NEWARK --
Kyle Campbell isn't so much a walk-on as he is a drive-by.
His relationship with the University of Delaware and its football
team began from the unusual perspective of Interstate 95, on which
he was traveling from Newport, R.I., en route to his home in
Kennesaw, Ga.
It was the spring of 2002, and Campbell had finished his year at
the Naval Academy Prep School. He had gone there as a prerequisite
to attending - and playing football for - the U.S. Naval Academy.
After his year at Navy Prep, Campbell felt the regimented military
lifestyle wasn't for him and decided to seek a different college.
Knowing they would be passing by the University of Delaware - he
remembered seeing the exit signs on past trips - Campbell and his
father, Steve, decided to take a peek at the campus and pick up some
information.
Steve Campbell has a friend, Dave Moody, whose father, Bill, is a
UD professor in the education department. Dave Moody, a UD graduate,
had frequently sung the school's praises to the Campbells.
"It was pretty spontaneous," Campbell said of their visit. "We
made a couple phone calls from the road, called Dr. Moody. We got
some information on the school and stopped by spring practice, but
the coaches were pretty busy and we didn't get a chance to talk to
them."
Campbell, who also dropped in at William & Mary on his trip
south, visited UD again in the summer. He liked enough about what he
learned to pursue admission to Delaware in its challenging civil
engineering program and seek a spot on the football team. He came in
the fall of 2002 as a non-scholarship player and, like most true
freshmen, spent that season primarily on the demonstration team.
But he impressed the coaches with his play in 2003 spring
practice. With injuries to veterans creating an opportunity for
younger players, Campbell took advantage. In preseason camp, the
redshirt freshman was named the starter at free safety.
Now, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Campbell is one of just four
defensive players who have started all 13 games for the Hens (12-1)
going into Saturday's NCAA Division I-AA quarterfinal against
Northern Iowa (10-2). Kickoff is at noon at Delaware Stadium (with
the game being broadcast on Comcast SportsNet-Baltimore). The others
who have started every game are linebackers Mondoe Davis and Mark
Moore and cornerback Sidney Haugabrook.
"He's a pretty sharp football kid, whose knowledge of the game
has helped him," said Paul Williams, Delaware's defensive backs
coach. "For him to do what he's done as a freshman, to not only play
but come in and start and know all of our checks and reads ... we
put a lot of pressure on him and he's responded."
Williams, who recruits in Georgia, knew of Campbell when he was
in high school and regarded him highly. But he had already committed
to Navy.
In addition to Delaware, Campbell considered Southern Illinois,
the Hens' 48-7 playoff victim last week, in the summer of 2002. The
Salukis said they would give him a scholarship his second year. He
came to Delaware without the promise of a scholarship, though he was
awarded one this year when he nailed down a starting job.
"All things considered, I felt like taking my chances [at
Delaware]," he said. "I knew I had pretty good ability. I liked it
better overall and decided to come here. I liked the engineering
program here better, which is probably the main reason."
As for football, "I felt like I could make a contribution,
especially on special teams," Campbell said. "Certainly, I didn't
think I'd be starting every game. I've had a really good time with
it."
It hasn't been easy, and won't get any easier when Northern Iowa
comes in with a lethal offense adept on the ground and in the air.
"The first few games I was a little nervous about making the
right calls and doing the right thing and worrying about not getting
beat," Campbell said. "I'm a lot more comfortable and confident now
in making the calls. That was probably the biggest part."
Campbell took on more responsibility after strong safety Mike
Adams broke his leg in the Rhode Island game Oct. 18. Campbell moved
to strong safety, which requires a more physical, run-stopping
presence, with Dave Camburn going to free safety.
"We knew we were throwing him to the wolves a little bit,"
Delaware coach K.C. Keeler said.
Campbell is already 21, with a prep school season, a redshirt
year and 13 college starts behind him. That hardly makes him the
typical redshirt freshman or walk-on, and Keeler doesn't expect him
to play like one. Neither does Campbell.
Hen scratch
About 11,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's game, with TV
coverage and the forecast of cold, wet weather likely keeping the
number down. Delaware Stadium's largest playoff crowd ever was
16,390 for the 2000 quarterfinal against Lehigh ... Delaware is 4-4
all-time in I-AA quarterfinals, winning in 1982 (Colgate), 1992
(Northeast Louisiana), 1997 (Georgia Southern) and 2000 (Lehigh).
Reach Kevin Tresolini at 324-2807 or mailto:ktresolini@delawareonline.com
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