and scored less than 35 just once. The victims were Butler (38-23), Marist (35-21), San Diego (48-24), Davidson (26-20) and Morehead State (41-31). The win over San Diego was the Toreros only conference loss on the season as they tied with Drake for the conference title at 7-1. However, the Camels stubbed their toe at Valparaiso to halt the winning streak, losing 34-31 in the Crusaders’ only win of the year and that program’s first conference win since the 2008 season. The campaign came to a close with a 42-35 loss to Georgia State. Overall the season was a rousing success with the 6 wins not only representing the highest total since the 2008 restart, but also nearly equaling the win total of the 3 previous seasons (7). The 5 PFL wins did exceed the 2008-2010 combined total of 4. The Fighting Camels outscored their opponents on the season for the first time, doing so by 109 points (9.9 per game).
2012 In Preview
The Fighting Camels return just 9 starters from last year’s squad, 5 on offense and 4 on defense. Not surprising for a program in its 4th year, the 2011 team had a lot of seniors who had logged a lot of playing time building the program from scratch. Those players’ efforts paid off in a winning season in year 4 and the task of repeating that winning season will fall on a large group of new starters.
The returning starters on offense are highlighted by senior quarterback Braden Smith. Smith was twice named PFL Offensive Player of the Week and set school records for yards (1,965), touchdowns (14), completions (179), attempts (313), and total offense (2,254). He also doubles as the leading returning rusher from 2011, totaling 289 yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground. Backup QB Dakota Wolf returns as well, giving the Camels an experienced reserve at the sport’s most important position.
The Camels lost the 3 top rushers from last year’s team and will be looking for new face to step up as they pursue their 4th straight PFL rushing title. Junior Kurt Odom ran for 288 yards on just 57 carries (5.1 avg) and is expected to be the top running threat in 2012. After having 5 players rush for at least 288 yards last season, Campbell will look to develop depth in the backfield in order to maintain a top-notch rushing attack.
Campbell lost two four-year starters at wide receiver and will need new players to step up there as well. Junior WR Chad McMichael is the team’s leading returner, having grabbed 16 balls for 156 yards last season. Odom had 12 catches, while no one else who returns had more than 5. Coach Steele mentioned South Carolina transfer Riley Gallaher (redshirted for the Gamecocks in 2011) as a potential leader of the receiving corps. Junior Alex Green returns as the starter at TE with experienced backup Christian Rogers back as well. Green had just 5 catches in 2011 as the tight end serves mostly as a blocking weapon in the run-heavy Camel offense.
The offensive line was also decimated by graduation, returning just one starter, senior tackle Daniel Ritter. Nick Beaver and Dalton Brown each have started a handful of games in the past and will be counted on to steady the new group and pave the way for another effective running game.
The Camels averaged 34.5 point per game last season but will likely be hard-pressed to match that number as they replace much of the offense from 2011. It is likely that more responsibility will fall on the shoulders of QB Braden Smith, especially early in the season as the backfield and line are revamped.
On defense, the headlining returners are preseason all-PFL picks Brandon Chandler at safety and Steth Monroe at corner. Chandler was second team all-conference in 2011 and honorable mention the two years before that. He forced three fumbles and broke up four passes last year while also totaling two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. In addition, he averaged 20.6 yards on kickoff returns and 11.9 yards on punt returns. Monroe was honorable mention all-PFL last season after grabbing four interceptions and leading the league with 15 passes defensed.
The Camels play a 3-3-5 defense and return as many as 3 starters in the defensive backfield. Junior Jeff Swinton (8 starts) is the 3rd returning starter while senior Paul Pizzuti (1 start) give the Camels another experienced option at safety, although the two are expected to compete for one spot. The other safety spot and one corner will be manned by new starters. Two starting linebackers graduated as well, although veteran Mike Rudisill returns after starting all 11 games last season, making 48 tackles and grabbing two interceptions.
The defensive line with have two untested players alongside junior Taurean Lynch, who started 5 games last year. With just 5 starts among the returners, defensive line might be the biggest question mark heading into the 2012 season for the Fighting Camels.
The Fighting Camels also lost their starting kicker, punter, and long snapper to graduation in 2011. Senior kicker Sam Eberwein does have experience, however, having played in 21 career games. With a brand new punter and long snapper, questions abound as to whether the new starters can prevent a drop-off in those areas from 2011.
In an exciting development for the program, lights were installed at Campbell’s Barker-Lane Stadium / Ed Gore Field in the offseason. The permanent lights will allow more options for practice times and greater flexibility with game times and other sporting events. The lights will be put to use immediately as the Fighting Camels open the season with the program’s first night game, Thursday, August 30th @ 6:00 pm CDT versus Shorter University, an NAIA school in Rome, GA. In all, Campbell will play 4 home games at night, with the Virginia-Wise, Davidson and Drake contests also being held under the lights.
Overall, the Camels definitely face a bit of uncertainty heading into 2012 having lost so many starters and major contributors from last season. Fellow coaches in the PFL showed a lot respect for the job Coach Steele is during by picking them to finish 5th in the conference, the highest preseason spot in the program’s 5 years. With a coach named Steele – first name, Man Of (Scrubs joke) – MB trusts the Camels will put together another solid season as they rise up the PFL ranks. After all, they aren’t called the Fighting Camels for nothing – just ask Iowa’s basketball team.
Other Fighting Camel Football Links
Fayetteville Observer – Campbell Looks to Build on First Winning Season
GoCamels.com – Five Questions with Head Coach Dale Steele
GoCamels.com – 2012 Season Outlook
GoCamels.com – This is Campbell Football
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