The College of the Canyons football program has launched yet another NCAA football career.
Quarterback Marcel Marquez is the latest of the community college team’s players to successfully reach the next level, signing Thursday night to play for Sacramento State.
The Hornets, Division I-AA members of the Big Sky Conference, will give the junior-to-be a full scholarship and a chance to compete for the starting quarterback position.
He will battle another junior college transfer, Tim Brockwell of national champion Glendale Community College in Glendale, Ariz. for the keys to the offense.
“There aren’t a lot of 5-foot-10, quarterbacks out there who can play at this level, but Marcel has something about him —Iknow he can play at any level he wants,†said Sacramento State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Scott Criner, who recruited the former Cougar. “He’s always been the top guy on our list of players to bring in. He was one of the best JC players in the state.â€
Marquez chose Sacramento State, a team that struggled at 2-9 last season, over scholarship offers from Azusa Pacific University and State University of New York, Stony Brook.
He received interest from others including Oregon, New Mexico and USC — working out privately for Trojan head coach Pete Carroll — but scholarship offers never materialized.
The signal-caller is coming off a sparkling sophomore season in which he started all 13 games at quarterback for COC, leading the Cougars to a 12-1 record and a conference title.
After part-time duty on the Cougars’ 2004 national championship team, the Notre Dame High graduate made the most of his opportunity for increased playing time.
He passed for 3,107 yards and 28 touchdowns, completing 57 percent of his passes and also provided the squad with its best rushing threat.
Marquez showed off his speed and willingness to take on contact, scoring 13 rushing touchdowns and gaining a Cougar-best 660 yards on the ground.
His postseason honors included being named a second-team JC Grid-Wire All-American and the Western State Conference’s Northern Division Player of the Year.
Criner said the versatility he showed while at COC could give Marquez the upper-hand in the quarterback competition once he arrives on campus in mid July.
“Marcel’s what I call a riverboat gambler. He does everything with a pizazz about him†Criner said. “He can beat people with his arms or his legs — he’ll just find a way to win.â€(Andrew Barlam)/ the-signal.com
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