Bob Campese This is Me

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1. 1. Welcome to NewsOK.com

   www.kwtv.com/cgi-bin/show_arti - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/9/2003   Last Visited: 2/10/2003

   "I've coached three or four players who have played in the NFL," Henninger coach Bob Campese said Thursday. "I know athletes. This kid certainly isn't a Division I athlete."
   
   As a practice, I don't condone deceit, although it has worked for some of our best government officials.
   ...
   In fact, none of it was what we loosely would call the truth, Campese said. But it didn't matter much because schools started recruiting him, sight unseen.
   
   ...
   Campese was stunned by the attention given to a kid who had a reputation as a fumbler before being moved from running back to fullback. He told any recruiter who would listen that Tolbert had major academic difficulties, wouldn't qualify for a scholarship and had, at best, Division II talent.
   
   "All I could think was that he had sent some information out about himself," Campese said. "I just wish the kid would put his hard work into his work ethic here, and he would have been something special in school."
   
   Tolbert said he and Campese don't see eye to eye.
   
   This is what he told TheInsiders.com in October:

2. 2. Buccaneers.com

   www.buccaneers.com/newsroom/ne - [Cached]

   Published on: 12/31/2001   Last Visited: 9/25/2002

   Last Saturday, the former Michigan All-American was selected in the third round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and that didn't surprise that high school coach, Bob Campese.
   
   "The second game of his freshman year, he made a great play to intercept a pass," Campese said. "Then he weaved his way through players from the other team like you wouldn't believe and returned it 68 yards for the touchdown. During that play, as I was watching it, I knew this was a guy who was going to the NFL."
   
   Campese, the 13-year head coach at Henninger, had Walker as a four-year starter as both a wide receiver and defensive back, but took even greater advantage of his star athletes' versatile talents. "His junior and senior year, we moved him around," Campese said. "We would also line him up as a tight end, quarterback or tailback. But 90 percent of the time, we used him as a wide receiver."
   
   Campese gladly did everything he could to find ways for Walker to beat opposing defenses that threw all types of coverage at the standout Syracuse, New York, athlete. "If they were playing 10 to 20 yards off, we checked off the play and threw it to him. If we saw double coverage, we might pitch the ball back to him," Campese said.
   
   "I think he's just starting to scratch the surface of what he can do. When he puts the pads on in the NFL, he could be a good 10-to-12-year pro prospect. He reminds me a lot of Cris Carter."
   
   ...
   Under Campese, Walker set the New York state record with 181 catches for 3,352 yards during his career. He caught 35 touchdown passes and also ran the ball 55 times for 506 yards and five touchdowns. In his final year, he caught 80 passes for 1,191 yards and 13 touchdowns. That same season, he intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown.
   
   During his junior season, Walker caught 40 passes for 880 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 237 yards set a state single game record as a junior. When he was a sophomore, he caught 40 passes for 800 yards. Walker also punted for Henninger and frequently would run from the punt formation during a fake.
   
   Campese recalls one game when Walker scored three touchdowns in the first half from outside his wide receiver's position: one from the tailback spot on a sweep, the second on a fake punt and another on an interception return.
   
   Defensively, Walker was also a spark plug for his team, with 200 career tackles and 14 interceptions.
   
   ...
   "I think had Michigan given him more opportunity with the football, he could have done more," Campese said. "I think he's just starting to scratch the surface of what he can do. When he puts the pads on in the NFL, he could be a good 10-to-12-year pro prospect. He reminds me a lot of Cris Carter. He's got great talent at catching the ball and running with it."
   
   Campese kept an eye on Walker during his eighth-grade football season. But because of sloppy weather conditions and other constraints, Walker didn't have a chance to show much.
   
   "I watched him play eighth-grade basketball and right away recognized his talents," Campese said.
   
   During the spring of Walker's eighth-grade season, Campese called a meeting of future high school football prospects. As he was talking to his future players, he noticed Walker wasn't there. As the meeting starting breaking up, Walker rushed inside the room, barely able to catch his breath.
   
   "Where were you?" Campese asked.
   
   "I was playing in the chess championship match at the school," Walker replied.
   
   "Did you win?" Campese asked.
   
   "Yes," Walker responded, "I won."
   
   It was easy for Campese to excuse Walker's absence. He just saw another sign that he had a true winner on his hands.
   
   "I've coached some great athletes here," Campese said. "But Marquise was absolutely the best."

3. 3. The Washington Times: Sports

   www.washtimes.com/sports/20030 - [Cached]

   Published on: 5/21/2003   Last Visited: 5/22/2003

   His coach, Bob Campese, labeled him a "JUCO or Division II talent at best."
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   Schools followed suit, and the scheme wasn't exposed until January, when officials at Florida called Campese directly.