PCA’s Marshall signs with Gulf Coast
Published 12:01 pm Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Porters Chapel Academy wide receiver Chris Marshall has decided to reset the recruiting process.
In a surprise move, the reigning Vicksburg Post Player of the Year decided on Monday to sign with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
He passed on some offers from four-year schools like Louisiana Tech and Alcorn State to realize an opportunity at Gulf Coast to emerge on the recruiting boards of some bigger BCS conference destinations like TCU, Oregon and Missouri. He listed those three schools as his preferred destinations when he completes his two-year stint at Gulf Coast, which finished 10-2 last season.
“I figured that if you have your heart set on going some place, you should try to take whatever route you can to get there,” Marshall said. “This will give me a chance to restart the process and get my name out there again.”
As far as making a name for himself, it helps Marshall’s cause that he will play receiver in a wide-open spread offense. From a national exposure viewpoint, Gulf Coast has become one of the nation’s top junior college programs, finishing last season No. 3 in the NJCAA poll.
The Destrehan, La. native opened plenty of eyes in his only season at PCA after transferring from Texas last summer.
Marshall caught 50 passes for 1,024 yards with nine touchdowns, and was a threat anytime he had the ball in his hands. He averaged 30.8 yards per punt return with two scores, and returned a kickoff for a score while averaging 35.8 yards per return. He finished with 13 total touchdowns and represented PCA in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools all-star game.
“He’s going to a great junior college and it gives him a chance to be recruited by those bigger schools,” Porters Chapel coach John Weaver said. “It’s going to give Chris a chance to showcase his talents on a bigger stage. I have a feeling he will do very well at the college level and perform like he did here. He’s that kind of athlete and he’s that type of young man.”