Steve Campbell
Encyclopedia
Steve Campbell is an American
college football
head coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
.
He has been involved with 3 National Championship winning teams: first as a DII player in 1987, then as a DII head coach in 2000 and lastly as a JUCO head coach in 2007.
player in college, starting at center
in 43 straight games for Southeastern Louisiana
and Troy State University. In 1987, he was a member of the NCAA Division II National Championship team at Troy, and was named an All-Gulf South Conference first team selection. Campbell was named Academic All-Conference three times and graduated Cum Laude from Troy State with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He also earned a Master’s in Business Administration from Auburn University
.
, where he helped the Tigers
win back-to-back SEC
titles. While on the Plains, Campbell got experience coaching in two bowl games, including the 1990 Hall of Fame Bowl
where they defeated Ohio State
31-14.
His first full-time position was as offensive line coach
and strength & conditioning coach at Delta State University
in 1990. He spent his final season as the offensive coordinator
for DSU before taking the position of offensive coordinator
and backfield coach under Rick Rhoades
at Nicholls State University
in 1993 (Rhoades was Campbell's coach at Troy).
In 1997, Cambell received his first head coaching position, taking over at Southwest Mississippi Community College
where he had spent the previous season coaching the running backs. During his 2 seasons with the Lions, Campbell's teams went 12–8 including the school's first winning season in 12 years.
Campbell returned to Delta State University
as head coach in 1999, compiling a 27–8 record over three seasons which is a school record .771 winning percentage. His no-huddle offense shattered 12 Gulf South Conference Records and six NCAA Division II records. DSU also won the 2000 NCAA Division II National Championship
, with Campbell earning National Coach of the Year honors by three different organizations.
In 2002, Campbell became the offensive coordinator and line coach at Middle Tennessee State University
. At Middle Tennessee, Campbell’s offense produced a 1,000-yard rusher and scored more than 20 points against three of the four SEC teams faced, including a win at in-state rival Vanderbilt
.
He then served as offensive line coach for Jackie Sherrill
in his last season at Mississippi State
before taking the head coaching position at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
in March 2004. At MGCCC, he is 59-15 (.797) over seven seasons at the helm despite his predecessor going only 6-12 in his two seasons in charge. Campbell coached Gulf Coast to a NJCAA
Junior College
co-National Championship
in 2007. Several players on that team went on to play in the Southeastern Conference
including Eltoro Freeman
and Demond Washington at Auburn
, Terrence Cody
at Alabama
and Chris White
and Sean Brauchle at Mississippi State
. Prior to Campbell's arrival, the Bulldogs football team had not made it to the state playoffs since 1986.
In December 2008, Campbell was a finalist for the head coaching position at Northwestern State University
. Other finalists included Bradley Dale Peveto, co-defensive coordinator at Louisiana State University
and a former Northwestern State assistant, who eventually got the job.
On January 12, 2009, Campbell interviewed with new head coach Gene Chizik
to fill the vacant position coaching the offensive line at Auburn University
, but the job was filled by Colorado
assistant head coach Jeff Grimes
.
Campbell led his 2009 MGCCC Bulldogs team to a 9-2 record after losing 75-71 in the MACJC
State Championship game, ending Gulf Coast's bid for three straight MACJC titles.
In 2010, Campbell led Gulf Coast to a 10-2 record (the two losses were a combined 6 points) including a 31-17 win over Co-Lin
in the MACJC Championship game and a 62-53 win versus #3 ranked Grand Rapids
(10-1) in the Mississippi Bowl. The combined 115 points set a Mississippi Bowl record.
Under Campbell's leadership, Gulf Coast has consistently ranked in the NJCAA National Poll, finishing #13 in 2005, #8 in 2006, #1 in 2007, #4 in 2008, #8 in 2009 and #3 in 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
head coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College consists of four campuses and four centers: the main campus, located in Perkinston, Mississippi; the Jackson County Campus, in Gautier; the Jefferson Davis Campus, in Gulfport; the Community Campus, a non-traditional campus without walls; the George County...
.
He has been involved with 3 National Championship winning teams: first as a DII player in 1987, then as a DII head coach in 2000 and lastly as a JUCO head coach in 2007.
Personal life
Campbell was a footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player in college, starting at center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
in 43 straight games for Southeastern Louisiana
Southeastern Louisiana University
Southeastern Louisiana University is a state-funded public university in Hammond, Louisiana, United States. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims, the principal of Hammond High School, as Hammond Junior College, located in a wing of the high school building. Sims succeeded in getting the campus...
and Troy State University. In 1987, he was a member of the NCAA Division II National Championship team at Troy, and was named an All-Gulf South Conference first team selection. Campbell was named Academic All-Conference three times and graduated Cum Laude from Troy State with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He also earned a Master’s in Business Administration from Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
.
Coaching career
Campbell's coaching career started as a graduate assistant at Auburn University under head coach Pat DyePat Dye
Patrick Fain Dye is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at East Carolina University , the University of Wyoming , and Auburn University compiling a career college football record of 153–62–5...
, where he helped the Tigers
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
win back-to-back SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
titles. While on the Plains, Campbell got experience coaching in two bowl games, including the 1990 Hall of Fame Bowl
1990 Hall of Fame Bowl
The 1990 edition to the Hall of Fame Bowl featured the ninth ranked Auburn Tigers, and the twentieth ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. It was the fourth edition to the Hall of Fame Bowl....
where they defeated Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
31-14.
