Steve Campbell

Steve Campbell (born April 11, 1966) is an American football coach and former player. He currently serves as the offensive line and tight ends coach at UMS-Wright Preparatory School in Mobile, Alabama. Campbell was the head football coach at the University of South Alabama from 2018 to 2020. Campbell has previously served as head football coach at Southwest Mississippi Community College from 1997 to 1998, Delta State University from 1999 to 2001, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College from 2004 to 2013 and the University of Central Arkansas from 2014 until 2017.

He has been involved with three National Championship winning teams — first as an NCAA Division II player in 1987, then as a D-II head coach in 2000 and lastly as a junior college head coach in 2007.

Personal life Campbell was born in Pensacola, Florida, and graduated from J.M. Tate High School in nearby Cantonment. Campbell was a football player in college, starting at center in 43 straight games for Southeastern Louisiana and Troy State University. In 1987, he was a member of the NCAA Division II National Championship team at Troy, and was named an All-Gulf South Conference first team selection.

In 1997, Campbell received his first head coaching position, taking over at Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he had spent the previous season coaching the running backs. In 2003, he then served as offensive line coach for Jackie Sherrill in his last season at Mississippi State before taking the head coaching position at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in March 2004. Campbell coached Gulf Coast to a NJCAA Junior College co-National Championship in 2007. Several players on that team went on to play in the Southeastern Conference including Eltoro Freeman and Demond Washington at Auburn, Terrence Cody at Alabama and Chris White and Sean Brauchle at Mississippi State. Prior to Campbell's arrival, the Bulldogs football team had not made it to the state playoffs since 1986.

In December 2008, Campbell was a finalist for the head coaching position at Northwestern State University. Other finalists included Bradley Dale Peveto, co-defensive coordinator at Louisiana State University and a former Northwestern State assistant, who eventually got the job.

On January 12, 2009, Campbell interviewed with new head coach Gene Chizik to fill the vacant position coaching the offensive line at Auburn University, but the job was filled by Colorado assistant head coach Jeff Grimes.

Campbell led his 2009 MGCCC Bulldogs team to a 9–2 record after losing 75–71 in the MACJC State Championship game, ending Gulf Coast's bid for three straight MACJC titles.

In 2010, Campbell led Gulf Coast to a 10–2 record (the two losses were a combined six points) including a 31–17 win over Copiah-Lincoln in the MACJC Championship game and a 62–53 win versus #3 ranked Grand Rapids (10–1) in the Mississippi Bowl. The combined 115 points set a Mississippi Bowl record. A member of that team, Don Jones went on to be drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 2013 NFL draft and made the team as a safety. Under Campbell's leadership, Gulf Coast consistently ranked in the NJCAA National Poll, finishing #13 in 2005, #8 in 2006, #1 in 2007, #4 in 2008, #8 in 2009, #3 in 2010 and #6 in 2011.

In December 2013, Campbell was named head football coach at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). From 2014 to 2017, he compiled a record of 33 wins and 15 losses over four seasons, made two playoff appearances, and won a Southland Conference championship. In December 2017, Campbell agreed to a four-year contract with the University of South Alabama that paid him $600,000 per year, triple what he was earning at FCS Central Arkansas. Campbell's replacement at UCA was his offensive coordinator, Nathan Brown. After going 9–26 in three years, South Alabama decided to move on from Campbell.

On August 20, 2021, Campbell was hired to join the staff at UMS-Wright Preparatory School in Mobile, Alabama as a volunteer coach.

On February 3, 2023, Campbell along with fellow former South Alabama head coach, Joey Jones, was hired by Zach Arnett to join back with Mississippi State with Campbell joining as the director of high school relations.

On July 23, 2024, Campbell returned to UMS-Wright's coaching staff on a full-time basis as their offensive line and tight ends coach.

Head coaching record College

Junior college