CONWAY - Central Arkansas Athletic Director Brad Teague has the man he describes as “the best-kept secret in college football” in place as the Bears’ new football coach.
Steve Campbell, formerly of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, was introduced Friday during a news conference at Wingo Hall on the UCA campus.
Teague presented Campbell with a No. 4 UCA jersey, which Teague said was symbolic of the school’s next national championship. The Bears have won three national titles, all at the NAIA level (1984, 1985, 1991).
“That’s what we’re going for,” Campbell said to roaring applause from the Bears fans on hand.
The Pensacola, Fla., native is 114-30 overall in 13 seasons, winning national championships at the NCAA Division II and junior college levels. He went 87-22 (.798) at Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2004-2013 and 27-8 at Delta State in 1999-2001.
Teague said he tried to hire Campbell when he was athletic director at Delta State in 2006, but Campbell turned down the job to stay at Mississippi Gulf Coast. The next year, 2007, Campbell led Mississippi Gulf Coast to a 12-0 record and the co-National Junior College Athletic Association national championship.
“He’s always been on my radar,” Teague said.
Campbell, 47, signed a four-year contract with an annual base salary $185,000, with $165,000 coming from the state and $20,000 coming from private funds. Campbell will make more than his predecessor Clint Conque, whose annual salary in 2013 was about $170,000.
If Campbell resigns after one year, he would owe the school $100,000. Campbell’s payment for leaving decreases to $50,000 after two years and $25,000 after three years.
Campbell had multiple opportunities to leave Mississippi Gulf Coast over the past 10 years, including an opportunity to take the head coaching position at Northwestern (La.) State after the 2011 season.
The stability and tradition UCA has had in its football program convinced Campbell to make the move to Conway. He will be just the fourth headcoach for the Bears since 1982, joining Harold Horton, Mike Isom and Conque, who resigned last Saturday to take the Stephen F. Austin job.
“UCA is used to winning championships,” Campbell said. “A lot of places have never won a championship. UCA has won national championships. That’s important. I want to go somewhere where you have a chance not only to compete for conference championships, but for national championships. You can do that at UCA.”
Campbell led Delta State to an NCAA Division II national championship in 2000, his second year with the Statesmen. He left in 2002 to take the offensive coordinator’s position at Middle Tennessee. Campbell spent one season at Mississippi State as an offensive line coach in 2003 before taking over as head coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2004.
He won three Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) state titles (2007, 2008, 2010) and six MACJC South Division titles (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012) at Mississippi Gulf Coast.
With 15 starters expected to return in 2014, the Bears could turn things around quickly under Campbell.
“I understand we had alot of injuries this past year,” Campbell said, referring to UCA’s nine season-ending injuries that contributed to a 7-5 record. “There’s a lot of great talent returning, a lot of leaders returning. That’s exciting when your best players are your best leaders. That’s something that made this an attractive job.”
Teague said Campbell was one of three coaches he interviewed for the job. Abilene Christian Coach Ken Collums and former Arkansas State coach and current Cabot Athletic Director Steve Roberts were the others. Collums, who played quarterback at UCA in 1991-1994, signed a four-year extension Wednesday night to remain at Abilene Christian.
Teague said after Conque’s resignation that he wanted to hire a new coach within a week.
“This was a good time for a change because there’s so many coaches out there,” Teague said. “We had a big pool. Let’s go ahead and get settled, rally behind him and move forward.”
UCA wide receiver Justin Burdette said he is excited about the opportunity to play for Campbell. In fact, Burdette’s brother Chris played baseball at Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2011 and 2012 and was a student in Campbell’s economics class.
“He knows we have receivers here and that’s the strength of our team,” Burdette said. “It’s going to be exciting to see how he gets the ball thrown around the field.”At a glance Steve Campbell AGE 47 POSITION Head coach SCHOOL Central Arkansas RECORD 114-30 (13 seasons) NOTEWORTHY Led Delta State to 2000 NCAA Division II national championship. ... Guided Mississippi Gulf Coast to a co-National Junior College Athletic Association national championship in 2007, three Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges titles (2007, 2008, 2010) and six MACJC South Division titles (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012). ... Coached Indianapolis Colts running back Vick Ballard, San Francisco 49ers defensive back Tramaine Brock and Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Terrence Cody at Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Campbell’s record
New Central Arkansas Coach Steve Campbell’s year-by-year record as a head coach: YEAR SCHOOL RECORD 1999 Delta State 6-4 2000 Delta State 14-1 2001 Delta State 7-3 2004 Miss. Gulf Coast 5-4 2005 Miss. Gulf Coast 7-3 2006 Miss. Gulf Coast 7-2 2007 Miss. Gulf Coast 12-0^ 2008 Miss. Gulf Coast 10-2 2009 Miss. Gulf Coast 9-3 2010 Miss. Gulf Coast 10-2 2011 Miss. Gulf Coast 10-2 2012 Miss. Gulf Coast 9-2 2013 Miss. Gulf Coast 8-2 TOTAL 114-30 Won NCAA Div. II national championship ^ Won NJCAA co-national championship
Sports, Pages 21 on 12/21/2013