His first full-time position was as offensive line coach
Offensive line coach
The offensive line coach is a coaching position in gridiron football that is in charge of the offensive line. This role is very common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The offensive line coach serves the offense, which is led by the offensive coordinator....
and strength & conditioning coach at Delta State University
Delta State University
Delta State University, also known as DSU, is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, United States, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta...
in 1990. He spent his final season as the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for DSU before taking the position of offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and backfield coach under Rick Rhoades
Rick Rhoades
Ricky Rhoades was the 16th head football coach for the Southern Illinois Salukis in Carbondale, Illinois and he held that position for the 1988 season. His overall coaching record at SIU was 4 wins, 7 losses, and 0 ties...
at Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University, founded in 1948, is a public university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA. Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System of universities. Originally called Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the institution split from the Louisiana State University System in...
in 1993 (Rhoades was Campbell's coach at Troy).
In 1997, Cambell received his first head coaching position, taking over at Southwest Mississippi Community College
Southwest Mississippi Community College
Southwest Mississippi Community College is a two-year community college located in Summit, Mississippi, with accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
where he had spent the previous season coaching the running backs. During his 2 seasons with the Lions, Campbell's teams went 12–8 including the school's first winning season in 12 years.
Campbell returned to Delta State University
Delta State University
Delta State University, also known as DSU, is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, United States, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta...
as head coach in 1999, compiling a 27–8 record over three seasons which is a school record .771 winning percentage. His no-huddle offense shattered 12 Gulf South Conference Records and six NCAA Division II records. DSU also won the 2000 NCAA Division II National Championship
NCAA Division II national football championship
The NCAA Division II National Football Championship began in 1973. Prior to 1973, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action for what was then called the NCAA College Division and a poll determined the final champion....
, with Campbell earning National Coach of the Year honors by three different organizations.
In 2002, Campbell became the offensive coordinator and line coach at Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represents Middle Tennessee State University in NCAA Division I FBS football competition. The Blue Raiders, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, play their home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.Rick Stockstill has...
. At Middle Tennessee, Campbell’s offense produced a 1,000-yard rusher and scored more than 20 points against three of the four SEC teams faced, including a win at in-state rival Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
.
He then served as offensive line coach for Jackie Sherrill
Jackie Sherrill
Jackie Sherrill is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Washington State University , the University of Pittsburgh , Texas A&M University , and Mississippi State University , compiling a career college football record of 180–120–4...
in his last season at Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
before taking the head coaching position at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College consists of four campuses and four centers: the main campus, located in Perkinston, Mississippi; the Jackson County Campus, in Gautier; the Jefferson Davis Campus, in Gulfport; the Community Campus, a non-traditional campus without walls; the George County...
in March 2004. At MGCCC, he is 59-15 (.797) over seven seasons at the helm despite his predecessor going only 6-12 in his two seasons in charge. Campbell coached Gulf Coast to a NJCAA
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
Junior College
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
co-National Championship
NJCAA National Football Championship
National Junior College Athletic Association national football champions:*1956 Coffeyville Community College*1957 Texarkana College*1958 Boise Junior College*1959 Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College...
in 2007. Several players on that team went on to play in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
including Eltoro Freeman
Eltoro Freeman
Eltoro Freeman is an American football linebacker. He currently attends Auburn University.-High school career:...
and Demond Washington at Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, Terrence Cody
Terrence Cody
Terrence Bernard Cody, Jr. is an American football nose tackle for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was selected by the Ravens in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of Alabama, where he was given the nickname "Mount Cody" for his gargantuan,...
at Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
and Chris White
Chris White
Chris White or Christopher White may refer to:*Chris White , British jazz/rock saxophonist*Chris White , bassist and songwriter with The Zombies*Chris White , jazz bassist...
and Sean Brauchle at Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
. Prior to Campbell's arrival, the Bulldogs football team had not made it to the state playoffs since 1986.
In December 2008, Campbell was a finalist for the head coaching position at Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
. Other finalists included Bradley Dale Peveto, co-defensive coordinator at Louisiana State University
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
and a former Northwestern State assistant, who eventually got the job.
On January 12, 2009, Campbell interviewed with new head coach Gene Chizik
Gene Chizik
Eugene "Gene" Chizik is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon in the BCS...
to fill the vacant position coaching the offensive line at Auburn University
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, but the job was filled by Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
assistant head coach Jeff Grimes
Jeff Grimes
Jeff Grimes is an American college football assistant coach and current offensive line coach at Auburn University...
.
Campbell led his 2009 MGCCC Bulldogs team to a 9-2 record after losing 75-71 in the MACJC
Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges
The Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges is one of the two conferences that make up Region XXIII of the National Junior College Athletic Association along with the MLJCC...
State Championship game, ending Gulf Coast's bid for three straight MACJC titles.
In 2010, Campbell led Gulf Coast to a 10-2 record (the two losses were a combined 6 points) including a 31-17 win over Co-Lin
Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Copiah-Lincoln Community College is a comprehensive public community college with its main campus located in Wesson, Mississippi, about south of Jackson, the state capitol and north of New Orleans. The Co-Lin District serves a seven-county area including Adams, Copiah, Franklin County,...
in the MACJC Championship game and a 62-53 win versus #3 ranked Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids Community College is a community college located in the city of Grand Rapids in the U.S. state of Michigan. GRCC offers an Associate's degree, a variety of certification programs, occupational training, and other learning opportunities for the surrounding community.-Campuses:In...
(10-1) in the Mississippi Bowl. The combined 115 points set a Mississippi Bowl record.
Under Campbell's leadership, Gulf Coast has consistently ranked in the NJCAA National Poll, finishing #13 in 2005, #8 in 2006, #1 in 2007, #4 in 2008, #8 in 2009 and #3 in 2010.