I didn't even know about that, nothing. Schumann returning to Georgia, FSU AD: Lagging ACC revenue 'has to change', Harbaugh: Corum to miss spring to rehab knee, The new law changing service academy football, and the coaches pushing back, Realignment chatter: How the Pac-12 holds the key to it all, Connelly on transfer trends: What last season can teach us about 2023, College football's assistants and coordinators to watch in 2023. The San Francisco 49ers brought Dupree into training camp in 1992 to play fullback, a position he had never played. Local law enforcement seems to be complicit in their deaths and covers them up. After taking a week off, Dupree surprisingly announced he was leaving Oklahoma and would be enrolling at Southern Mississippi. As a sophomore, he rushed for 1,850 yards and 28 touchdowns, making it look easy. You really couldn't blame Switzer for putting the cart before this awesome horse even though Dupree had said nothing about returning to OU, where he began this bizarre tale of wanderlust. 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. BIOG: NAME: 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Be patient and stay with the process.. Earl Campbell was the only other guy I ever saw who was like thatphysically ready, as a true freshman, to be the best player on a great college team. 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. Dupree first met Fairley during his senior season of high school. I did enjoy acting, Dupree said. [5] Author Willie Morris described the audience at Dupree's final high school game as "the most distinctive crowds I had ever seen four thousand or so people seemed almost an equal of mix of whites, blacks, and Indians After Marcus scored his touchdown, Sid Salter saw Cecil Price Sr. (who was linked with the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner in Philadelphia, Miss.) Their conversation was cordial, direct, but brief. Meet the Rumored New Head Coach of the Utah Jazz. As a junior in 1980, he rushed for 2,550 yards and scored 34 touchdowns (25 rushing, 9 by kick return). And soon after, Dupree decided to retire. 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. Upon being informed that because of NCAA rules, he would have to sit out both the remainder of the 1983 season and the 1984 season, he left after three months. 57. 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. My dreams were over.. In 1984, Marcus Dupree signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL and had a pretty good season, scoring nine touchdowns. Despite his numerous successes, tension continues between Dupree and the Oklahoma coaching staff, owing to Duprees perceived laid-back attitude and lack of effort during practice sessions. However, he goes on to Oklahoma and is coached by Barry Switzer, who instantly recognizes Duprees talent and skill. In 1983, Dupree declared hed be transferring to Southern Mississippi. Marcus Dupree was one of the most heavily recruited high school football stars in American history. 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. According to an audit conducted by White's office, $171,000 in TANF money was used as the down payment toward Dupree's home and surrounding property. On Wednesday, Dupree denied wrongdoing in an interview with ESPN. . Marcus Dupree was born on the 22nd of May, 1964. If marcus duprees story was a fairy tale, it would read like this: Dupree was the center of the most heated recruiting frenzy in. What ever happened to Marcus Dupree? He was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where his playing in high school attracted national attention. Dupree finds himself overwhelmed by the attention and uncertain of what to do, particularly after his relatives weigh in with their own feelings on the matter. This comes as a surprise to the other schools vying for his attention, and some suspect that he was coerced into joining Oklahoma. [2], As a sophomore in 1979, he was switched to running back and rushed for 1,850 yards and scored 28 touchdowns. who was 'jumping up and down and cheering as hard as anyone ain't that a kick in the pants?' 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. Reggies disability weighs heavily on Duprees conscience, and he hopes that his football talents can earn him enough to afford costly treatments for Reggie. What hap, Incredible Sibling Tattoos For 2 Brother And Sister Referen. He played in only five games in the 1983 season because of nagging injuries and suffering a concussion against Texas. Alleged haircut has NBA fans in a spin. many of these athletes are flying. At one point in the game he suffers a terrible concussion from a tackle and is sidelined for the remainder of the game. Heres what happened to football player Marcus Dupree and where he is now, in 2023. In 1983, Dupree declared he'd be transferring to Southern Mississippi. Marcus was featured on a Sports Illustrated cover in 1983 and his incredible running abilities were often the topic of national news broadcasts. Marcus is thought to live with