Cam Camper Recovering From Torn ACL, Plans To Be 'Full Go' For Week 1
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Cam Camper isn't a fully cleared yet, but playing Week 1 against Ohio State remains the wide receiver's goal.
Camper tore his ACL on Oct. 22 during Indiana's Week 8 loss at Rutgers last season, but he still managed to end the 2022 campaign as the Hoosiers' leading receiver at 46 catches for 569 yards.
"That's the plan, to be full go at the start of the season," Camper said Monday. "But right now, I'm going through practice as I would if I was not injured. I just think every day I'm taking good strides, and I'm just focusing on making sure my technique is good. I'm just continuing to pay attention to detail, watching my other teammates and seeing what they do so I can get information on them. Right now, I'm just being a great learner."
Indiana coach Tom Allen shared a similar sentiment at Big Ten Media Days on July 27.
"Cam is doing really well, and I would say very close to being where he needs to be to be completely cleared to play," Allen said. "I fully expect him to play in the opener. I think maybe a pitch count type mindset for sure, but at the same time I feel very confident he'll be playing in game number one, so I'm very excited about that. He had a really, really good summer."
Indiana's Cam Camper (6) stiff arms Illinois' Devon Witherspoon (31) during the Indiana versus Illinois football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022.
Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
Indiana began the second week of fall camp practices on Monday, and Camper, like the first week, wore a blue non-contact jersey. He did not participate in one-on-one wide receiver versus defensive back drills on Monday, but he took part in various other drills.
"I think just making sure I'm being smart," Camper said. "I think the staff is doing a good job of kind of keeping my head straight on everything. I do have time, even though the season is right here, but I actually have time in reality. And just basically doing what I can every day. Days I can go I'm going to go, and days I've got to pull back, I'm gong to pull back."
With an open competition at quarterback, the 6-foot-2 Camper said it's been important for him to work with Tayven Jackson, Brendan Sorsby and Dexter Williams II equally. Williams II has participated in some aspects of practice while wearing a knee brace, but he is not expected to be ready for Week 1 against Ohio State, pinning the quarterback competition between fellow redshirt freshmen Jackson and Sorsby.
"I feel like just making sure I do something with them every day," Camper said. "One day I'll throw with Tayven, I'll go with Dex, I'll go with Sorsby, just every day making sure I do something."
Throughout the offseason, Camper has also found value in taking a step back and learning the game from the sideline with first-year wide receivers coach Anthony Tucker.
"I think that kind of slowed the game down for me," Camper said. "I think playing kind of slowed the game down, but just watching how everything moves around slowed the game down and made everything easier for me. I just became more of a student of the game."
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