College Football: Amp Campbell Will Always Be a Michigan State Spartan

Amp Campbell will always be a Michigan State Spartan.

"Once a Spartan, always a Spartan," Campbell said proudly by phone Sunday.

But his allegiance will side with his current employer, Western Michigan University, on Sept. 4. That's when the Broncos will take on the Spartans in East Lansing, and Campbell's job is to make sure his corners aren't torched by Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins.

It's also his 35th birthday.

"After the game, yeah," Campbell said about rooting for Michigan State. "During the game, I'm going to be black and gold. It would be a great birthday gift for me if we can get a win. I'm a Bronco that day, afterward I'll be pulling for the Spartans."

Campbell is now living his dream—passing on his knowledge of football to eager students. He had a brief stint with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in 2000, a two-year tenure with Michigan State's Player Development department from 2000-01, and coached at Urbana University (Ohio) and Ferris State until 2004.

"It was something I wanted to do because I love the game of football, and it's been a big part of my life since I was six years old," he said. "It was a big stepping stone for me that taught me a lot of life lessons. Really, becoming a man, taking care of responsibilities on the field, off the field.

(Knowledge) was something I wanted to share with other kids that were getting ready to start their careers in college."

But life wasn't always so comfortable for the former All Big-Ten corner turned teacher. In fact, if it wasn't for his fight, it would be drastically different.

In Michigan State's second game of its 1998 campaign, Campbell nearly ended his football career with a horrific injury.

Campbell still remembers the Oregon fullback's name whose thigh he hit head-on, which caused him to sever two neck vertebrae, and it's not a moment that he's afraid to relive.

"It's kind of crazy," Campbell said. "I watched it—I showed the clip last night to our guys. What happened, it was a direct path into the fullback in the flat... I turned around, maybe took two steps, lowered my head and hit the fullback, whose name is Chris Young."

Campbell had a burning sensation he said "ran through his whole body," but didn't realize the full extent of the damage.

"It was bad pain," he said. "But at the same time, I ended up taking my helmet off."

Michigan State's athletic trainers rushed to aid Campbell as he laid flat on his back, kicking his legs. They rolled him over, and Campbell soon calmed. To further assess his condition, the trainers asked Campbell a set of basic questions to see if he was indeed coherent.

"They asked me what was the score," Campbell said. "I looked down at the other end of the field, and couldn't tell the score. My vision was blurred."

Campbell was escorted to the bench, where he had trouble sitting upright. The trainers cut off his jersey and shoulder pads, and made the decision to take him to the hospital.

The X-rays confirmed the worst, Campbell's C6 and 7 vertebrae were fractured.

The chances of coming back from a severe spinal cord injury like Campbell's are slim to none. And there would have been no complaints from coaches or fans if Campbell decided to end his career at Michigan State.

But it wasn't their call, Campbell made the choice to do the unthinkable—return to finish his senior season.

"I never thought about it," Campbell said about his potentially career-ending hit. "This was my goal: my goal was to come back. I wanted to play well. One of my things is that I'm one of the biggest competitors out there. I felt like a lot of people didn't think I was able to do it."

Being able to suit up would have been considered a victory for Campbell. He said he had no idea he would go on to enjoy the type of success he had his senior year.

"Did I think I was going to be an All-Big Ten corner?" Campbell said. "No."

Nick Saban was the Spartans' coach during the time, and helped Campbell lobby the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility.

"I remember walking into coach Saban's office, and asked him if I could get an opportunity to come back," Campbell said. "He said 'You have to do me a favor. You have to graduate from college.'"

Campbell agreed.

"He stuck to his word, I stuck to mine." In August of 1999, he earned a degree in telecommunications.

And earning a degree is what drew him to Michigan State. Campbell was the No. 1 defensive back in the country when he graduated from Riverview High School (Sarasota, Fla.), and had the chance to sign with Florida or Florida State, which were dominant programs during the early 90s.

Campbell still remembers his recruitment process, which was led by legendary Spartan coach George Perles, and said he made the right choice.

"Perles came to my house, and pretty much sold me on the program," Campbell said. "He told me, 'Hey, if you come to Michigan State, we'll make sure you leave here with a degree.'"

Campbell didn't see immediate action with the Spartans on the football field, but he quickly learned the importance of the program's rivalry with Michigan.

"You know, at first as a freshman, not playing it in it, but being at the game, you don't realize how important it is," Campbell said. "It's bragging rights for 364 days until you play them again."

Every Spartan fan remembers the day Michigan running back Mike Hart delivered a blow to Michigan State. Hart bestowed the now-infamous "Little Brother" moniker on his then-in-state counterparts, and that didn't bode well with Campbell.

"The Mike Hart situation was upsetting to hear," Campbell said. "To me, every time I stepped out there against them, we had a great opportunity to beat them."

Campbell is one of few football players that can say he beat Michigan twice during his career. He recalled the 1999 game which sparked a successful season for the Spartans. Michigan State went 10-2, with losses to Purdue and Wisconsin, and beat the Florida Gators 37-34 in the 2000 Citrus Bowl.

"I think they were ranked No. 3 at the time," Campbell said of Michigan. The Spartans defeated the Wolverines 34-31 in East Lansing, but Campbell said "it wasn't as close as the score showed," as Michigan scored two late touchdowns to cut its deficit.

Satisfied with the Spartans' recent success, Campbell said he likes where coach Mark Dantonio is taking the program that gave so much to him.

"I love to see the program doing well. I want those guys to be successful. I think they'll have a pretty successful season. I feel they'll be well-conditioned, mentally and physically tough. It all depends on the leadership, and those guys can stay healthy — hopefully not have any bad injuries.

I'd love to see them win nine, ten games, and win the Big Ten. In the beginning of the year, that was a big thing we all expressed when we were there.

I'll always be a Spartan."