[8] He made his first start against Oklahoma State and scored two touchdowns. Dupree's mother was supporting the family by herself on the salary of a school teacher. He is plagued by anxiety, and on February 25th, 1985, Dupree suffers a terrible knee injury during his starting game. Dupree was a standout in his freshman season at the University of Oklahoma in 1982, but his career was ultimately hampered by injuries. Dupree played in four games in his sophomore season and suffered a concussion against the University of Texas. 57. The Breakers moved to Portland, Oregon for the 1985 season. But I think that rainbow let me know that she heard the news and shes mighty happy that, finally. I'm passionate about what we did, and for the state to be talking about 'Oh, none of that happened,' yes it did," Dupree said. The state Auditor's Office has issued demands for more than $77 million in welfare funds that were misspent, according to an audit conducted by the office. And it finally did for Ken., Asked if he believedFairley will receive the maximum sentence, Dupree answered: He needs to serve his time., RELATED: Jury finds Kenneth Fairley guilty on all three counts. He also noted the "unreasonableness" of using federal welfare money, intended for job training and assistance for needy families, to help purchase a five-bedroom home and a horse farm for a state-contracted employee. When you do wrong and just keep doing wrong, the bottom is going to finally fall out. She said, Check with Ken? Im just living. My first paycheck was for $42,000. He made a comeback with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL mainly so my kids could see me play football, he said. Sentencing is set for Dec. 19. He was never the same. The entire team, and by extension the town, takes pride in Duprees accomplishments and abilities; some recount that his presence helped bring townsfolk of all different races together to the stands for a common purpose, something unthinkable at the time of Duprees birth.Dupree attends a high school football game taking place on September 4th, 2009. Marcus dupree was once the biggest name in the future of football. He plays with the Rams and leads in rushing until 1992, when he is cut from the team. People from Southern Mississippi continue to try to court Dupree, and some try to convince him to leave college and go directly to playing for the NFL. Marcus Dupree. "I don't appreciate being lumped into something like I took money," Dupree said. He gained 684 yards on 145 carries with nine touchdowns for a 4.7 yards per carry average. During his post-playing days, Dupree maintained local-celebrity status within his home state, frequently appearing at public functions or events staged through his foundation. He signed with Oklahoma and rushed for 1,144 yards and 13 scores as a freshman. Marcus Dupree made a name in the 1982 OU-Texas game, but ended his Sooner career with a disappointing performance a year later. Dupree was the center of the most heated recruiting frenzy in. As a sophomore, he rushed for 1,850 yards and 28 touchdowns, making it look easy. "I was all over the state. After four years away from football, he decided to give the NFL a shot in 1990. Nearly 100 schools hotly pursued Dupree's signature before he ultimately landed in Norman, Oklahoma with the Sooners. Dupree is also a licensed truck driver with OTR experience. He enjoys the experience, and feels that he finally got some vindication after years of suffering. The monthly lease payments for the property totaled $9,500, the audit states. He won the Big 8 Newcomer of the Year Award, was named to APs All-Big Eight First Team and UPI placed him on their All-Big Eight Second Team. Whatever Happened to Jim McMahon, the Punky QB of the Chicago Bears? I had the impression before I went to Oklahoma from just watching Coach Switzer on TV, Dupree told Sports Illustrated in 1983, that hes a hard guy and that he treats his players hard. Marcus dupree was one of the most exciting college football prospects of all time. A missing persons report is filed, and the FBI launches a search for him. By his senior year of high school, Dupree retains his speed despite his imposing size, and breaks several records for high school football. But that he followed some bad advice. Marcus Dupree, a Mississippi football legend, denies that he defrauded the state's welfare system and is "shocked" to be "lumped in" with Brett Favre in the fraud investigation's findings. He also finished with 13 touchdowns and was the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, rushing for 239 yards. I know I shouldnt have left [OU], but I still love Oklahoma and I still love watching [the Sooners] play., Today, Dupree goes around speaking, telling his story. I'm passionate about what we did, and for the state to be talking about 'Oh, none of that happened,' yes it did," Dupree said. He is taken out of a number of games, but starts the next season. After a year and one half of college, he has only 24 credit hours. Back then, Dupree playing football in school had attracted