Campbell’s spring game offered a glimpse of continuity – and potential – as the Orange team rolled to a 28-0 win on Saturday morning at Barker-Lane Stadium.
Returning quarterback Kamden Sixkiller helped lead the way, throwing multiple touchdown passes, including an explosive play to receiver Stevie Keener that provided an exclamation point toward the end.
The result itself mattered less than what it revealed: an offense that looks comfortable, experienced and capable of stretching the field. And a program overall that is looking to take steps forward after a series of heartbreaking finishes in 2025.
Head coach Braxton Harris emphasized that continuity afterward, pointing to a group that returns its starting quarterback, four offensive linemen and several key skill players, including starting running back J.J. Cowan.
“If you’ve got a quarterback, you’ve got a chance to win – and we’ve got a quarterback,” Harris said.
That stability could be critical for a program that was more competitive a year ago than its 2-10 record suggested. The Camels held fourth-quarter leads in nine games but won just two of those, a gap Harris has made a focal point this offseason.
Sixkiller, now in his second year in the system, said the difference is confidence and familiarity.
“I feel a lot more comfortable. I feel like I’ve got a lot more belief in my guys,” he said after the game. “I know who they are, and I know the work they’re doing.”
He also pointed to a growing group of playmakers around him, including receivers like Keener, Spencer Jones, Jyron Waiters (ECU transfer), Evan Austin (Charlotte transfer) and Barry Tate.
Defensively, both the Orange and Black units created turnovers during the scrimmage, an encouraging sign for a group that underwent significant offseason changes under new coordinator Brandon Butcher.
Harris also noted a broader shift in the program’s identity. More than half of Campbell’s roster now comes from North Carolina, a deliberate effort to strengthen local ties and build long-term buy-in. When Harris took over as head coach in 2023, only about a third of the roster hailed from North Carolina high schools.
“Now this community can come and they know these kids,” Harris said. “They’ve seen them play high school football. They’ve seen them in different places, and it connects … We definitely see a great crowd out here (today), probably the biggest crowd we’ve had in a spring game ever.”
The pieces appear to be in place for an improved season in Buies Creek. The buy-in is there from players, Harris said.
Now the next step, and the one that will define Campbell’s 2026 season, is whether the foundations laid this spring can translate into more wins once the lights come on this August.
“We found success in our preparation this spring and our offseason, putting in the work, trusting the guys we’ve got,” Sixkiller said. “I’m just so ready for this year because, you know, who knows? A couple more things go our way, and it’s going to be a dangerous year, definitely.”
What’s next for Campbell football?
The Camels will open the season against a two of the top teams from the Southern Conference, traveling to East Tennessee State (7-4) on Aug. 29 and welcoming Western Carolina (7-5) on Sept. 5.
After a trip into SEC country to face Florida on Sept. 12, Campbell will begin CAA play against in-state rival North Carolina A&T, another team looking to take a step forward after a two-win campaign in 2025.
“We’ve had our guys do some really hard things this semester, and they’ve responded each and every time,” Harris said. “In this day of college football, if you don’t like it, you leave. Our guys aren’t doing that.
“They’re leaning more into it. They’re fighting against the noise and the negativity that come around, and they’re leaning into who they are and being able to fight through it. I’m so excited about this group. I have a lot of confidence in this group.”
Check our more Campbell football content
👉 Campbell’s 2026 football schedule: See full 12-game slate, plus 2025 results and future non-conference opponents
👉 Campbell football overhauls defensive staff: Meet new defensive coaches, including DC Brandon Butcher
👉 FCS vs. FBS matchups in 2026: Does a North Carolina FCS team have a shot at knocking off an FBS team this season?
