May 14, 2025 • 20 mins
Marcus Dupree reflect on his impressive football career
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome back to Sports Talk ninety ninety five, The Randy
Kennedy Show, and right now very proud to be joined
by I gotta say, one of the best athletes we've
ever had on the show in the decades that we've
been doing this, one of the great running backs in
the history of the sports. Marcus dupre joins us right now,
the pride of Philadelphia, Mississippi. Marcus, how are you doing? Man?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Pretty good? Man, appreciate it having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I was thinking about this. I was doing my all
time high school football team, and I figured we could
run the wishbone or the tea and I got herschel Walker,
Bo Jackson, and Marcus Duprix. You think you guys could
do some damage?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
So what the question is? Who's the leading fullback?
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I don't Maybe y'all could just decide in the huddle
from a play to play, like, Hey, you blocked this time?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
What do you think? Hey? You sure that will be fun?
That's definitely a dream to you right there. Now.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Hey, you didn't play with many two other backs, did you.
I think when you were at in Philadelphia, Mississippi, you
were pretty much line me up deep un, let's go right, Uh?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
No, not really. We ran the Wishbone my first I know,
the first two years of Coach Woods coming in my
sophomore and junior year. We really didn't go to the
eye to my senior year, and we still ran the
Wishborne pretty much. So we also ran the Wingbone also,
which Amy Berllard, you know, implemented a Mississippi state.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I do remember that. All we're going to talk about
some old time because I'm really looking forward to that.
Let's talk about tell people what you're doing now. Actually
ran into you not long ago. You were over in
Mobile for the Team Focus banquet. Tell folks about what
you got going on on Now we can talk about baby,
how folks can see you if they want to be
a part of what you got going.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Well, sure, I'm in I'm in Mobile all the time.
Visits my friends Wayne row so you know everybody knows
the Wayne the assistant mirror of Mobile, Wayne Rowe. Absolutely
and also my friend Albert Bond and Coach Ben and uh,
Joe gotfree and Mike gotfree and uh that's where I
(02:21):
met you at at the Team Focus deal and uh,
actually I didn't know where I was coming to until
I got there. So they was inviting me, so I
was like, man, I'll come, I'll come, don't worry about
I'll be there. So yeah, I come through Mobile up
and around Mobile all the time. I also visited Robert
Brazil a lot down there too.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Hey at that Team Focus event, you might not have
known what you were going to, but man, you fit
right in. I mean in terms of your message for
the crowd and just the the focus of you know,
the Team Focus. Uh goal for that organization is to
help out young men without father figures, and you, certainly,
without much prior notice, really fit into that and gave
(03:01):
a great speech.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Man, hey, we better put it. Put an exclamation poured
on that. But once I figured out what everybody was doing,
and it was just a fit because I've been doing
it all my life, my mom being in school teaching,
my grandfather being a minister. So all I know is
trying to menture to kids, and and uh just help
(03:23):
kids and and and and just try to help people
find their way and uh so yeah, Team Focus is
definitely a great deal. I'm I'm glad to be involved
with it. I'm headed to UH in June, Yeah, June,
and of June, I'll be up in Ashland, Ohio and
they're having a team focused golf tournament. A guy invited
me up and uh so I'll be there for.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
That June first. I think you're going to be at
Jackson State right with one of your Mega camps. Tell
people about what you're doing with that.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yes, Uh so, my cousin is Marcus Dent, who's man
who helped helps run team Uh not cheap, but uh
the Mega camp with the Southern and Lege sports and
so what we're gonna do, we're gonna implement that in
to bring it to the Gulf Coast. Uh one of
the areas that we're gonna be bringing kids in from.
(04:12):
Once we do the Mega, we're gonna do Benny camps
like in Canton and Cleveland and Birmingham, Mobile Jackson, Mississippi, Houston, Texas,
and Dallas, Texas. And then for those camps, we're gonna
bring into the Mega Camp on the coast in Deluxe, Mississippi,
and we're gonna put together a big camp where we're
(04:32):
gonna bring in scouts, NFL scouts and and be able
to help kids know where they're going and how they're
doing so far. So they're gonna get a real NFL
scouting scout there or several scouts there and be able
to you know, rap them and know and be able
to help their parents and understand where they stand for
their athletic careers.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Mark, as you mentioned, you're in Mobile a lot. What's
your what's your home base now?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Uh, Madison, Mississippi.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
But you don' the coast, like.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Plan on moving to the plan on moving closer to
the coast. Uh, maybe on the coast and they would
long beach Ocean springs, So where I like. I really
like being close to the water and being able to
hang out with the guys. And UH got a lot
of friends and cousins that live down on that end,
so uh, I can be in between New Orleans and
Mobile and Gunstan colon distance.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
So early on we mentioned the name bo Jackson because
I always associate that with you, because you guys, you know, Philadelphia,
Mississippi the bestsemer Alabama's really not that far at all,
and you guys are contemporaries. But man, you were a
way bigger deal back in the day than Bo Jackson,
even though he was obviously great, great, great, But can
we just talk about the you know, being such a
(05:43):
young kid that you were and being such a big celebrity.