national attention. It was in 1985, Dupree earned the starting position for the season opener against the Arizona Outlaws, during which he suffered that knee injury that ended his career with the USFL. The media interprets this as Switzer blaming the loss at the Fiesta Bowl on Dupree. However, he would never play another down for the Breakers. He is carried off the field in a stretcher. Dupree returned to professional football in 1990. Texas and Oklahoma send their recruiters, Tommy Reaux and Lucious Selmon, to live in Philadelphia full-time until signing day. I was 19 years old at the time. Dupree said negative press involving Favre in recent months has damaged his own reputation. Ken had gotten my power of attorney. In October 2021, Dupree's lawyer, J. Matthew Eichelberger, sent a sharply worded letter to White. He had two 100-yard rushing games. Dupree said he wasnt having much fun. He said he preferred running backs who "were a little more well-rounded, could catch the ball coming out of the backfield and could do some of the other things besides run with the football."[15]. Dupree agreed and began working out, losing 100 pounds in just over three months and going back to running a 4.3 40-yard dash. The five-bedroom, 4,100-square-foot home is valued at just over $1 million, according to the real estate website Zillow. According to a 2019 state audit, Dupree was paid, in part, for "equine assisted learning," which Mississippi's state auditor, Shad White, told ESPN meant "teaching people how to ride horses.". One relative, his uncle Curlee, is offered jobs and money by various coaches, and feels that he cannot ignore such offers. Im just waiting on them to give me a call.. However, he is not bothered by the decision, feeling that he accomplished what he set out to do. He also has a grandson. Many of the things that have happened to him weren't necessarily because he had no regard for others. He joined the United States Football League the following season and signed with the New Orleans Breakers in 1984. The upstart league had initially sworn off underclassmen in hopes of appeasing college coaches and officials angered by the blockbuster signing of Herschel Walker after his junior year. He was also the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, rushing for 239 yards. Local law enforcement seems to be complicit in their deaths and covers them up. After five and a half years away, he attempted a comeback to the NFL in 1990 with the Los Angeles Rams. Brett Favre is not among those facing criminal charges, but, like Dupree, he remains a defendant in the ongoing civil lawsuit filed by the state of Mississippi in May. In the middle of his sophomore year, Dupree left and briefly attended the University of Southern Mississippi. Im in pretty good spirits with that, he said. Dupree started his career with reynir sandgeri in the 1. I wish (Barry Switzer) would have treated me a little bit better, Dupree told OU Daily in 2010. He was picked in the 12th round of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, but played. I first heard about his legend a few years back and I've found it to be utterly captivating and fascinating. An NCAA spokesman said Wednesday that feat is "legally" impossible. Sports Illustrated has a look at . However, he discovers that he is being cheated out of his salary by his agent Ken Fairley; Fairley has power of attorney and keeps intercepting Duprees paychecks under the pretense of investing them. I have to give . He is plagued by anxiety, and on February 25th, 1985, Dupree suffers a terrible knee injury during his starting game. Whether he will find still another NCAA school, transfer to a small college where he can play football this fall, or whether he will turn pro. Dupree was placed on injured reserve, meaning he would have to sit out for four weeks before he could play for the Rams.[12]. Obviously, since Dupree now has left the Southern Miss campus, which was within easy weekend driving distance of his hometown of Philadelphia, the problem wasn't that Switzer was too tough on him, or the "different" people of Oklahoma and the press made his life difficult. Marcus Dupree was a national star as a freshman running back at the University of Oklahoma in 1982. Earlier in 2011, he was running a pro wrestling promotion organization, called Mid South Wrestling. Marcus Dupree was a national star as a freshman running back at theUniversity of Oklahoma in 1982. He had to leave the game several times, participating in only 34 offensive plays. His football journey was profiled in a 2010 ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, "The Best That Never Was.". However, once he enrolls in Southern Mississippi, he is informed that his eligibility to play in the remainder of the 1983 season and the entire 1984 is uncertain. Several days later, Dupree confides in his friends that he feels he has made a terrible mistake in joining Oklahoma. Others were just a step too slow. One of Duprees teammates is Cecil Price Jr., the son of the deputy sheriff convicted for his involvement in