Recruiting Rewind: Parris Campbell proved Ohio State was perfect fit
Receivers work their breaks. Sprint with parachutes. Spend extra hours on JUGGS machines.
Dan Boarman Jr. believes he could do an instructional video for wideouts simply by focusing on the blocking of his former pupil at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary, Parris Campbell.
“He’s done an incredible job,†Boarman Jr., Campbell’s offensive coordinator and position coach in high school, told Lettermen Row. “My favorite thing about Parris, I’m like his parent watching him, is his blocking as a wide receiver, you could run tape to high school and youth kids.â€
Campbell’s quantifiable stats this season are sterling. He leads the team with 66 receptions and matches fellow senior Terry McLaurin for team-best honors at nine touchdown receptions.
Still, some of the biggest moments are happening as Campbell makes blocks to spring K.J. Hill, McLaurin, Mike Weber and more of his offensive mates along the perimeter.
Not that Campbell is focusing in on anything other than the details with Saturday’s showdown looming against That Team Up North for a berth in the Big Ten Championship game.
Ohio State wide receiver Parris Campbell has taken another step forward as a senior for the Buckeyes. (Birm/Lettermen Row)
“It’s huge. It’s everything,†said Campbell, who owns 14 career touchdowns and more than 2,400 all-purpose yards. “Everything’s on the line for us as a team and everything’s on the line for me as a senior.
“It’s my last game in the Horseshoe, which is crazy that I just said that. I never really thought I’d be sitting here saying that, but it’s here and it’s everything.â€
Boarman Jr. remembers wondering if a career in the Shoe could lead to these seminal moments. A do-everything player for the Irish in high school, Campbell’s gaudy stats from those days are from his time lining up the backfield more so than his vertical stretching of the field.
“I wasn’t sure where he would fit there,†Boarman candidly recalled. “I wasn’t sure he could make that transition to wide receiver. He’s made me look stupid. I think he’s obviously going to get drafted. He’s going to make that happen, but I wasn’t sure if wide receiver was going to be a good spot for him.
“I wasn’t so sure if a school he could play tailback wouldn’t be better, but in the end, he obviously knew what he was doing and the made right choice.â€
Just as Boarman recalls from his days coaching Campbell and calling plays to get him the ball, including a game-changing 92-yard Campbell run during a state championship playoffs run, Boarman knows the underlying foundation of Campbell’s success with the Buckeyes rests in work ethic.
“Obviously he has God-given gifts,†Boarman says. “But catching the football wasn’t natural to Parris. Being fast was natural. He had a couple drops early in his career, but he’s caught the ball great this year. He never had an issue with effort or how hard he worked.
“I love the kid. As gifted as he was athletically, he’s just as much if not more as a person. He’s a good son, student, I’m sure he’s a good dad and good to his girlfriend. He’s a good man. I couldn’t speak any higher of anybody I ever coached. Not because he’s at Ohio State but just because of how he was.â€
He’s the guy on Boarman’s would-be instructional video; the one who gets to do it all for the Buckeyes one final time Saturday at home.
