ST. PETERSBURG — Palmetto and St. Petersburg Northeast threw reserves on the field for the first quarter of Thursday’s spring football game, meaning Donald Campbell would start the night under center.
He just didn’t know he’d be finishing the night under center.
But Campbell, a rising senior who typically lines up at wide receiver, wasn’t complaining, which is good — judging by the way he played during the Tigers’ 42-30 win, he might find himself there more frequently next fall.
“He’s going to do a variety of things,” coach Raymond Woodie said. “But right now, if I had to start the season, obviously, we’d want him to be on the perimeter. But obviously, with the ball in his hands, he can do a lot of things.”
He did so Thursday, running for a touchdown and throwing for two more. His final TD pass was the most impressive — he scrambled under pressure and lofted a spiral toward the back corner of the end zone.
The Tigers do need a quarterback — last year’s starter, Ethan Gilbert, is off to college in August, and was standing on the sideline wearing jeans and a backward ballcap Thursday.
Melvin Burston and Rian Kelly, both of whom saw limited action Thursday, are candidates, though neither has a wide breadth of varsity experience.
“But we’ve got some things we want to work on this summer,” Woodie said. “When you come in with an inexperienced quarterback, you don’t want to give them too much.”
A varsity fixture since his freshman season, Campbell — nicknamed Soup — has become of the team’s most reliable receivers. That said, he wouldn’t be phased by a position switch.
“I just get in there and make plays, no matter what position I’m at,” he said. “I just get in there and make plays and try to help the team.”
He also doesn’t have a preference.
“I’ll do anything coach asks me, just to help the team go as far as we can,” he said. “I’m a senior and this is my last year, so I’m trying to help some of the young guys.”
Marquis Green scored twice during the first quarter and Travontae Rhodes pulled in a touchdown pass for Palmetto, which faces Riverview in August for a kickoff classic.
“We feel pretty good,” Woodie said. “We put up 42 points. At the end of the day, I’d say this game was definitely a positive.”
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