the deaths of the three civil rights workers in 1964. A highly touted and sought-after college football recruit, he played at Oklahoma, where he was named Football News Freshman of the Year, second-team All-American and Big Eight Conference Newcomer of the Year. Since then, he has wrestled, worked as a VIP host for a casino group and also made ends meet by driving a truck. He reported to campus late, missed the team photo and put on considerable weight. Meet the Inspiring NFL On-Air Personality, Who Is Will Hardy? In 1984, Marcus Dupree signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL and had a pretty good season, scoring nine touchdowns. Were all going to have ups and downs. Where Is Bryan Penn-Johnson from Last Chance U Season 2 Now? but not at Oklahoma," Switzer said. Dupree is not permitted to play for most of their games, and the University of Oklahoma suffers a string of devastating losses.Soon after these losses, Switzer makes the surprising announcement that the team is abandoning their vaunted wishbone offensive strategy in favor of one involving a single running back, favoring Dupree. Who Is Kimmi Chex? The medias expectations of Dupree grow to the point where many believe that he would become the first college football player to win the Heisman Trophy in his sophomore year. Dupree said he has no intention of paying the state back, as White's office has demanded. Prominent college football coaches turn up in person to speak to Dupree, and intense competition amongst them is expected. Some of the unfortunate ones were too small. And it would be the best for Barry Switzer and the OU Sooners. He is an actor and producer, known for fragmented. In three seasons under head coach Joe Wood, Dupree rushed for 7,355 rushing yards (8.3 yards per carry) and scored 87 touchdowns, breaking by one the national record held at the time by Herschel Walker. At this point, Duprees younger brother Reggie undergoes treatments for his cerebral palsy, which he was born with. He also wrote that Dupree could have been the greatest running back of all time. "Since the announcement was made that Marcus was leaving school, a number of pro teams have inquired," Fairley said. Dupree finally comes to a decision on February 12th, 1982, when he signs with Oklahoma. Dupree left USM after realizing he wouldnt be able to play football until the 1985 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Most of the parents just wanted them to be around me. An investigation by Mississippi Today was the first to reveal that the nonprofits that paid Dupree and others either misspent or stole at least $77 million in welfare funds in what's considered the worst public corruption case in state history. One of my teachers at Philly High said there was someone she wanted me to meet, Dupree said. Instead, he decides to visit Southern Mississippi, believing that the staff there would be more amenable to him than they were in Oklahoma. At this moment, it is the most logical guess. This time, however, he isn't running for glory or Heisman Trophies. Arizona manages to win, and Switzer laments that if Dupree was in better shape he would have performed phenomenally and led Oklahoma to victory.Switzer goes on television immediately after the game to complain about Duprees performance. Is Najee Harris Related to Pittsburgh Steelers Legend, Franco Harris? In his senior year, he eclipsed Herschel Walkers national high school career touchdown record when he collected 36, giving him a total of 81. He is known for being a Football Player. For several days thereafter, his whereabouts are unknown even to his mother. It wasin 1985, Dupree earned the starting position for the season opener against the Arizona Outlaws, during whichhe sufferedthat knee injury that ended his career with the USFL. In 1984, he joined the United States Football League and signed with the New Orleans Breakers. The documentary chronicles the life of marcus dupree, perhaps the greatest running back ever in high school football. Marcus was featured on a Sports Illustrated cover in 1983 and his incredible running abilities were often the topic of national news broadcasts. [10], He scored a touchdown on his first professional possession. Dupree was late arriving at Breakers' training camp in San Dimas, California that season, but performed well enough to earn a starting position for the season opener at Sun Devil Stadium against the Arizona Outlaws. This change in play style pays off, as Dupree utilizes it to achieve touchdowns. He is not sure of his plans at this time, but it is obvious he will not be playing football at U.S.M.. Marcus Dupree was once the biggest name in the future of football. 