After Nailing a Clutch Field Goal at Purdue, Charles Campbell is Ready For Anything

Written by Andrew Walker

Logan Justus was IU special teams’ poster boy for years. The talent and composition Justus showed in his years at IU was incredible for Indiana special teams. However, at the end of the 2019 season, Justus began to miss kicks. The consistency and accuracy dropped off significantly, and regardless of any fault of his own or not, doubt started to creep in. 

Enter then redshirt freshman Charles Campbell. Currently a redshirt sophomore, Campbell is 5’9, 171 lbs, but has a leg like a cannon. Campbell had been going head to head with Justus in practice for a few years, but last year he really started to make a name for himself. Campbell was making every field goal and extra point in practice, and soon it was evident that Campbell’s chance was coming. 

Fast forward to the last regular season game of the year in 2019. The Old Oaken Bucket has a long history of giving young players on both teams a big stage and coming out party. Take Rondale Moore for example. In the 2018 bucket game, Moore went crazy with 141 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 28-21 win by Purdue. 

Enter Campbell. Upon the unfortunate down turn of production from Justus at the end of last year, Campbell was going to get the start in the bucket game. Campbell’s responsibility as field goal and extra point specialist was in the biggest spotlight thanks to Justus’ sudden benching at the end of the bucket game. After missing three field goals from 40,43, and 26 respectively, it was Campbell’s time to shine. With 5:08 left on the clock, the young kicker nailed a 41 yarder to help seal the game for the Hoosiers. Campbell recalled how that one kick helped him in the long term recently. “I think that kick helped me tremendously. I came in and did not get to play that much. I went out and hit a big field goal and that lifted the weight of the world off my shoulders. It told me that I could go out there and hit big kicks. It really brought my confidence up from that game.”

With Justus gone this season, it will be up to Campbell to continue the legacy of kickers and great special teams play for Indiana. Campbell and Justus were always competitors, but friends first. “ Logan and I were really, really close. We were competitors, but we were more of friends than competitors. I got to really watch Logan and understand how to carry myself, how to react to situations and he did teach me a lot of how to deal with pressure. He taught me to not think about it or to take things too seriously. I really appreciated him for that.” Campbell will have to step into that big role and really perform for Indiana. Based upon his calm demeanor in that massive kick last year, I think he’ll do just fine.