Phil Padgett had barely noticed Dekota
Marshall before he walked into the football office at Southwest Onslow
in Jacksonville, NC, four years ago. A gangly 5-foot-10, 135-pounder at
the time, Marshall had done little to distinguish himself as a ninth
grader on the junior varsity.
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 Sammy
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“He
really wasn’t anything special,’’ Padgett recalled. “I hate to say that.
But we had projected him as being a good backup player in our program.’’
Marshall had much loftier aspirations
for himself. He wanted to be a star for the Stallions’ varsity, and in
the future he wanted to play college football. Both reasons led Marshall
to Padgett’s office that day.
“He said, ‘Coach, tell me what to
do,’’’ Padgett said. “I told him ‘run track, lift weights and keep up
your grades.’ ’’
Marshall followed Padgett’s advice to
the letter, growing into a 6-1 1/2, 190-pounder with the strength (he
has a 360-pound bench press) and speed (4.4 seconds in 40-yard dash)
that’s enabled him reach those ninth-grade goals.
Since being called up to the Southwest
varsity as a 10th grader, Marshall has been pivotal force in
back-to-back runs to the state 2-A championship. A two-year starter at
tailback for the Stallions, he’s rushed for more than 1,500 yards the
last season-and-a-half, including 850 and 15 touchdowns through the
first half of this season.
On Monday, Marshall fulfilled his dream
of playing college football by making a verbal commitment to play in
2006 for the East Carolina Pirates. He becomes the second member of the
Pirates’ recruiting Class of 2006, joining
offensive
lineman D.J. Scott from Green Cove Springs, FL.
Marshall has been a prime target for
ECU and head coach Skip Holtz since attending summer football camp in
Greenville. The Pirates made an early scholarship offer at that point,
but Marshall decided to wait before making a final decision.
“I really did like East Carolina all
the way,’’ Marshall said on Wednesday. “I had gone to camp there and
really liked the coaches and the way they taught and trained me there. I
loved the stadium and the players. But I thought I’d just wait a little
bit (before making decision).
“I went to the Duke and Southern
Mississippi games. I had a feeling Mr. Holtz was going to come in and do
a good job with the team. They had told me all along I was their No. 1
prospect, so I finally decided not to wait any longer.’’
Marshall was receiving increased
interest from schools such as North Carolina, Wake Forest and N.C.
State, but only NCAA Division I-AA Gardner-Webb had actually offered a
scholarship besides ECU.
“I really think by the end of the
season that he would have had other offers,’’ Padgett said. “But I told
him, ‘East Carolina wants you right now. Go where someone loves you.
Don’t go where someone likes you.’ ’’
East Carolina has recruited Marshall as
a two-way athlete, according to Padgett.
“His first look is going to be at
either safety or cornerback,’’ Padgett said. “But they’re not ruling out
the possibility he could be a defensive back and also play something
like split end. When you’ve got a great athlete like Dekota it’s hard
not to think of him playing both sides of the ball.’’
Marshall’s main focus at Southwest
Onslow has been running with the football. In the Stallions’ game last
Friday against Swansboro, Marshall ran seven times for 234 yards and
score three touchdowns. He had touchdown runs of 91, 61 and 64 yards.
Strength training, according to
Marshall, has been the key to his prep success.
“I love lifting weights,’’ Marshall
said. “I probably spend at least two hours every day in the weight room,
Monday through Saturday. I think that strength helps me bounce off
tackles and run over people. When I get hit I usually keep moving.’’
Padgett believes Marshall’s height and
speed will make him a quick contributor on ECU’s defense.
“He has the height to match up with any
receiver, and he’s got the speed to match up with any receiver,’’
Padgett said. “Usually, defensive backs are the fastest kids, and the
fastest kids are shorter. But here’s a kid who is 6-1 1/2 and can run
with anybody. Nowadays receivers are getting taller and taller, and you
have to have a defensive back with height who can match up.’’
Marshall said he was encouraged by
another unlikely source to accept East Carolina’s offer — teammate
Kendric Burney who has given a verbal commitment to North Carolina.
“Kendric and I have played football
together since fifth grade,’’ Marshall said. “I talked to him a lot
about my college decision. He always told me, ‘Make the decision that’s
right for you.’ We’ll still be close friends, even when we’re not
playing for the same school.’’
Now that Marshall has made his college
choice, he can concentrate on helping Southwest win another state title.
The Stallions enter this Friday’s game against Richlands with a 7-1
overall record.
“That’s my main focus now,’’ Marshall
said. “I want to finish my career in high school as a state champion.’’