What was that like for you to be such a
big star in a place like Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Well, you know, everybody she's thinking it was just me. Uh,
but you know I had other teammates around me who
made me good. We grew all as a matter of fact,
we all grew up together from Cub Scout, from actually
from kindergarten through Cub Scout boy Scout. My mom was
over the Cub Scouts, and we all just grew up together, knowing,
knowing what our goals were, knowing what we didn't need
(06:13):
to get any trouble. It's always been talent around, talent
around Philadelphia, and so we just you know, just made
up from my mind in our mind and packed to
ourself that you know, whoever makes it, you know, we
all make it. And so I wasn't just the only
person that played. I just had to be one who
scored the touchdowns all the time. But growing up in Philadelphia,
(06:37):
it was a great situation. I was talking to lave
Brow the other night and we were talking about me
running track, and so I was like the only person
that beat me was Calvin Smith and that was a
ninth greater, probably one hundred and seventy five pounds, and
he was one hundred and thirty pounds. And I didn't
know how to run track. I mean, he said, man,
y'all didn't have a track. I was like, no, we
didn't have a track. We were practiced on the football field.
(06:59):
We didn't have a track. I didn't know how to start.
We just started. So, you know, Philadelphia had had to
do a lot of different things. I was in the
band also, and and you know, I played baseballs, dunk
in this basketball in the seventh grade and I played baseball.
So I bat at four ninety nine and in high school.
So but hopefully we'll be able to see that we're
(07:21):
about to sign a deal with the movie company and
they're gonna have to do a movie on Marcus Dupree.
So hopefully people will know how I grew up and
all that good stuff you mentioned.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
You scored the touchdowns eighty seven, by the way, high
school touchdowns is pretty incredible marking. And the thing that
stands out is not just that you had eighty seven
touchdowns and more than seventy three hundred yards, but the
you know, maybe the fact that it's in black and
white of all the tape I've seen from high school,
but that makes it even more romantic and more impressive.
(07:53):
But my goodness, I'm sure people ask you all the
time about Man, I've seen your tape from playing in
high school at Philadelphia, Is that right?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, all the time. You know. If someone was asking
me matter, Pelly Albert asked me yesterday, man, you got
any tape on you, I'm like, Man, wein't have video cameras.
I think they were just coming out in my high school.
Couldn't affoord that? So? Uh yeah, right? I think I
think John Hawks still has a lot of the tape.
(08:21):
I think Coach Wood has to the reel the real
and uh so, yeah, it was black and white back then.
Hey that's vintage.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I saw you listed as six three two twenty nine.
Is that was that your uh? Was that your fighting
weight in the hot and height?
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Uh? Six six two two thirty two twenty five. When
I went to college, I was I see, I was
like ninth grade, I was one seventy five, uh tenth
grades by two ten, and my junior year I was
probably like two eighteen two twenty and then my senior
year I was like two twenty five, and when when
I went to Oklahoma, I was around two thirty.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
We're talking m Marcus dupre here. One of the great
running backs in the history of the sport. So when
people know your name and they hear your name, a
lot of what they think of is, oh, yeah. He
was heavily recruited, like like as much as anybody in
the history of the sport. There's the there's the legend
about Lucia Salman, the Oklahoma legend coming in staying for
(09:19):
six weeks in the motor inn around Philadelphia during the
recruiting process. Is there truth to that?
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Oh, everything's true. You heard it, this truth, no doubt.
He came in and stayed a lot. Uh, Coach Switser
came in and stayed a couple of days. Then Scott
Hill came and stayed, and then coach Slman came and
stayed the rest of the I guess the rest, and
Josh Syon so he came in like late late Jeni,
mid January. Then I think I signed on February sixth
or seven somewhere, and then whenever side of the day was.
(09:49):
But yeah, he was there, and coach Helles was a great, great,
great guy, the great family. I stayed in touch with him.
Now I stayed in coach Coach swischerwears matter fact where
business together. And also nephew Zach Selman is the ad
at Missis State, so we stay in contact. Also, what's
(10:12):
a guy.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Like Lucia Salman doing Philadelphia for six weeks? I mean
six weeks? Did you, like, if you walked to the store,
was he there waiting for you? What was that like
for a young guy like you?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I have no idea. I didn't really see him till
like in the evening time I had to practice or whatever,
or when I came back on him from a recruiting trip.