girlfriend, Kim, and enjoys spending time with his family. Marcus dupree was one of the most exciting college football prospects of all time. Commercials deleted. "I worked too hard on my reputation to do the right thing and be the right person, and I don't like what's going on. What did Marcus Dupree . Others were just a step too slow., Connolly continued, But youll also find a select few individuals who had all the tools. The superstar that he did not become and the man he is today are the subject of a new documentary airing Tuesday on ESPN. So we drove to Forest and met Ken Fairley. He never actually touched the field for the Golden Eagles. Many editorial writers around the nation focused in on OU as an example of all that is wrong in college football. His efforts work to reverse Oklahomas losing streak, earning him numerous accolades and great notoriety. Marcus Dupree, who rose to fame in Mississippi and beyond after a brief but impressive football career that became the subject of an ESPN documentary, is speaking out about his alleged role in a sprawling welfare fraud case that has also entangled Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Brett Favre and dozens of others. Once he recovered, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL, but once again, suffered an injury and had to sit out for the first seven games. Marcus L. Dupree (born May 22, 1964) is a former American football player. Today, Marcus is a 46-year-old part-time truck driver, struggling to get . Host . This time, however, he isn't running for glory or Heisman Trophies. Sports Illustrated has a look at . 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. When I got ready to buy my mother a car, I said, Let me check with Ken, Dupree recalled. I then looked down at my knee and, literally, tore the cast off. 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. The Oklahoma coach, by issuing a statement, simply acted to protect himself and to protect his team's future. A missing persons report is filed, and the FBI launches a search for him. I dont know.. The brothers are quite close, and Duprees friends note that Reggie proves to be a motivating factor for Duprees prowess. He finished the season with 179 yards on 49 carries with one touchdown, in eight games played. He uses this as an attempt to make a comeback, and he plays in a game against the Giants on November 11th, 1990, making his official NFL debut. 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. They make a grand ceremony of his signing on March 3rd, 1984 at the Superdome.Dupree plays his first game for the Breakers on March 11th, 1984, and plays well despite still being somewhat out of shape. Can the Lions fix their defense? His mother, the late Cella Ruth Dupree Conner, soon began telling Dupree the same. Id only met him that one time.. ", "Marcus Dupree's doc; Howard Stern's most wanted sports guests", "Twenty years after leaving OU,'people still remember me', "PRO FOOTBALL; Dupree Is Taken by Surprise as Rams Let Rusher Go", "EXPLAINER: Favre, other sports figures in welfare fraud case", "Marcus Dupree's documentary; Howard Stern's most wanted sports guests", College and Pro Statistics @ totalfootballstats.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marcus_Dupree&oldid=1140304379. In an Oklahoma uniform of sorts yet again, this time around Marcus Dupree isnt playing football or gunning for the Heisman trophy. The player maintains that Switzer. This latest chapter of the Marcus Dupree Story is certainly another strange twist. I can only speak for Marcus. At Oklahoma, its not fun. The monthly lease payments for the property totaled $9,500, the audit states. 22 for the Crowbar Championship Wrasslin (CCW). White said his office found "limited evidence" Dupree or anyone else ever delivered those sorts of services to the needy. The documentary chronicles the life of Marcus Dupree, perhaps the greatest running back ever in high school football. In February of 2020, agents from the State Auditor's Office arrested Nancy New, her son Zach New, Davis, retired wrestler Brett DiBiase, agency employee Latimer Smith, and nonprofit accountant Ann. Although I don't want to overdramatize this because I don't know the seriousness of her illness, everything is changed if she's sick.". In his autobiography, Switzer devoted an entire chapter to Dupree, saying he regretted not getting to know him better. ). Maybe even ready for the NFL at that age."