CLINTON, S.C. – Senior linebacker Colby Campbell and senior wide receiver Keith Pearson have been named to Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan and Walter Payton Award list respectively on Monday.
Campbell is the second player in the Blue Hose DI era to be named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as Justin Bethel was a finalist in 2011. Pearson is the first Blue Hose to be named to the Walter Payton Award list.
Campbell finished the spring with 96 tackles including 47 solo stops in seven games. He had 10+ tackles in five of the seven games including a DI school-record 25 tackles in a 29-24 victory over Davidson on April 10. He had 10+ solo stops in three games including 11 in the aforementioned matchup with Davidson. He totaled 7.0 tackles for loss with a stretch of three straight games of 2.0+ tackles for loss coming against San Diego, Stetson, and Davidson.
The Montmorenci, S.C. native finished the spring second among FCS players with 13.7 tackles per game, seventh in solo stops at 6.7 per contest. He recorded co-defensive player of the week honors after totaling 25 stops against Davidson as he also was named the defensive player of the week from Stats Perform as well.
He concluded his Blue Hose career with 355 tackles which rank second in the PC DI record book. Campbell totaled 180 solo stops in his career which sits third in the same record book while ranking second with 175 assisted tackles. He holds the record in the Blue Hose DI record book with 32.0 tackles for loss while tying for the record of 13.0 sacks.
Pearson finished the spring with 65 catches for 831 yards and five touchdowns. The 65 catches and 831 yards receiving both ranks second in the Blue Hose single-season DI record book as Pearson holds the catch record with 71 grabs during the 2019 season.
He finished the spring with 9.29 catches per game which rank third in all of FCS this spring. Pearson finished second in the FCS ranks this spring with 118.7 receiving yards per game and third with his 831 yards receiving. The Enoree, S.C. native finished the spring 12th in FCS with 133.86 all-purpose yards and 15th with five receiving scores.
Pearson finished his Blue Hose career with a DI school record of 200 catches for 2,304 receiving yards. He finished third in the PC DI record book with 5.00 receptions per game and fourth in touchdowns at 10. He also finished second in his Blue Hose career with 3,419 all-purpose yards, while averaging 85.5 yards per game of all-purpose yards which sits fourth.
The Buchanan Award, named for the legendary defensive end and in its 26th season, has watched past winners such as Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen, Arthur Moats, and Kyle Emanuel move on to NFL careers.
The Payton Award, named for the legendary running back and in its 34th season, has served as a stepping-stone for such NFL players as Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Cooper Kupp. Also, the most recent recipient in 2019, former North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, is projected to be one of the early selections in the NFL Draft on April 29.
A 40-member national media panel will select the winner for the Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan Awards from the unprecedented 2020-21 season, which has spanned the fall and spring semesters. The recipient will be announced on May 15.