So I think he hung out with Auga Curley. So
I'm sure Mark Curley had a little joined on. So
I'm sure they hung out a lot. Man.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
That's uh, that's good stuff. Of course, there's the there
was the espn uh documentary. The best that never was
was about you and all the so much of it
is about your recruitment there and then you of course
had a starring year at Oklahoma as a freshman and
was a National Freshman of the Year and all that.
But then all that went down from there So what
(10:58):
did you think about that documentary and what did it
do in terms of like people recognizing you on the
street and kind of bringing back up your name again.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Well, you know, it kind of helped a lot, especially
people in Oklahoma kind of understood what went on when
I was in Oklahoma. And uh, you know, Coach Switzer
admitted that that was the worst mistake he ever did.
And uh, you know, I can't you know, fought a
man for for you know, admitting that it was his mistake,
where a lot of people thought it was mine. So
uh but for the thirty for thirty I helped produce it.
(11:29):
I wanted it to be a certain way and and
a lot of people get upset because of the name,
but it's a way to see what was he the
best that ever played the game? Possibly? I mean, if
I wouldn't have got hurt, you know, it's a possibility.
But uh, you know, we all move on. You know,
God pluts us through different things through life. We never
(11:49):
know where we're going to end up at. So uh,
that's that's one of those things. But I've probably, if
not the most recruited high school player ever.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
I don't think that's a brag at all. I think
that is a factual. I think that's a factual statement.
Even maybe herschel Walker would kind of be in the
same conversation, but I don't think more so than you were.
I think that is a very fair statement speaking of
herschel Walker, Like I've stood next to herschel Walker, I've
stood next to Bo Jackson. I'm telling you I'd rather
have to tackle one of those guys than you, Marcus.
(12:22):
I mean, uh, you probably hear that all the time, Like,
how did anybody ever get you on the ground?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Man?
Speaker 1 (12:31):
And those guys are impressive? Now, those guys are impressive.
I don't know, they're very impressive, but I don't Uh,
I would take my chances in the hole against either one.
I'm an Oklahoma drill than I would get with you. Wow, Yeah,
that's true.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Well they are there there, I think they're yere. Well, uh,
hers is two years older than me. I think Bo
is a year older than me.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, I think, yeah, I think that's right.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yeah, the great there are great running backs. You don't
see bags like that anymore. Yeah, Kit, I don't think
you want to see it anytime soon.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
No, I agree with you completely. Can you walk us
through just the you know, the documentary covers it some,
but just your journey from Oklahoma you end up in
the USFL in New Orleans, and then just your dream
of playing in the NFL and you eventually reached that
dream of hey, I'm gonna I'm gonna actually reach this
and and be able to do this. What was that
journey like, because it had to be a lot harder, uh,
(13:29):
going through that process to eventually get to the NFL
than it was you know when it was probably you know,
you were so gifted as such a young kid, and
it probably you know, came easier to you than it
did to some other people.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Well, you know everybody says that, but you know, uh,
like I said, I was with my crew, my my friends,
we worked out butt off. You know. That was one
thing that pissed my high school coach, all like, you
didn't have to practice and all that kind of stuff.
So that kind of really pissed my friends off because
I missed I only missed one practice and all were
using my high school and so, uh, it just you know,
(14:04):
one of those things where I had a dream and
I wanted to accompass that dream. If I put my
mind to it, uh to try to you know, make
that dream happen. So, you know, it was a lot
of things went on over my life and leaving Oklahoma
and going to the USFL, then getting hurt because I
had never been hurt before, and it's just something that
(14:25):
went back to high school. I tore my hamstring in
high school. Nobody knew about it but my high school coaches.
I would go get treating and all that, and back then,
they really didn't know how to treat people back then.
You know, they just put I started and maybe a
little stem unit on it, and that was it. So
I ended up going to the USFL. That's where I
got hurt, and they found out that my hamstring never
(14:46):
got way of me turning it to high school, so
that ended up you know, bringing you know, turning all
the diglaments in my knee. And uh so then I
said out, you know, sit out in the USFL. From there,
the Rams drafted me anyway, and so five years later,
I just woke up one day and said, and I
don't want to get old, thinking, man, I wish I
(15:07):
would have tried to play in the NFL. So I
woke up one day and just started working out called
my uh head coach that would coached me in the USFL,
Dick Corey, and he was with the Rams. He was
a quarterback coach at the Rams and they coached. They
go on to try to come back and play. He's like, man, Marcus,
if you could do that, you better on one you
better than you better on one leg. Then most guys
(15:29):
are on two. So when you get in shape, let
me know, call me and we'll fly. Y'all work out.