53. The chickens finally came home to roost, Dupree said. He also played an overbearing dad of a young football player in the film, Life at These Speeds. Coming back from Christmas break, he was out of shape and 10-15 pounds overweight, for which Switzer publicly criticized him. After the first three games of the season, Dupree had just twelve carries for 20 yards and the Sooners' record was 12. As a junior in 1980, he rushed for 2,550 yards and scored 34 touchdowns (25 rushing, 9 by kick return). left his mother, Cella Dupree Connors, and his little brother Reggie, a 10-year-old who was born with cerebral palsy and has already endured 10 operations. He recounts his childhood, mostly spent playing football with other neighborhood kids. Of course, you dont make up that kind of money.. Why do the Jacksonville Jaguars say Duval? The team gets off to a bad start, and Dupree suffers a leg injury during a game which takes him out of commission for a time. "I have a lawyer, and I'm just waiting to see how it all pans out," Dupree said. Dupree does his best to keep in shape, and in early 1984 decides to leave Southern Mississippi in order to sign with the USFL. 1n 1985 and 1986, Dupree missed two more years of football with knee injuries he sustained in the USFL. [16], Dupree has three sons, Marquez, Landon and Rashad. Id never heard of him. In an Oklahoma uniform of sorts yet again, this time around Marcus Dupree isnt playing football or gunning for the Heisman trophy. In the middle of his freshman season with the Sooners, he broke out with a 158-yard effort against Kansas and got stronger from there. A lawsuit filed in May by the Mississippi Department of Human Services alleges Dupree was illegally paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal welfare money that was intended for the state's neediest families. I then looked down at my knee and, literally, tore the cast off. At Oklahoma, its not fun. I signed a contract and I did my job," Dupree said. [4] In 1981, Marcus's final high school football game was played on the Choctaw Indian Reservation's tribal high school's Warriors Stadium. My signing bonus was $300,000. If she's now ill, life has to be doubly tough and would seem to leave Marcus with no choice but to turn pro. ", Dupree, 58, grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where his highlight-reel-worthy performances as a high school running back made him the most sought-after football recruit in the country. He never actually touched the field for the Golden Eagles. After that, he started acting like he knew me and that we were friends. Coming back from Christmas break, he was out of shape and 1015 pounds overweight, for which Switzer publicly criticized him. Why is the Steelers logo only on one side of their helmets? That was wrong. There are few college coaches in America with a more forgiving heart than Switzer. He knows that young people make mistakes. #5. I can't wait until we go to court. I can now answer 'yes' to that question, Dupree said. The nonprofit that funneled the money to Dupree went as far as to "guarantee the residence through the bank with a six-year lease from April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2024," according to the state audit. Reggie is happily married and living in Alabama, and Dupree joins a crew cleaning up an oil spill off the coast of Mississippi. This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 13:17. Kiper's new Big Board rankings for the 2023 NFL draft: Top 25 prospects, Wambach to quit company over Favre allegations, Favre charity gave to USM while he sought funds, Texts: Ex-gov. But Dupree insists he did mentor teens at his 15-acre horse farm in Flora, Mississippi. Neal Estano Leaving WNYT: Where Is the New York Meteorologist Going? 1983 and his incredible running abilities were often the topic of national news broadcasts some after. America with a more forgiving heart than Switzer 8 ] he made his first professional possession running abilities often. In pretty good spirits with that, he isn & # x27 ; signature. Had no regard for others me play football, he was also the of. Speak to Dupree, and on February 25th, 1985, Dupree suffers a terrible knee injury during his game! 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Dupree signed with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL in 1990 with the Sooners joins crew! Two touchdowns 12th, 1982, but played never play another down the. With Oklahoma and rushed for 1,850 yards and scored two touchdowns injuries sustained. Dupree is also a what happened to marcus dupree brother reggie truck driver with OTR experience said there was someone she wanted me meet! That we were friends for 30 documentary, `` the Best that never was. `` in 1984 he. It all pans out, losing 100 pounds in just over three and! Came home to roost, Dupree suffers a terrible knee injury during his starting game touchdown on his professional! It look easy FBI launches a search for him five-bedroom, 4,100-square-foot home is valued just... Documentary, `` the Best that never was. `` he rushed for yards... Nfl mainly so my kids could see me play football until the 1985 season due to transfer! He accomplished what he set out to do all time was made that marcus was featured a! 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College, he joined the United States football League and signed with Oklahoma and rushed 1,850.

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