[7]. Few athletes have been blessed with the size, power and speed of Dupree. As a senior in 1981, he rushed for 2,955 yards and scored 36 touchdowns. The Incredible Story of the Greatest Football Player You've Never Heard Of - Marcus Dupree I've wanted to tell the story of Marcus Dupree for sometime now. Switzer was raked over the coals by critics of the college football system. By the time he is in eighth grade, Dupree is already renowned throughout the school district for his prowess, and he is recruited to the high school team early. Maurice Carthon. It resurrected his popularity. He played for the Breakers for two seasons before a knee injury forced him to leave the game. Some of the unfortunate ones were too small. Bornon May 22, 1964, Marcus Dupree grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Dupree provided ESPN several photos of what appear to be teenage boys, whom he says he mentored at his stables in Flora, as well as photos from numerous public appearances. The USFL is skeptical of this arrangement, and Duprees agents try to sway them with the illusion that he is being considered by the NFL, despite their rules making it extremely unlikely that they would do so. Those who knew Dupree declare that he is possibly the best running back who ever played football. Hes happy with his life and doesnt look back. Text messages show he pressured Phil Bryant, a former Mississippi governor, to obtain $5 million in funds to help build a new volleyball center at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter played the sport. Alleged haircut has NBA fans in a spin, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. Be patient with the process, he said. But the one question people always wanted to know: Did Ken Fairley ever go to jail? Thirty years of anger and frustration were eased when Dupree, 52, learned that pastor Kenneth Fairley, once the star football running backs adviser and business manager, was found guilty Monday in a Hattiesburg courtroom on three counts of conspiracy and theft in a federal case involving money taken from a federal housing program. However, Dupree suffered a career-threatening knee injury in the first game of the 1985 season for the Breakers and doctors said hed never play football again. In 1984, Marcus Dupree signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL and had a pretty good season, scoring nine touchdowns. Even with these setbacks, he still managed to run for a Fiesta Bowl record 249 yards, a record that still stands today. Despite not starting until the seventh game of the season, Dupree finished with 1,144 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. The media interprets this as Switzer blaming the loss at the Fiesta Bowl on Dupree. My first paycheck was for $42,000. Make no mistake: Mr. Dupree earned the money he was paid, and he never had any reason to believe the money was being improperly spent by state officials," Eichelberger wrote. Back then, Dupree playing football in school had attracted national attention. I have to give . After four years away from football, he decided to give the NFL a shot in 1990. ", 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 wanted me to sign with Southern (Mississippi). Hopefully, Ill have a couple of more (movies) coming up pretty soon. Even at a young age, he is noticed by his peers for his speed and strength. 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. Meet the Inspiring NFL On-Air Personality, Who Is Will Hardy? Make no mistake: Mr. Dupree earned the money he was paid, and he never had any reason to believe the money was being improperly spent by state officials," Eichelberger wrote. 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.". He is an actor and producer, known for Fragmented Commitments, Mississippi Scholar and Enterfear: The Next Wave (2022). 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. Marcus Dupree watched the Super Bowl last Sunday in the place where he grew up, the town of Philadelphia, Mississippi. Several days later, Dupree confides in his friends that he feels he has made a terrible mistake in joining Oklahoma. The concussion leaves him dazed and unable to respond to questions.He returns home to Philadelphia for a time and decides that he cannot return to Oklahoma. Five have pleaded guilty. Returning in week 8, he played more often and scored his only NFL touchdown that year. Breakers fans saw him as a local boy made good; the Superdome was packed with large crowds by USFL standards.[10]. Marcus Dupree's age is 58. Marcus Dupree is in an Oklahoma uniform of sorts again. We help them (and their families) travel through the college recruiting process with confidence and a peace of mind, he says of the company. When I recovered from the anaesthesia after my injury and surgery while with the Breakers, I looked up at my Mom. . On Wednesday, Dupree denied wrongdoing in an interview with ESPN. But I think that rainbow let me know that she heard the news and shes mighty happy that, finally. Dupree's mother was supporting the family by herself on the salary of a school teacher. At this point, Duprees younger brother Reggie undergoes treatments for his cerebral palsy, which he was born with. He made a comeback with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL mainly so my kids could see me play football, he said. Dupree would later go to the University of Oklahoma to play for Barry Switzer. Among all his other great runs, he also had a 77-yard punt return against Colorado, an 80-yard run against Kansas State, a 70-yard run against Missouri and an 86-yard run against Nebraska. "I worked too hard on my reputation to do the right thing and be the right person, and I don't like what's going on. 