The Emergence of Chance Campbell
Progress is a concept that Maryland linebacker Chance Campbell knows all too well.
Last season, Campbell showed a large sample of his potential, as he set career-highs in total tackles, tackles for loss and passes defended. Though it has only been three games, Campbell is already on pace to surpass all his numbers from last season, including sacks, which he currently has 1.5 of them. From the landscape of the Big Ten Conference, he currently leads all defensive players in solo tackles, while ranking second in total stops with 34.
Coming into his freshman season with the Terps in 2018, Campbell's diverse skill set and athleticism brought high expectations. In retrospect, Campbell has always been his biggest critic and perhaps these expectations were created based on the standards he set for himself at that time.
“I know I wanted to play after my freshman year", he told The Baltimore Sun last season. "So I don’t know if I had huge expectations,” he said. “It’s good being able to help the team.
It always feels good whenever you can do something that helps your guys out.”
Campbell's play on the field has been a reflection of the years of work he has put into his craft. One can see it in the overall tenor of the Terps defense, which had dramatically improved since last season. It almost seems that with each game, Campbell reveals another dimension to his skillset. In their victory against Penn State on November 7th, he took a fumble 34 yards for a touchdowns; his first since his high school days as a running back with Calvert Hall.
As his team currently sits with a respectable 2-1 record, they can only go forward, leaving behind the disappointment of their first game against Northwestern. It is not hard to see that Campbell has played a major role in each of their wins. As he continues to evolve, he gains more national recognition; they type of recognition that is long overdue.