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. Dupree attended Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and began his football career as a wide receiver before switching full time to running back as a sophomore. 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. Coming back from Christmas break, he was out of shape and 10-15 pounds overweight, for which Switzer publicly criticized him. 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. Who Is Kimmi Chex? I can't wait until we go to court. 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. 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. Dupree said he was not aware the money New had used to pay him had come from misappropriated welfare funds. 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 did enjoy acting, Dupree said. Dupree's defection after the Texas game last October doomed the '83 OU season to mediocrity, and the slightest hint that he might return for '84 could have a devastating effect on the high school players the Sooners are trying to recruit for next season. Marcus has had difficulty coping with the fact he cannot play college football until 1985 and has talked of the possibility of playing professional football, Jim Carmody, Southern Mississippis head coach, said in a New York Times article in 1984. ). He also played an overbearing dad of a young football player in the film, Life at These Speeds. Dupree wasn't attending classes at OU and now he's quit school again. Meet the Rumored New Head Coach of the Utah Jazz. I wish (Barry Switzer) would have treated me a little bit better, Dupree told OU Daily in 2010. Most of the parents just wanted them to be around me. He played in only five games in the 1983 season because of nagging injuries and suffering a concussion against Texas. But that he followed some bad advice. He finished his first NFL season with 72 yards on 19 carries, in three games played. Later that month, Dupree visits the University of Texas and decides to commit to joining that school, but upon returning to Mississippi he decides to visit the University of Oklahoma anyway. He made a comeback with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL mainly so my kids could see me play football, he said. This change in play style pays off, as Dupree utilizes it to achieve touchdowns. 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. Id only met him that one time.. First quarter, you may score two touchdowns. Marcus Dupree was one of the most exciting college football prospects of all time. 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. Dupree scored 87 touchdowns total during his playing time in high school, breaking the national high school record (set by Herschel Walker) by one. The injury is severe enough to end his career with the Breakers, and when the NFL declares him eligible a year afterward it is already too late for him to recover. Why is the Steelers logo only on one side of their helmets? Many label him as the greatest running back to ever play college football. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. In doing so, he draws attention away from the towns checkered history; the towns schools were integrated in 1970, making Dupree and his class the first children in the county to receive entirely integrated schooling. 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. The season continues, and Dupree suffers chronic problems with his hamstring, sidelining him for a time. 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. But I think that rainbow let me know that she heard the news and shes mighty happy that, finally. He is an actor and producer, known for fragmented. Dupree, the top high school prospect in the nation out of Philadelphia High School in the1982 signing class, has long contended Fairley took a large share of Duprees five-year, $6 million contract with the New Orleans Breakers in 1984. When you do wrong and just keep doing wrong, the bottom is going to finally fall out. Dupree broke many records in both high school and college. Host . Marcus Dupree was a national star as a freshman running back at the University of Oklahoma in 1982. 22 for the Crowbar Championship Wrasslin (CCW). Follow@BillyWatkins11 on Twitter. However, he would never play another down for the Breakers. He was also the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, rushing for 239 yards. It turns out that Marcus indeed called Switzer before he left the Southern Miss campus. Shortly after that, he signed the deal with the Breakers. "[10] Hampered by injuries, Dupree gained 369 yards on 61 carries with three touchdowns while playing in four of the first five games of the season. Dupree returned to professional football in 1990. Their conversation was cordial, direct, but brief. After that, he started acting like he knew me and that we were friends. Dupree said he was not aware the money New had used to pay him had come from misappropriated welfare funds. His efforts work to reverse Oklahomas losing streak, earning him numerous accolades and great notoriety. He didn't have a step to lose to begin with so , he left deciding to try to rehab and play at a JUCO or small college which never happened . In October 1990, Dupree signed with the Los Angeles Rams, who had drafted him in 1986 in case he became fit again,[11] after a five-and-a-half-year absence from the football field. ',',the man that has a mustache. On the front porch at 274 Davis Street one recent afternoon sits Marcus Dupree, sophomore tailback at the University of Oklahoma, blowing up and then popping his bubble gum. 1n 1985 and 1986, Dupree missed two more years of football with knee injuries he sustained in the USFL. Why Jimbo Fisher, Quinn Ewers and USC all have plenty to prove in 2023, Five big college football questions to answer this offseason. 57. 