One is a redshirt sophomore from Tennessee.
The other, a grad student from Australia.
But for Indiana, the two combine to form one dynamic specials team duo that has been dominant thus far for the Hoosiers.
Kicker Charles Campbell, a redshirt sophomore from Tennessee, has been Mr. Automatic for Indiana this season, going 6-for-6 on field goals and is 11-for-11 on point-after-attempts this season. For his career, Campbell has never missed a field goal or a PAT.
As for the grad student from Australia, punter Haydon Whitehead has been dominant with his leg, averaging 37 yards or better on punts this season.
Against Penn State, he averaged 42.8 yards on five punts, along with a 37.2 average on five punts against Rutgers and a 46.2 yard average on five punts against Michigan. Against the Wolverines, he drilled a 54 yard punt, which was a season best.
Whitehead graduated with a SPEA management degree last December, and is currently working on a master's degree after being granted a sixth year of eligibility for the 2020 season last November.
The two may have had different paths to stardom with the Hoosiers, but one thing is certain, they have played a vital role in Indiana's 3-0 start.
For Whitehead, the 2020 season has been a good one for the 25-year-old who earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten accolades last season from the coaches.
Whitehead enters this week against Michigan State fresh off a season best yardage, averaging 46.2 yards on five punts during IU’s 38-21 win over Michigan.
But, his greatest attribute this season has been leadership.
Reece Taylor told the media this week Whitehead has made the special teams unit better.
"Any special teams he’s on, he gets that whole unit right. He makes sure everyone is on point, he makes sure everybody is doing what they need to be in the right spot and I feel like he’s a great leader in that role," said Taylor.
The reason?
Whitehead says he has the confidence due to his experience as Indiana's punter.
“I sort of have that confidence to step up and pull guys up if they are not doing their job or maybe are lined not in the right spots, just little things like that,” Whitehead said this week. “Other areas I feel like I can contribute really strongly to stepping up into more of that leadership role, and then I just try to be a positive influence off the field, in the weight room all of those type of things that you would expect from someone that’s been here for four years.”
And, Whitehead also is able to look in the mirror and lead himself, noting this week there is still plenty of room for improvement, despite averaging 42.1 yards on 15 punts.
While the numbers are solid, only two punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line this season.
“It’s positive in a sense that I have hit a couple of good balls and limited return yards on most of their punts. But then on the other side of that, I also think I’ve left a few out there, a few that could have been better. We had, I think, a couple of returns on Saturday and a missed opportunity to pin Michigan deep," Whitehead said.
As for Campbell, he showed a season ago at Purdue just how special he could be.
In the rain, cold and wind, Campbell kicked a 41-yard field goal that helped Indiana knock off Purdue and reclaim the Old Oaken Bucket.
And, for the former U.S. Army All-American and Mr. Football finalist in Tennessee, it has been the beginning of what has been a strong 2020 season.
Against Penn State in the season opener, Campbell connected on field goals from 34 and 48 yards, as well as hitting both extra point attempts. A week later, he was a perfect 3-of-3 in the field goal department and 4-of-4 in extra point attempts against Rutgers en route to earning the Big Ten Special Teams Player-of-the-Week honor and the Lou Groza National Collegiate Place kicker Award Star-of-the-Week honor.
Last week against Michigan, Campbell drilled a 52-yard field goal and connected on all five of his extra point attempts, helping lift the Hoosiers past Michigan 38-21.
Campbell recently told the media he doesn't think about the kicks.
"I've been training since I was young to go out there and execute. I think it's muscle memory at this point. If I follow my technique, I'll make the kick," Campbell said.
With that said, Campbell said he has picked a spot behind the uprights and takes that as his line.
"I just kick down that line," he said.
Campbell said he is grateful he didn't play his first two years at Indiana and notes he is mature as a result.
"I'm much more mature and I'm more mature and confident in my kicking. I got to come in and learn how to handle myself and mature in my kicking as opposed to when I was 18," said the 21-year-old kicker.
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