And so I took me three months to get back
in shape. And uh, I worked out on my own.
And that's what kind of you know, all these kids
down there has got to have trainers and all that.
I had my own weight room and every day I
just set up playing to go work out every day
(15:49):
for the heaters in the turn the heaters on in
the morning at eight o'clock and they get They got
up to one hundred and thirty degrees in there. And
that was like starting on May first to the end
of July. So I worked out all summer and I
lost one hundred pounds. I was ready to go back
to the NFL. Called coach Cory Up. He flew me
out and rested his history.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Wow, that is. That is quite the remarkable story. I
can remember, you know, being a fan at the time
when you went at the USFL and when you got
to New Orleans, what a big, big story that was.
And I think they you know, I had a little
parade for you, and just it was a big, big story.
How was that for a kid from you know, basically
you know, from Mississippi to be in New Orleans and
(16:32):
to be that biggest celebrity coming to town to even
play in the USFL.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Well, it was the sighting, Well, the most important thing
was the sighting, But it was the siting for my
mom and my little brother. The main thing, because that's
who I played the game for, was for my little brother,
because I knew he couldn't play, and I wanted to
make sure that I did anything everything possible to make
it and do what I had to do. And so
it was a very exciting day for my family and
(16:57):
my friends. And I'll never forget that day. And I
love still love New Orleans for sure, and uh, like
I say, it was, it was a great day for
my family.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Marcause I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Man.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
When you get back to Mobile or you got an
event going on, make sure, you give me a call,
you know the number, and uh we'll make sure to
promote anything you got going on, because I think people
and young kids would love to be around you and
hear some of the stories and just the work ethic
and all that, and uh maybe try to stand in
the whole entackle you too at this age, but uh
that would be uh just let me know.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Definitely be back. I'll definitely be back sometime this summer.
I'm supposed to go speak over Sarah Lyne High School
and a couple of other high schools around there. I
gotta go see, uh Danny Corty. What's Danny's last night?
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Yeah, Danny Cordy Courty. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yeah. And also I gotta see our coach Kntrell. I
gotta go step by his high school. I know I've
been knowing coach Kattrill for a long time. And uh so, yeah,
I plan on coming back. And then my grandson plays
for Jackson State and he played well they played down
there last year, so I'm sure they come back and
play a game this year. And he was thinking about
transferred to South Alabama, so which would have been a
(18:04):
great deal, but he ended up staying. Maybe next year.
It may transfer. Who knows about these kids? This day
they to transport portal got a lot of things messed
up into nils and stuff like that. You know, you know,
we talk about that all the time. And you know,
I didn't. I didn't expect the NIL to blow up
like this, And it's kind of crazy. I would have thought,
you know, n I luld been like, you know, I
(18:26):
to sell my jersey, I'd get a raalty check. And
I think that's the way it should be. And I
think they should pay the college kids. Uh A certain
Let's take fans with three thousand dollars. Everybody get three
thousand dollars a month. I don't think they need to
be going out the kids paying them six hundred thousand,
seven hundred and fifty thousand a year. That is so wrong.
They haven't they don't have anything to look forward to.
So uh and don't get me wrong, these college kids
(18:49):
should should be getting paid. Because my mom was bringing
that up uh in nineteen eighty two when she walked
into the stadium and uh, she saw all the whole stadium,
eight thousand people had on Ron Marcus ron T shirt.
So I walk out of the locker room after the
game to go with Marcus, I they ain't paying you
for the insert something that stands. I'm right, no, ma'am.
(19:10):
And she was like, oh, we got mag of change.
Some got to happen, so I get it. So, like
I said nineteen eighty two, my mom was saying the
same thing.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
I can just imagine what it'd be like if you
were a player like you were, coming out in today's environment.
That would be It was crazy enough as it was
back in nineteen eighty one or whatever. It's crazy enough
what it would be like today.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Yeah, yeah, it would be crazy, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
All right, when you get to town, I'll see you
around for sure. And when you got something to promote you,
let me know and we'll get you back on.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
All right, Oh devil, we deely gone. We planned planning
the camps their mobile right as we speak. As we speak,
right now, all.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Right, we'll promote it for you for sure.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Marcus.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
I appreciate you, man. It was great watching you play,
great talking.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
To you today. I look forward to seeing you again. Randy,
there you go.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
That is the great Marcus Dupree. And this not high perble.