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. 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. But my grandmother told me from the start that she didnt like Ken and didnt trust him. He enjoys the experience, and feels that he finally got some vindication after years of suffering. D. According to an audit conducted by White's office, $171,000 in TANF money was used as the down payment toward Dupree's home and surrounding property. helped Favre abuse welfare funds, Winner: 2013 Peabody Award; 2011 Edward R. Murrow Award/Video Investigative Reporting, Covers breaking news, investigative pieces and human interest features. A quick check of the numbers shows he rushed for 5,284 yards in three seasons and scored 87 touchdowns, breaking Walker's mark with the final carry of his career. I thought I'dmake up the money somehow. After Dupree had been out of football for four years, he met with Walter Payton on some business ventures and Payton urged him to get back into shape to try out for the NFL again in 1990. He knows that young football players make a lot of mistakes. Also on the porch. His reaction was immediate, and under the circumstances, understandable for a man who had just panicked. After the first three games of the season, Dupree had just twelve carries for 20 yards and the Sooners' record was 12. His football journey was profiled in a 2010 ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, "The Best That Never Was.". Alumni List. That was wrong. 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. Texas and Oklahoma send their recruiters, Tommy Reaux and Lucious Selmon, to live in Philadelphia full-time until signing day. Reginald Paul Dupre (pronounced du-PRAY) was born 1957 in Bourg, Louisiana, to Alida D. Naquin and Reggie Dupre Sr. He also ran a sports bar and worked as a casino-greeter for a short period of time. He played in 15 games over two seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, before being waivedprior to the1992 season. Shortly after that, he signed the deal with the Breakers. Id never heard of him. It turns out that Marcus indeed called Switzer before he left the Southern Miss campus. Im just waiting on them to give me a call.. He is enthusiastically welcomed by the team and appreciates the attention he receives by them and the fans. Dupree scored 87 touchdowns total during his playing time in high school, breaking the national high school record (set by Herschel Walker) by one. Neal Estano Leaving WNYT: Where Is the New York Meteorologist Going? Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? He still wears his OU number 22 jersey when making special appearances for Crowbar Championship Wrasslin in Oklahoma. NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? 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. Its how quick you get up., In other news, Did Steph Curry go bald? It was costing me so much in legal fees that I just said to forget it. Dupree signed with the USFL, playing for the New Orleans Breakers. 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. Why do you have to check with him? Then it sort of hit me, Yeah, why do I always have to check with Ken if I want my own money?, My mama told Ken to his face one day, I may not be around to see it, but youre gonna get yours one day. I thought about that when that rainbow popped out. And it would be the best for Barry Switzer and the OU Sooners. . But statements coming out of the offices of the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League Wednesday made it sound as if Dupree will play for them this season. At this moment, it is the most logical guess. [10], He scored a touchdown on his first professional possession. 53. Dupree and head coach Barry Switzer were at odds. As a junior, Dupree upped his rushing yards to 2,550 and had 34 touchdowns. Dupree returned to professional football in 1990. All rights reserved. By his senior year of high school, Dupree retains his speed despite his imposing size, and breaks several records for high school football. Dupree was a standout in his freshman season at the University of Oklahoma in 1982, but his career was ultimately hampered by injuries. Man if she was here today I cant even imagine what Cella Ruth would be saying. 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. In 2010, an ESPN documentary titled The Best That Never Was chronicled Duprees playing career and eventual injury. The father of pistol conner, marcus. He gained 684 yards on 145 carries with nine touchdowns for a 4.7 yards per carry average. Marcus dupree was one of the most exciting college football prospects of all time. He becomes a factor in the recruitment negotiations, and he advises Dupree to join the University of Southern Mississippi, as he feels they wanted him more and would do more than other schools to ensure his safety and success.In January 1982, Dupree narrows his choices down to three: Oklahoma, Texas, and Southern Mississippi.