Beginning his second year in the Campbell football program, red-shirt junior linebacker Lee Stanley took time to reflect on playing college football, the Camels' progress as a team and his time in Buies Creek.

Q: You've been practicing and getting ready for the 2009 season with the team for a few weeks now, how has that been going for you?

Stanley: It's been going well. The intensity everyone has brought has been impressive. Everyone has been working hard and I think we're making strides and getting better every day.

Q: You are going through preseason camp a second time with this program, would you say it is easier this time around?

Stanley: I would say it is easier this year. You're more mentally prepared and you know what to expect. A lot of us got a chance to learn the system better in the spring, so instead of having to learn things in camp, like technique and fundamentals, we already knew it. So as far as the mental aspect, I would definitely say that camp was much easier.

Q: How have the freshmen, who don't have the experience that you do, been adjusting to practice?

Stanley: The freshmen started out a little slower, as you would expect, but they all seem to pick everything up well. We have some good leaders out here that can show them the right way to play.

Q: You transferred to Campbell from Western Carolina, where you were on the football team there for two seasons, what made you decide to come to Buies Creek?

Stanley: One of the main reasons was the coaching staff. I was very impressed with Coach Steele and he seemed like he really wanted me. I wanted to be somewhere that I was wanted and the staff here made me feel welcome. Another reason is that I wanted to be closer to home, closer to my family and friends.

I also wanted to be a part of something special, with us restarting this program. What we're doing here is going to last forever and that was an opportunity that I really looked forward to.

Q: You are a native of Smithfield, N.C., about 25 miles from Buies Creek. What is it like playing college football just down the road from where you grew up?

Stanley: I love it. Everyone from my hometown always comes to the game, and when I visit home everybody asks me how football is going. They seem to really be keeping up with how I'm playing, and complementing me when I do well. They've become Campbell football fans, too. It's definitely great to play close to home.

Q: Back at Smithfield-Selma High School, you also lettered in baseball and track & field. How does playing football compare to other sports you've participated in?

Stanley: I really don't think there is any comparison. Football was my first love. When I was little I can remember telling my mom I wanted to play football. I did other sports and I enjoyed playing them because I liked playing with my friends. Plus, I'm a competitor, so I like competing in other sports, but there's nothing like being on the football field. The intensity is amazing, and these friends will be my friends for the rest of my life. There is no closer bond than what you have on a football team.

Q: What position did you play in baseball?

Stanley: I played a little bit of everything. When I was younger, I played third base, and when I got to high school I started playing first and in left field.

Q: What events did you participate in on your high school track team?

Stanley: I did the shot put, discuss, ran the 200 meters, and did the high jump.

Q: That's quite a variety of events.

Stanley: Well, (laughs) when we competed against some of the smaller schools, that's when I ran the 200. That wasn't my normal event or anything. We had some pretty fast guys on our team. I mostly stuck to the shot and discuss.

Q: You've been a part of Campbell football for a complete year now. How have you seen this program grow from the first time you stepped foot on campus to now?

Stanley: It's grown tremendously. There's really no comparison, and Coach Steele said it perfect the other day. When we first got here, we were just out here. No one knew where they were going. We probably had three or four guys on a given play that knew where to go, and everybody else was lost. Now, everyone knows what's going on, it's just a matter of executing our plays. We're more mature as a team, attitudes are great. Everybody is here for football and everyone who is here wants to be here, so it's a huge difference.

Q: What do you all want to accomplish as a team in your second season of competition?

Stanley: The main goals are obviously to get better and to win more games this year. Our coaches have put in our minds that we have the chance to win every game. We have the talent, so it's up to us now. We have to go out and be competitive in every game and to play as hard as we can every quarter.

Q: Coach Steele calls the linebacker core one of his deepest positions. How do you and your fellow linebackers complement each other?

Stanley: Milton (Brown) and I are like a one-two punch. We both have power and speed. (Jon-Michael) Stone has picked up and done a great job so far too. We have depth in the first, second and third strings. All of us can play. We all try to be leaders on this team, bringing intensity every day.

Q: You played a mix of middle and outside linebacker last season, getting most of your time on the outside. You're now slated to start in the middle on opening day. What would you say is the biggest difference in playing middle versus playing outside linebacker?

Stanley: In football, you're hitting someone every play, but in the middle, it's a different type of hitting. You're meeting someone in the hole and scrapping every play. We have the responsibility of getting the front lined up too. Playing outside is more of a finesse position. It's still a hard-nosed position, but it's not as physical as playing inside.

Q: Being from Smithfield, I'm sure you'll have a lot of family and friends inside Barker-Lane on opening day. How many people do you think you'll have in your cheering section on September 5?

Stanley: I'll definitely use up all four tickets that I have. There's no telling how many other family and friends I'll have in attendance. I can't even count how many people I've had tell me that they were coming to the Methodist game, so I'm expecting this game to be sold out.

Q: Would you say that you might have more people cheering you on than anyone else on the team?

Stanley: I don't know about that, but I'll definitely have over 10 people in my group. CJ Oates will probably have the biggest cheering section, though.

Q: What is it like to play inside Barker-Lane Stadium, and on what is now Gore Field?

Stanley: It's a great experience. On game day, when it fills up, it feels like a big stadium. I say that having played at Alabama with Western and 90,000 people. When you have people on top of you like it is here, you can't tell the difference, though. It's just as loud when you're on the field. I love our fans and the atmosphere Barker-Lane creates.