I think my starting high school running backs would be
Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, and the great Marcus Dupre. If
you don't believe it, go look up the highlights. Unbelievable
player at Philadelphia High School in Mississippi. Great catching up
with him on the Randy Kennady Show on Sports Talk
ninety ninety five
Welcome back to Sports Talk ninety ninety five, The Randy
Kennedy Show, and right now very proud to be joined
by I gotta say, one of the best athletes we've
ever had on the show in the decades that we've
been doing this, one of the great running backs in
the history of the sports. Marcus dupre joins us right now,
the pride of Philadelphia, Mississippi. Marcus, how are you doing? Man?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Pretty good? Man, appreciate it having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I was thinking about this. I was doing my all
time high school football team, and I figured we could
run the wishbone or the tea and I got herschel Walker,
Bo Jackson, and Marcus Duprix. You think you guys could
do some damage?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
So what the question is? Who's the leading fullback?
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I don't Maybe y'all could just decide in the huddle
from a play to play, like, Hey, you blocked this time?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
What do you think? Hey? You sure that will be fun?
That's definitely a dream to you right there. Now.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Hey, you didn't play with many two other backs, did you.
I think when you were at in Philadelphia, Mississippi, you
were pretty much line me up deep un, let's go right, Uh?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
No, not really. We ran the Wishbone my first I know,
the first two years of Coach Woods coming in my
sophomore and junior year. We really didn't go to the
eye to my senior year, and we still ran the
Wishborne pretty much. So we also ran the Wingbone also,
which Amy Berllard, you know, implemented a Mississippi state.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I do remember that. All we're going to talk about
some old time because I'm really looking forward to that.
Let's talk about tell people what you're doing now. Actually
ran into you not long ago. You were over in
Mobile for the Team Focus banquet. Tell folks about what
you got going on on Now we can talk about baby,
how folks can see you if they want to be
a part of what you got going.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Well, sure, I'm in I'm in Mobile all the time.
Visits my friends Wayne row so you know everybody knows
the Wayne the assistant mirror of Mobile, Wayne Rowe. Absolutely
and also my friend Albert Bond and Coach Ben and uh,
Joe gotfree and Mike gotfree and uh that's where I
(02:21):
met you at at the Team Focus deal and uh,
actually I didn't know where I was coming to until
I got there. So they was inviting me, so I
was like, man, I'll come, I'll come, don't worry about
I'll be there. So yeah, I come through Mobile up
and around Mobile all the time. I also visited Robert
Brazil a lot down there too.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Hey at that Team Focus event, you might not have
known what you were going to, but man, you fit
right in. I mean in terms of your message for
the crowd and just the the focus of you know,
the Team Focus. Uh goal for that organization is to
help out young men without father figures, and you, certainly,
without much prior notice, really fit into that and gave
(03:01):
a great speech.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Man, hey, we better put it. Put an exclamation poured
on that. But once I figured out what everybody was doing,
and it was just a fit because I've been doing
it all my life, my mom being in school teaching,
my grandfather being a minister. So all I know is
trying to menture to kids, and and uh just help
(03:23):
kids and and and and just try to help people
find their way and uh so yeah, Team Focus is
definitely a great deal. I'm I'm glad to be involved
with it. I'm headed to UH in June, Yeah, June,
and of June, I'll be up in Ashland, Ohio and
they're having a team focused golf tournament. A guy invited
me up and uh so I'll be there for.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
That June first. I think you're going to be at
Jackson State right with one of your Mega camps. Tell
people about what you're doing with that.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yes, Uh so, my cousin is Marcus Dent, who's man
who helped helps run team Uh not cheap, but uh
the Mega camp with the Southern and Lege sports and
so what we're gonna do, we're gonna implement that in
to bring it to the Gulf Coast. Uh one of
the areas that we're gonna be bringing kids in from.
(04:12):
Once we do the Mega, we're gonna do Benny camps
like in Canton and Cleveland and Birmingham, Mobile Jackson, Mississippi, Houston, Texas,
and Dallas, Texas. And then for those camps, we're gonna
bring into the Mega Camp on the coast in Deluxe, Mississippi,
and we're gonna put together a big camp where we're
(04:32):
gonna bring in scouts, NFL scouts and and be able
to help kids know where they're going and how they're
doing so far. So they're gonna get a real NFL
scouting scout there or several scouts there and be able
to you know, rap them and know and be able
to help their parents and understand where they stand for
their athletic careers.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Mark, as you mentioned, you're in Mobile a lot. What's
your what's your home base now?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Uh, Madison, Mississippi.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
But you don' the coast, like.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Plan on moving to the plan on moving closer to
the coast. Uh, maybe on the coast and they would
long beach Ocean springs, So where I like. I really
like being close to the water and being able to
hang out with the guys. And UH got a lot
of friends and cousins that live down on that end,
so uh, I can be in between New Orleans and
Mobile and Gunstan colon distance.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
So early on we mentioned the name bo Jackson because
I always associate that with you, because you guys, you know, Philadelphia,
Mississippi the bestsemer Alabama's really not that far at all,
and you guys are contemporaries. But man, you were a
way bigger deal back in the day than Bo Jackson,
even though he was obviously great, great, great, But can
we just talk about the you know, being such a
(05:43):
young kid that you were and being such a big celebrity.
