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The University of Mississippi Athletics
SPOTLIGHT: A Dream Come True
9/30/2011 | Football
Sept. 30, 2011
By Morgan Adams
Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations
A little boy sits and watches his older cousins dart and dive across the football field in his home state of Virginia. He is captivated by the atmosphere that surrounds him. Admiring the competiveness and determination of the boys, he wants to be just like them. The little boy has fallen in love with a game that he has never played.
Everybody possesses an inner passion, some are lucky to discover it, and others are blessed with the opportunity to pursue it. The little boy named Marcus Temple found his passion and grew up playing a sport he loved. He hoped to do so forever. One day his dreams came true when he arrived in Oxford, Mississippi to play football for the Ole Miss Rebels.
"Coach Nutt is a great coach. It felt good to come down here and play for him, I am really blessed and thankful," Temple said.
Players usually have to travel the long distances from home to college by themselves. The transition can be tough, but Temple was already receiving support from fellow teammates when he decided to attend Ole Miss.
"Coach Nutt came up to Hargrave (Military Academy) to see some of us and talk. I was lucky to come to Oxford with guys like Enrique Davis and Rudy Wilson. There were about seven of us."
Already knowing some guys on the team gave Temple confidence, and it only took a few practices to assure him that he was making the right decision by choosing the Rebels.
When it came down to game time, Temple not only proved to himself that he belonged but also to the coaches and fans.
In 2008, Temple saw action in 12 games, recorded 22 tackles, and during a game against the University of Florida, he did the unthinkable. Temple, untouched, tackled the Gator's star quarterback Tim Tebow on fourth down and one. Temple stopped Tebow in his tracks and helped the Rebels stun the No. 4 Gators 31-30 in the Swamp, a victory that will go down in Ole Miss' history books.
In 2009 Temple saw action in all 13 games and helped the Rebels rank 11th in the NCAA in pass efficiency defense (101.52 eff.) and 15th in pass defense (174.38 ypg).
Last season Temple was one of only five players to start all 12 games. He tied for the team lead in fumble recoveries and ranked fourth in pass break-ups . Temple was credited with 48 total tackles that year, including two tackles for loss.
Temple, who helped the Rebels to back-to-back Cotton Bowl wins in 2008 and 2009, is excited about his senior season on the football field and says the fans have a lot to look forward to this year.
"I am going to come hard every play of the game. Coach Keith Burns has been working really hard with me and I'm going to play at my highest level. The fans should expect the same thing out of the rest of the team as well. We have worked really hard at practice and it will translate onto the field."
According to Temple, the fans and the atmosphere that they provide is going to be a key factor in the success of the team. Temple encourages the fans to be loud and be ready on game days.
"During the offseason we called out to the fans and told them that we really needed their support. So far they have been great and I hope they continue to show up. Hearing the crowd while we are making plays motivates us. They show their passion for us and we show our passion by making big plays for them."
Marcus Temple has had a very successful career as an Ole Miss Rebel and hasn't regretted his decision to make the trip to Mississippi. He has made memories and friends that will last a lifetime.
The next step for Temple is to accomplish his ultimate dream of playing football for a professional team. Temple would love to join all the former Rebels and some of his former teammates in the NFL. No matter how accomplished or famous he may become, Temple will never forget sitting in the park and watching his cousins play ball. They taught him a lot and lit a fire inside of him that will never be extinguished.
