Campiotti catching on as a receiver with Minute Men
By JAMES DENNIS
The Tower
Former Manteca High star quarterback Gino Campiotti is switching positions for his senior season at the University of Massachussets.
Campiotti is making the move to wide receiver after platooning as quarterback for the Minute Men during the 2022-23 season. Since leaving Manteca High as a record-setting quarterback, Campiotti has played three positions in five years at the collegiate level.
He was recruited to Northern Arizona as a quarterback but was moved to tight end. He transferred to Modesto Junior College and played quarterback in coach Rusty Stiver’s NASCAR offense, earning All-Valley League Offensive MVP and All American honors.
In his first season at UMASS, Campiotti took turns under center. He threw for 1,931 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 834 yards and nine touchdowns.
Campiotti’s goals for his final season are simple: Score more touchdowns. Win more games.
In his first season at UMASS, Gino Campiotti took turns under center. He threw for 1,931 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 834 yards and nine touchdowns. This fall, he’s switching to wide receiver.
“I would say a personal goal I have for myself is that I want to score more touchdowns than I did last year,” he said in a phone interview with The Tower. “… But I think more importantly, like a team goal, I think that we have the guys in our locker room to really set us up for a good season.
“We lost a lot of close games. Some things didn't work out the way that we wanted them to but we're going to learn from that, and I think that's a good team goal for us to play in a bowl game this year which requires six wins.”
The Tower caught up with Campiotti to discuss his ever-evolving football career.
The Tower: How have you felt about all the position changes throughout your college career?
Gino Campiotti: Honestly, I feel pretty good right now; kind of going to play more of an athletic position … more like an ungrounded tight end. I'm looking forward to it. I think I'm going to be able to use my skill set in a lot of ways. … I think it's going to be real fun for me, but it's definitely been stressful because you never know what's coming.
TT: What made you switch to wide receiver?
GC: I wanted to get on the field more and have an opportunity to get the ball in my hands more frequently. … I'm going to be able to win 1-on-1s rather than in between the tackles with a lot of guys around me. So, I have a better opportunity to win 1-on-1s in space and try to use my athleticism differently.
TT: Have you had any history of playing wide receiver?
GC: I never played receiver but at Northern Arizona I played tight end for a little bit, and they never really put my hand on the ground.
A record-setting quarterback at Manteca High, Gino Campiotti is now a wide receiver at the University of the Massachussets.
TT: What have you done this offseason to help you get ready for the season?
GC: I was undersized for sure moving from quarterback playing against some big dudes, so the six or seven weeks I spent in California, I spent eating a lot, lifting heavy and working out with some really good coaches and dudes around me, like (Central Valley trainer and movement specialist) Chad Hale, to maximize the athleticism I have. … Right now, I'm trying to get faster and heavier; so it's just eating and heavy compound lifts instead of high volume.
TT: What inspires you to keep playing football?
GC: I really love football. It's my favorite thing to do. My ideal job is to play football after (college), whether it's NFL or anywhere else. … I know that when I'm done playing football, I'll never get to play again. … I can always join a slow-pitch league. I could always go run my 5-on-5 basketball game at 24 Hour Fitness, but like I'll never be able to put the pads on again, so I am just going to ride this for as long as I can.