The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Duke football programme has been riddled with injuries this season, with August Campbell the latest casualty of an already depleted secondary.

Campbell missed his second consecutive game with what the Duke staff is calling “an upper body injury” after starting the first two games of the season at safety. He suffered the injury in the Blue Devils’ lone loss of the season, 50-13 at Stanford on September 8, and has since missed both the 54-17 win in the Bull City Gridiron Classic over North Carolina Central and a 38-14 win at home over Memphis.

The injuries have yet to affect the Blue Devils in the win column as they improved to 3-1 heading into ACC play on Saturday against Wake Forest.

Seven projected starters from the preseason and actual starters have been sidelined with injuries early in the season thus far.

Campbell joined a list that includes wide receiver Blair Holliday, tight end Braxton Deaver, nose guard Jamal Bruce, linebacker Kelby Brown, safety Jordon Byas, and defensive end Justin Foxx.

Campbell stepped into the starting lineup when Byas was sidelined during preseason practices with torn knee cartilage that required surgery. He has recorded six tackles, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hurry in his first full season at the helm of the defensive secondary.

Campbell began the season with a career milestone in the Blue Devil’s 46-26 season opener over the FIU Golden Panthers. He recovered a fumble late in the second quarter for the second fumble recovery of his career.

Leading 27-14, Campbell recovered the turnover, which led to a Blue Devils score and a three possession game as they pulled away. He also finished the game by matching a career-high with five tackles and the fourth quarterback hurry of his career.

Campbell started the year as one of two returning safeties despite the fact that he missed spring drills while recovering from shoulder surgery.

Coming into the season, his 24 career games included eight starts, 43 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, one fumble recovery and three quarterback hurries.

The 6’3”, 235 pound defensive back also owns the school record for longest fumble return with a 95-yard touchdown return against Boston College in 2010. He had one tackle in the Stanford game prior to his injury.

The safety position has been particularly injury plagued for the Devils. Freshman safety Corbin McCarthy  has also missed the last two games due to a shoulder injury,  reserve safety Taylor Sowell is sidelined for the season with an Achilles’ tendon injury, and sophomore Jeremy Cash is sitting out this season under NCAA transfer rules after joining the Blue Devils from the Ohio State Buckeyes. No timetable has been set for Campbell’s return to the lineup.