What was that like for you to be such a
big star in a place like Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Well, you know, everybody she's thinking it was just me. Uh,
but you know I had other teammates around me who
made me good. We grew all as a matter of fact,
we all grew up together from Cub Scout, from actually
from kindergarten through Cub Scout boy Scout. My mom was
over the Cub Scouts, and we all just grew up together, knowing,
knowing what our goals were, knowing what we didn't need
(06:13):
to get any trouble. It's always been talent around, talent
around Philadelphia, and so we just you know, just made
up from my mind in our mind and packed to
ourself that you know, whoever makes it, you know, we
all make it. And so I wasn't just the only
person that played. I just had to be one who
scored the touchdowns all the time. But growing up in Philadelphia,
(06:37):
it was a great situation. I was talking to lave
Brow the other night and we were talking about me
running track, and so I was like the only person
that beat me was Calvin Smith and that was a
ninth greater, probably one hundred and seventy five pounds, and
he was one hundred and thirty pounds. And I didn't
know how to run track. I mean, he said, man,
y'all didn't have a track. I was like, no, we
didn't have a track. We were practiced on the football field.
(06:59):
We didn't have a track. I didn't know how to start.
We just started. So, you know, Philadelphia had had to
do a lot of different things. I was in the
band also, and and you know, I played baseballs, dunk
in this basketball in the seventh grade and I played baseball.
So I bat at four ninety nine and in high school.
So but hopefully we'll be able to see that we're
(07:21):
about to sign a deal with the movie company and
they're gonna have to do a movie on Marcus Dupree.
So hopefully people will know how I grew up and
all that good stuff you mentioned.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
You scored the touchdowns eighty seven, by the way, high
school touchdowns is pretty incredible marking. And the thing that
stands out is not just that you had eighty seven
touchdowns and more than seventy three hundred yards, but the
you know, maybe the fact that it's in black and
white of all the tape I've seen from high school,
but that makes it even more romantic and more impressive.
(07:53):
But my goodness, I'm sure people ask you all the
time about Man, I've seen your tape from playing in
high school at Philadelphia, Is that right?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, all the time. You know. If someone was asking
me matter, Pelly Albert asked me yesterday, man, you got
any tape on you, I'm like, Man, wein't have video cameras.
I think they were just coming out in my high school.
Couldn't affoord that? So? Uh yeah, right? I think I
think John Hawks still has a lot of the tape.
(08:21):
I think Coach Wood has to the reel the real
and uh so, yeah, it was black and white back then.
Hey that's vintage.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I saw you listed as six three two twenty nine.
Is that was that your uh? Was that your fighting
weight in the hot and height?
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Uh? Six six two two thirty two twenty five. When
I went to college, I was I see, I was
like ninth grade, I was one seventy five, uh tenth
grades by two ten, and my junior year I was
probably like two eighteen two twenty and then my senior
year I was like two twenty five, and when when
I went to Oklahoma, I was around two thirty.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
We're talking m Marcus dupre here. One of the great
running backs in the history of the sport. So when
people know your name and they hear your name, a
lot of what they think of is, oh, yeah. He
was heavily recruited, like like as much as anybody in
the history of the sport. There's the there's the legend
about Lucia Salman, the Oklahoma legend coming in staying for
(09:19):
six weeks in the motor inn around Philadelphia during the
recruiting process. Is there truth to that?
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Oh, everything's true. You heard it, this truth, no doubt.
He came in and stayed a lot. Uh, Coach Switser
came in and stayed a couple of days. Then Scott
Hill came and stayed, and then coach Slman came and
stayed the rest of the I guess the rest, and
Josh Syon so he came in like late late Jeni,
mid January. Then I think I signed on February sixth
or seven somewhere, and then whenever side of the day was.
(09:49):
But yeah, he was there, and coach Helles was a great, great,
great guy, the great family. I stayed in touch with him.
Now I stayed in coach Coach swischerwears matter fact where
business together. And also nephew Zach Selman is the ad
at Missis State, so we stay in contact. Also, what's
(10:12):
a guy.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Like Lucia Salman doing Philadelphia for six weeks? I mean
six weeks? Did you, like, if you walked to the store,
was he there waiting for you? What was that like
for a young guy like you?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I have no idea. I didn't really see him till
like in the evening time I had to practice or whatever,
or when I came back on him from a recruiting trip.
