New member Campbell ready for challenge of Big South
(STATS) - Mike Minter has seen it in a defensive end previously.
Yeah, in Julius Peppers.
The Campbell University football coach loves the intensity of defensive end Damien Dozier, a transfer from Marshall. When the team runs through individual drills, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Dozier prefers to line up with the defensive backs.
"The DBs better not beat him in anything," said Minter, who saw a similar swagger when he was teammates with Peppers on the Carolina Panthers.
The competitive spirit fits in perfectly at Campbell, whose players tend to turn even the simplest drill into a need-to-win goal. Even more important is it fits in at the right time because the former non-scholarship Pioneer Football League program has upped the stakes by adding scholarships and joining the Big South Conference this year.
Campbell was picked to finish fifth out of six teams in the Big South's preseason poll, announced Tuesday. Defending champion Kennesaw State was a unanimous first-place selection over Monmouth, which, like the Owls, is coming off its first appearance in the FCS playoffs. Charleston Southern was third, then Gardner-Webb, Campbell and Presbyterian.
Campbell, located in Buies Creek, North Carolina, has one of the better nicknames in college football - the Fighting Camels - but it doesn't have a win over a Division I scholarship program in its first 10 seasons since returning to football in 2008. Their 0-16 record is anything but sweet, and it will have to change quickly for a team that's 24-32 in Minter's five seasons, including 6-5 last year.
"The way that you close that gap is you have to, one, get those types of athletes and the depth in your program," Minter said.
"I think the other thing is you've got to get more physical, so your offseason program changes."
The addition of scholarships has opened up recruiting doors. Last year, Campbell redshirted 21 scholarship players during the program's final season in the PFL. This year, the Camels will be close to the FCS-maximum 63 scholarships with about 55-57 scholarships spread among 65-67 players, Minter said.
Headlining the 15 returning starters is dual-threat quarterback Daniel Smith, who was one of the nation's top freshmen last season. In only 10 games, he paced all FCS quarterbacks in rushing yards (1,272), was in the top 10 in total offense (315.8 ypg) and accounted for 30 touchdowns.
"I just need him to continue to grow at being Daniel," Minter said, "and don't think you have to be the savior of our football team just because we're in the Big South."
Campbell also boasts strong returning players with the likes of leading receivers Aaron Blockmon and Jaquan Brooks and leading tackler Jack Ryan, a linebacker and All-Big preseason selection. There's some key transfers, including Dozier, running back Rocky Reid (Wake Forest) and defensive back Aaron Covington (Toledo). Defensive end Emmanuel Olenga, who left the program, is the biggest loss.
"Leaving the Pioneer League, I thought that was some of the best coaching that I've seen or been around," the 44-year-old Minter said. "Those guys really prepare their teams week to week, which I thought helped me as being a young coach in this business, just by preparing for those guys. Now when I look at the Big South, I say it's a physical group, everybody loves to run the ball, I think everybody in this league plays great defense.
"We're going to have to get some scars and some calluses on our elbows and knees to get ready for this tough schedule."
Kennesaw State dominated the All-Big South preseason team, gaining 14 of the 29 selections, including the offensive (quarterback Chandler Burks) and defensive (linebacker Bryson Armstrong) players of the year.
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KEY CONFERENCE GAMES=
Spotlight Game: Kennesaw State at Monmouth (Nov. 10)
The buzz surrounding the veteran Owls is high this offseason (a top 5 ranking in the preseason?), but Monmouth returns 16 starters from its first playoff team.
Four More: Campbell at Monmouth (Oct. 20), Kennesaw State at Gardner-Webb (Oct. 13), Kennesaw State at Charleston Southern (Oct. 27) and Charleston Southern at Monmouth (Nov. 3)
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BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL=
Head Coaches and Media Panel
1. Kennesaw State (17 first-place votes), 107 points
2. Monmouth (1), 82
3. Charleston Southern, 75
4. Gardner-Webb, 52
5. Campbell, 36
6. Presbyterian, 26
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BIG SOUTH PRESEASON TEAM=
Offensive Player of the Year - Chandler Burks, QB, Kennesaw State
Defensive Player of the Year - Bryson Armstrong, LB, Kennesaw State
Offense
QB - Chandler Burks, Kennesaw State
RB - Pete Guerriero, Monmouth
RB - Darnell Holland, Kennesaw State
WR - Reggie White Jr., Monmouth
WR - Justin Sumpter, Kennesaw State
WR - Kameron Brown, Charleston Southern
TE - Jake Powell, Monmouth
OL - C.J. Collins, Kennesaw State
OL - Ryan Wetzel, Monmouth
OL - Joseph Alexander, Kennesaw State
OL - Ryan Warrior, Kennesaw State
OL - Russ Clayton, Monmouth
Defense
DL - Solomon Brown, Charleston Southern
DL - Desmond Johnson, Kennesaw State
DL - Johnny Robinson, Charleston Southern
DL - McKenzie Billingslea, Kennesaw State
LB - Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State
LB - Anthony Gore Jr., Kennesaw State
LB - J.D. Sosebee, Charleston Southern
LB - Jack Ryan, Campbell
DB - Jace White, Kennesaw State
DB - Tymere Berry, Monmouth
DB - Shadarius Hopkins, Charleston Southern
DB - Dorian Walker, Kennesaw State
Special Teams
PK - Justin Thompson, Kennesaw State
P - Kyle Reighard, Charleston Southern
KR - Pete Guerriero, Monmouth
PR - Taz Lindsey, Charleston Southern
LS - Drew McCracken, Kennesaw State
Honorable Mention
QB - Kenji Bahar, Monmouth; RB - Shaquil Terry, Kennesaw State; WR - Aaron Blockmon, Campbell; TE - Riley Hilton, Presbyterian College; OL - Will Millikan, Gardner-Webb; DL - Josh Ramseur, Gardner-Webb; LB - Diego Zubieta, Monmouth; DB - Brandon Rowland, Charleston Southern; PK - Tyler Tekac, Charleston Southern; P - Nicholas Jones, Kennesaw State; KR - Shaquil Terry, Kennesaw State; PR - Jaquan Brooks, Campbell; LS - Ethan Ray, Charleston Southern