BUIES CREEK – Year two for Campbell football under head coach Braxton Harris feels different. A year after a 3-9 finish and only one conference win, the Camels believe they have more depth, more buy-in and more players who “want to be here.”
“We learned we weren’t good enough — 3-9 is not good enough, and we’ve got to be better,” Harris said at CAA Media Day in late July. “We as a group, collectively with these guys, coaches, staff, organization, we had to come together and we had to find ways to get better at those things. That’s what we went to work on in January.”
🔑 Major Themes for Campbell football in 2025
- Getting “Harris’ guys” in the program. Transfers and high school recruits have reshaped the roster; Harris says the locker room culture is stronger than in year one. There’s an increasing number of players with North Carolina addresses on board.
- Depth in the trenches. Last spring and preseason, Harris was still patching together a thin offensive and defensive front. This season, there are more bodies and more familiar faces. The offensive line now features experienced anchors like Freddie Pelling, Dante Jones and Mason Merriwether, plus young talent developing quickly.
- Quarterback competition. Three players are vying for snaps, and Harris hints that all three will be used.
- Playmakers to replace. Offensive playmakers like wideouts Sincere Brown (Colorado) and VJ Wilkins (Boston College) have transferred to Power 4 football, but Campbell’s running backs and young receivers aim to fill the gap.
- Brutal schedule. Road trips to Rhode Island, ECU and NC State headline one of the nation’s toughest slates in the FCS.
Offensive Outlook
The quarterback room is crowded — and that’s a good thing in Harris’ eyes.
- Mike Chandler II returns after playing in all 12 games in 2024, totaling 1,118 passing yards, 12 passing TDs, 505 rushing yards and 3 rushing TDs.
- Transfer Kamden Sixkiller (McNeese State) brings experience, with 1,513 passing yards in 13 games across 2023–24.
- Graduate transfer Jalen Ferguson arrives from Division II power Lenoir-Rhyne, where he threw for 3,276 yards and 19 TDs last season for a 10-win playoff team.
“We’ve got three quarterbacks that are really good quarterbacks,” Harris said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “To me, it’s all about weapons, right? The more weapons you have, the more bullets you’ve got in your gun. We’re really excited about how we can incorporate all three of those into every game plan every week.”
The Camels’ running back room looks deep as well:
- Mark Biggins (406 yards in 2024) returns healthy after a broken hand limited him last year.
- JJ Cowens, who played at nearby Triton High, added 365 yards a season ago.
- Freshman De’Von Thomas (Rolesville HS) is a local product Harris calls “a playmaker.” Thomas rushed for nearly 5,000 yards and 59 TDs as a prep standout.
- Transfers Naieem Kearney and Ethan Lawrence, and freshman Emmanuel Chambers add depth.
“Last year, it definitely was a struggle going through my injuries,” Biggins said last month during CAA media interviews. “But this year, I would say that I’m 110 percent, and I’m ready to go… I believe that we’ll be one of the most explosive offenses in the country.”
At receiver, Randall King is back after a promising freshman campaign. The Camels will look to King, a weight-room warrior as a frosh, to help offset the loss of Brown and Wilkins.
Defensive Outlook
Prolific tackler Jalen Brooks may be gone, but the next two leading hitters from 2024 return, safety Jojo Pace (87 tackles, 2 INTs) and linebacker Logan Livermon (63 tackles, 2 INTs). Harris believes his defensive unit has grown up quickly.
“I think our defensive line… is probably the deepest defensive line that we’ve had in a long time here at Campbell,” Harris said. “At Campbell, we believe in speed and strength. We want to be active up front.”
Livermon echoed the sentiment: “This group of guys that we have here are the most connected group of guys that I’ve seen here in a while. I think that’s super important, especially at the linebacker position. It makes my job easy.”
The secondary also returns experience in Brandon Guzman (34 tackles, 2 INTs) and adds help with transfer Markeece Alexander. Harris has emphasized stopping the run as the No. 1 priority after struggling in key moments a year ago.
The Schedule: ‘Not A League Where There’s A Cupcake’
No easing into things:
- Opener at No. 9 Rhode Island (Friday, Aug. 29) – a rematch of last season’s 20-9 loss against the defending conference champs. The Rams have been picked to repeat as CAA champs.
- At East Carolina in week two and a trip to NC State in October — both bowl teams from 2024.
- Furman and No. 19 Western Carolina highlight the rest of a tough non-conference slate. Campbell upset WCU last September in Cullowhee, a defeat that likely kept the Catamounts out of the FCS playoffs.
- CAA play includes games against New Hampshire (8-5), Towson (7-5), William & Mary (7-5) and Elon (6-6).
“This is not a league where there’s a cupcake,” Harris said. “We’re not a program that’s going to buy wins. We’re going to go compete every single week. Put the ball down. Let’s go play.”
Final Word
Campbell enters 2025 with more depth, more buy-in and a clearer sense of who they are. Whether that translates into wins in a loaded CAA remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt the Camels believe they’re ready to compete.
As Biggins put it: “We need to be more connected. We need to be more disciplined. When it comes to the talent, that’s going to speak for itself on Saturdays.”
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