So I think he hung out with Auga Curley. So
I'm sure Mark Curley had a little joined on. So
I'm sure they hung out a lot. Man.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
That's uh, that's good stuff. Of course, there's the there
was the espn uh documentary. The best that never was
was about you and all the so much of it
is about your recruitment there and then you of course
had a starring year at Oklahoma as a freshman and
was a National Freshman of the Year and all that.
But then all that went down from there So what
(10:58):
did you think about that documentary and what did it
do in terms of like people recognizing you on the
street and kind of bringing back up your name again.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Well, you know, it kind of helped a lot, especially
people in Oklahoma kind of understood what went on when
I was in Oklahoma. And uh, you know, Coach Switzer
admitted that that was the worst mistake he ever did.
And uh, you know, I can't you know, fought a
man for for you know, admitting that it was his mistake,
where a lot of people thought it was mine. So
uh but for the thirty for thirty I helped produce it.
(11:29):
I wanted it to be a certain way and and
a lot of people get upset because of the name,
but it's a way to see what was he the
best that ever played the game? Possibly? I mean, if
I wouldn't have got hurt, you know, it's a possibility.
But uh, you know, we all move on. You know,
God pluts us through different things through life. We never
(11:49):
know where we're going to end up at. So uh,
that's that's one of those things. But I've probably, if
not the most recruited high school player ever.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
I don't think that's a brag at all. I think
that is a factual. I think that's a factual statement.
Even maybe herschel Walker would kind of be in the
same conversation, but I don't think more so than you were.
I think that is a very fair statement speaking of
herschel Walker, Like I've stood next to herschel Walker, I've
stood next to Bo Jackson. I'm telling you I'd rather
have to tackle one of those guys than you, Marcus.
(12:22):
I mean, uh, you probably hear that all the time, Like,
how did anybody ever get you on the ground?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Man?
Speaker 1 (12:31):
And those guys are impressive? Now, those guys are impressive.
I don't know, they're very impressive, but I don't Uh,
I would take my chances in the hole against either one.
I'm an Oklahoma drill than I would get with you. Wow, Yeah,
that's true.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Well they are there there, I think they're yere. Well, uh,
hers is two years older than me. I think Bo
is a year older than me.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, I think, yeah, I think that's right.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yeah, the great there are great running backs. You don't
see bags like that anymore. Yeah, Kit, I don't think
you want to see it anytime soon.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
No, I agree with you completely. Can you walk us
through just the you know, the documentary covers it some,
but just your journey from Oklahoma you end up in
the USFL in New Orleans, and then just your dream
of playing in the NFL and you eventually reached that
dream of hey, I'm gonna I'm gonna actually reach this
and and be able to do this. What was that
journey like, because it had to be a lot harder, uh,
(13:29):
going through that process to eventually get to the NFL
than it was you know when it was probably you know,
you were so gifted as such a young kid, and
it probably you know, came easier to you than it
did to some other people.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Well, you know everybody says that, but you know, uh,
like I said, I was with my crew, my my friends,
we worked out butt off. You know. That was one
thing that pissed my high school coach, all like, you
didn't have to practice and all that kind of stuff.
So that kind of really pissed my friends off because
I missed I only missed one practice and all were
using my high school and so, uh, it just you know,
(14:04):
one of those things where I had a dream and
I wanted to accompass that dream. If I put my
mind to it, uh to try to you know, make
that dream happen. So, you know, it was a lot
of things went on over my life and leaving Oklahoma
and going to the USFL, then getting hurt because I
had never been hurt before, and it's just something that
(14:25):
went back to high school. I tore my hamstring in
high school. Nobody knew about it but my high school coaches.
I would go get treating and all that, and back then,
they really didn't know how to treat people back then.
You know, they just put I started and maybe a
little stem unit on it, and that was it. So
I ended up going to the USFL. That's where I
got hurt, and they found out that my hamstring never
(14:46):
got way of me turning it to high school, so
that ended up you know, bringing you know, turning all
the diglaments in my knee. And uh so then I
said out, you know, sit out in the USFL. From there,
the Rams drafted me anyway, and so five years later,
I just woke up one day and said, and I
don't want to get old, thinking, man, I wish I
(15:07):
would have tried to play in the NFL. So I
woke up one day and just started working out called
my uh head coach that would coached me in the USFL,
Dick Corey, and he was with the Rams. He was
a quarterback coach at the Rams and they coached. They
go on to try to come back and play. He's like, man, Marcus,
if you could do that, you better on one you
better than you better on one leg. Then most guys
(15:29):
are on two. So when you get in shape, let
me know, call me and we'll fly. Y'all work out.
