Mac Campbell

Mac Campbell was a generational football player. His coach, the late Larry Ginn, realized that quickly. Ginn named Campbell Alexandria’s varsity tailback as an eighth grader in 1993 and Campbell held the job until his senior season ended with a 24-14 win over Greensboro in the 1997 AHSAA Class 4A state championship game.

Campbell rushed for 1,214 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in his first varsity season. Alexandria finished 7-3 but all three losses came against area opponents. The Valley Cubs didn’t make the 4A football playoffs that year but the next four seasons would be very different.

As a freshman, Campbell ran for 1,803 yards and scored 31 touchdowns. The 1994 team finished 11-2, losing to area rival Cleburne County twice. The Tigers won 32-7 in the final contest of a 9-game regular season for the Cubs and again 6-0 in overtime in the 4A semifinal round.

Campbell contributed 34 touchdowns and 2,220 rushing yards to Alexandria’s 15-0 4A state championship team in 1995. In the Cubs’ 18-13 title-game win over previously undefeated T.R. Miller, Campbell ran for 221 yards and scored three times. His final touchdown came on a 5-yard run that erased a 13-12 T.R. Miller lead in the second half. 

Campbell recorded 2,006 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns in 1996. The Valley Cubs were 9-0 in the regular season and won two playoff games before falling in a quarterfinal game. Alexandria capped Campbell’s senior season with another 4A state championship, defeating Greensboro at Legion Field in the championship contest. Campbell had his best season statistically,  rushing for 2,596 yards and scoring 37 touchdowns in just 14 games.

When Campbell finished his final high school game, he held AHSAA career records for rushing yards (9,839), points scored (928), rushing touchdowns scored (145) and touchdowns scored (153).  Campbell earned Calhoun County 4A-6A All-County recognition in each of his last four years of varsity football. In each of the last three years he played, he was Calhoun County 4A-6A player of the year. 

Campbell was a member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) Class 4A first-team All-State team each season from 1994 through 1997. The Birmingham News named him to its 4A first-team All-State in 1995, 1996 and 1997. In his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, Campbell was voted ASWA 4A Player of the Year, ASWA Super 12 and Birmingham News Super All-State. In 1997, Campbell won the ASWA Mr. Football award, given each year to the best player in the state without regard to his school’s classification.

written by Joe Estep