John Campbell working at LT with Zion Nelson out: "If he comes back I feel it’s just open competition"
John Campbell’s got his shot to prove himself at left tackle for the Miami Hurricanes this fall. He’s healthy, and with returning LT starter Zion Nelson coming off cleanup surgery he’s gotten the majority of the reps in fall camp with Jalen Rivers and Matthew McCoy working in behind him.
Reports are Campbell has held his own.
But, with that said, Nelson’s return is expected shortly. So what happens then?
For Campbell, it’s just a matter of keeping his head down and working hard. Whatever happens, happens.
“I’ve been playing left for a little while, it’s going pretty good,” Campbell said. “I feel (this fall) is a good opportunity for me. I was out last year (with knee surgery), but last year made me stronger as a person, the mental aspect, be smart on the field. Learn the scheme, quarterback drop, what the running back is doing. I feel it’s a good opportunity, feel like I’m taking advantage of it.”
So what happens when Nelson returns?
“I’m not sure,” Campbell said. “If he comes back I feel it’s just open competition. Everyone is competing. I’m playing my heart out right now for me to be a one.”
Campbell, a fifth-year redshirt junior has all of six career starts under his belt. Those starts have come at left tackle, right tackle and guard.
Let’s also not forget the extraordinary high praise he got from Mario Cristobal at the outset of the fall.
“We expect him to be one of the best players in the conference and eventually the country,” Cristobal said at that time. “We think that highly of him. He has a lot of the same traits that Zion Nelson has.”
Certainly the line has mixed and matched different players at different spots. But with the start of the season just over two weeks away, it’s time to solidify some roles. And Campbell’s remains in flux with Nelson’s status unclear.
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Campbell’s also gotten some right tackle reps, where DJ Scaife is the first-teamer.
“Coach (Alex) Mirabal wants guys to cross train so just in case a guy goes down we can fill in a spot,” Campbell said. “That’s a smart thing to do.”
Campbell missed last season and the spring due to a knee injury. At 6-5 and 320 pounds, he says he’s dropped 20 pounds of fat.
“The recovery process was really hard,” Campbell said. “That’s one of the lowest points of my life (getting hurt). It was very hard. But I was only pretty much down for two days (off surgery), the third day it was time to work.”
Now he’s excited to put it all together and help this offense thrive.
At whatever position he’s called upon to play.
“We’re building real good chemistry out there,” Campbell said. “I’ll do whatever coach wants me to do. Right now I’m at left, and I’m just playing my heart out.
“You never know what’s going to happen, what the future looks like. I’m just trying to take it a day at a time, put my best foot forward and want to do what’s best for the team and for myself.”