And so I took me three months to get back
in shape. And uh, I worked out on my own.
And that's what kind of you know, all these kids
down there has got to have trainers and all that.
I had my own weight room and every day I
just set up playing to go work out every day
(15:49):
for the heaters in the turn the heaters on in
the morning at eight o'clock and they get They got
up to one hundred and thirty degrees in there. And
that was like starting on May first to the end
of July. So I worked out all summer and I
lost one hundred pounds. I was ready to go back
to the NFL. Called coach Cory Up. He flew me
out and rested his history.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Wow, that is. That is quite the remarkable story. I
can remember, you know, being a fan at the time
when you went at the USFL and when you got
to New Orleans, what a big, big story that was.
And I think they you know, I had a little
parade for you, and just it was a big, big story.
How was that for a kid from you know, basically
you know, from Mississippi to be in New Orleans and
(16:32):
to be that biggest celebrity coming to town to even
play in the USFL.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Well, it was the sighting, Well, the most important thing
was the sighting, But it was the siting for my
mom and my little brother. The main thing, because that's
who I played the game for, was for my little brother,
because I knew he couldn't play, and I wanted to
make sure that I did anything everything possible to make
it and do what I had to do. And so
it was a very exciting day for my family and
(16:57):
my friends. And I'll never forget that day. And I
love still love New Orleans for sure, and uh, like
I say, it was, it was a great day for
my family.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Marcause I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Man.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
When you get back to Mobile or you got an
event going on, make sure, you give me a call,
you know the number, and uh we'll make sure to
promote anything you got going on, because I think people
and young kids would love to be around you and
hear some of the stories and just the work ethic
and all that, and uh maybe try to stand in
the whole entackle you too at this age, but uh
that would be uh just let me know.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Definitely be back. I'll definitely be back sometime this summer.
I'm supposed to go speak over Sarah Lyne High School
and a couple of other high schools around there. I
gotta go see, uh Danny Corty. What's Danny's last night?
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Yeah, Danny Cordy Courty. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yeah. And also I gotta see our coach Kntrell. I
gotta go step by his high school. I know I've
been knowing coach Kattrill for a long time. And uh so, yeah,
I plan on coming back. And then my grandson plays
for Jackson State and he played well they played down
there last year, so I'm sure they come back and
play a game this year. And he was thinking about
transferred to South Alabama, so which would have been a
(18:04):
great deal, but he ended up staying. Maybe next year.
It may transfer. Who knows about these kids? This day
they to transport portal got a lot of things messed
up into nils and stuff like that. You know, you know,
we talk about that all the time. And you know,
I didn't. I didn't expect the NIL to blow up
like this, And it's kind of crazy. I would have thought,
you know, n I luld been like, you know, I
(18:26):
to sell my jersey, I'd get a raalty check. And
I think that's the way it should be. And I
think they should pay the college kids. Uh A certain
Let's take fans with three thousand dollars. Everybody get three
thousand dollars a month. I don't think they need to
be going out the kids paying them six hundred thousand,
seven hundred and fifty thousand a year. That is so wrong.
They haven't they don't have anything to look forward to.
So uh and don't get me wrong, these college kids
(18:49):
should should be getting paid. Because my mom was bringing
that up uh in nineteen eighty two when she walked
into the stadium and uh, she saw all the whole stadium,
eight thousand people had on Ron Marcus ron T shirt.
So I walk out of the locker room after the
game to go with Marcus, I they ain't paying you
for the insert something that stands. I'm right, no, ma'am.
(19:10):
And she was like, oh, we got mag of change.
Some got to happen, so I get it. So, like
I said nineteen eighty two, my mom was saying the
same thing.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
I can just imagine what it'd be like if you
were a player like you were, coming out in today's environment.
That would be It was crazy enough as it was
back in nineteen eighty one or whatever. It's crazy enough
what it would be like today.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Yeah, yeah, it would be crazy, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
All right, when you get to town, I'll see you
around for sure. And when you got something to promote you,
let me know and we'll get you back on.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
All right, Oh devil, we deely gone. We planned planning
the camps their mobile right as we speak. As we speak,
right now, all.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Right, we'll promote it for you for sure.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Marcus.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
I appreciate you, man. It was great watching you play,
great talking.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
To you today. I look forward to seeing you again. Randy,
there you go.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
That is the great Marcus Dupree. And this not high perble.
I think my starting high school running backs would be
Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, and the great Marcus Dupre. If
you don't believe it, go look up the highlights. Unbelievable
player at Philadelphia High School in Mississippi. Great catching up
with him on the Randy Kennady Show on Sports Talk
ninety ninety five
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