If Tyler Campbell thought leaving his native Texas would allow him to escape notice and the inevitable comparisons with his famous father, he may have picked the wrong place to hole up.
San Diego State coach Chuck Long said yesterday that Campbell, who has been all but invisible since arriving from Pasadena City College in 2005, could be the starting tailback Aug. 30 when the Aztecs host Cal Poly in their season opener.
“He's doing everything right,” Long said. “Not only has he become a leader on this team and one of our captains, but he's got a legitimate shot at becoming the starter (in the Aztecs' one-back set).”
All of which comes as surprising news considering that Campbell, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, has largely been viewed as a fullback. In the wake of a redshirt season in '05, Campbell has rushed 13 times for 13 yards, numbers that don't exactly redefine the maxim “unlimited potential.”
Moreover, all signs – including a revised two-deep chart released Tuesday – pointed to the tailback spot coming down to a battle between sophomore Brandon Sullivan and junior Atiyyah Henderson.
Sullivan, the leading rusher among returning players, carried 58 times for 220 yards last season. Henderson, the team's leading rusher two years ago, showed flashes of returning to form in Saturday's Family Day scrimmage when he carried five times for 79 yards and scored on runs of 36 and 29 yards.
Yet Campbell, a 6-foot, 220-pound senior who already has a bachelor's degree in business and is working on a master's in public administration, apparently has some unfinished business on the field.
“One of Tyler's problems in the past was that he struggled to catch the ball, but he's doing that well now,” Long said. “He's blocking well, he knows our system and he's really gotten himself into great shape, which has allowed him to become a lot faster.
“The position is still open right now and the coaches are sifting through it, but I think by the end of this week or early next week we'll have a definitive answer about our rotation (at tailback).”
Extra point
Long said junior offensive tackle
Taylor Wallace, a transfer from El Camino College in Torrance, has left the program for personal reasons.
Wallace began his career at Utah State, where he was placed on probation for a drug-dealing conviction after being accused of providing marijuana to five teammates in July 2006. He originally was charged with felony drug distribution but pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor.
Mick McGrane: (619) 293-1850; mick.mcgrane@uniontrib.com
