Virginia became the latest of many schools to officially offer left tackle/defensive end Bruce Campbell and the second school to offer cornerback/running back Jamie Nixon when head coach Al Groh visited Hyde Leadership Academy (New Haven, CT) earlier this month. Groh visited the day after the Elite college combine in New Jersey, where Campbell and Nixon performed well and opened some eyes.

“Bruce had almost a half-dozen offers before that Elite combine,” Hyde head coach John Acquavita said. “When you’re 6-7, 260 pounds and can move well, people who don’t see you sometimes will give you an offer. So he was chugging along fine, but Oklahoma told Bruce after the combine that an offer would be in the mail. Jamie had one offer and a couple of people checking him out. I told Jamie that ‘you’re going to go to that combine, you’re going to run the 40 and it’s going to be over.’ Those were my exact words. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened. I know he had the second fastest time there and that was with a hurt ankle. I think it was a 4.34. And that was electronic. That night, from the combine, the University of Florida called me on the phone. The next morning, coach Groh was in at 7:40 am to offer both of them.”

Groh left an impression on coach Acquavita during the in-school visit.

“Al Groh had the best line of the year so far as the recruiting [of Bruce and Jamie],” Acquavita said. “We’re standing in the Athletic Department office and he said ‘it’s a simple process. I’ve been using it my whole coaching career. There are four things I and every other coach needs to be successful. One, I need a cover corner. Two, I need a defensive end to put pressure on the opposing quarterback. Three, I need a left offensive tackle to protect my quarterback. And four, I need that quarterback.’ He said we had two of the four pieces of that puzzle right now. [For Bruce] he never said exactly which position he was talking about, but he did mention in a conversation later on about we’ll have to see which one he does the best. I personally think that the kid, with hard work, could play left tackle on Sundays. The way he’s built – he’s tall and rangy – fits it like a glove. He could be a good defensive end, too.”

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