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. I was shocked when I heard it. He gained 684 yards on 145 carries with nine touchdowns for a 4.7 yards per carry average. "I don't appreciate being lumped into something like I took money," Dupree said. Alleged haircut has NBA fans in a spin. There are few college coaches in America with a more forgiving heart than Switzer. The problem is, its not like high school when Coach (Joe) Wood made it fun. Im just waiting on them to give me a call.. Afterwards, Dupree earns his commercial drivers license and becomes a truck driver, aided by Price Jr. and his father. His second and final season in the USFL was short-lived after sustaining a severe knee injury. Dupree said he has no intention of paying the state back, as White's office has demanded. Anyone who got to know Dupree while he was at OU realized he was a good person. 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. The late Reggie White remains one of the greatest linemen to play any brand of football. Last Name: Ricky Adams 1977-1981. Now 52, the former heralded football recruit, whose career tragically vanished almost within no time, has now set foot in thepro-wrestlingring! Producer: Fragmented Commitments. I signed a contract and I did my job," Dupree said. 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 player maintains that Switzer. Theyre the ones who didnt achieve NFL success for reasons of circumstance. Coming back from Christmas break, he was out of shape and 1015 pounds overweight, for which Switzer publicly criticized him. He regrets doing so, and recounts that he was burnt out at the time from the goings-on around him. While finishing college at the university, he played spring football for the Golden Eagles. The Oklahoma coach says he has no idea what Marcus will do. Not much is known about his personal life except that he has three sonsMarquez, Landon, and Rashad. In April that year, he asked his former USFL coach, Dick Coury, then the quarterbacks coach for the Rams, if he could work out for the team if he got into shape, and impressed Coury and head coach John Robinson enough to earn a contract. He played in 15 games over two seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, before being waivedprior to the1992 season. Looking back at it all, Dupree regrets leaving Oklahoma. Marcus Dupree grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and played football for the Philadelphia High School Tornadoes where his spectacular play earned national recognition and admiration. 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.". Were all going to have ups and downs. It was costing me so much in legal fees that I just said to forget it. He also ran a sports bar and worked as a casino-greeter for a short period of time. Dupree also has a business, Marcus Dupree MVP College Recruiting & Consulting, which helps guide budding athletes through high school. [7] Dupree scored his first college touchdown against Texas on a 63-yard fake reverse. The following summer, dupree received an icelandic citizenship and as a result his playing time and performance increased with his averages jumping to 11.4 points in 2 He died april 13, 1986, at the age of 42. They're the ones who didn't achieve NFL success for reasons of circumstance. It should be apparent to even the most casual observer that Switzer has done all he can for Dupree. In addition, it changes what Dupree should do. I don't know what Brett did. Five have pleaded guilty. The father of pistol conner, marcus. Have something to tell us about this article? [10], He scored a touchdown on his first professional possession. MARCUS DUPREE By John Ed Bradley September 21, 1983 Poor Marcus Dupree. But Dupree insists he did mentor teens at his 15-acre horse farm in Flora, Mississippi. He knows that young football players make a lot of mistakes. Dupree started his career with reynir sandgeri in the 1. The monthly lease payments for the property totaled $9,500, the audit states. 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. Dupree was signed by the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League in 1984. There was such a lack of communication. Sports Illustrated has a look at . 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. Favre has denied wrongdoing. What has seldom been exaggerated in the stories produced by the marvelous high school career of Marcus Dupree is the scope of his talents. The monthly lease payments for the property totaled $9,500, the audit states. Such was the case with Marcus Dupree, a star running back who lit the college football scene on fire as a freshman in 1982.. His second and final season in the USFL was short-lived after sustaining a severe knee injury. Its how you handle adversity. Hopefully, Ill have a couple of more (movies) coming up pretty soon. After five and a half years away, he attempted a comeback to the NFL in 1990 with the Los Angeles Rams. 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. What did Marcus Dupree . He joined the United States Football League the following season and signed with the New Orleans Breakers in 1984. White said his office found "limited evidence" Dupree or anyone else ever delivered those sorts of services to the needy. 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. He plays his first high school game on September 8th, 1978, and amazes onlookers by scoring a touchdown on his very first play. His mother, the late Cella Ruth Dupree Conner, soon began telling Dupree the same. He instead decided to go pro with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL in 1984, signing a five-year deal for $6 million at the age of 19. Although Switzer was known for running a loose ship, Dupree's lackadaisical attitude was too much for him, and he called Dupree "lazy. I can now answer 'yes' to that question, Dupree said. But Dupree insists he did mentor teens at his 15-acre horse farm in Flora, 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. Back then, Dupree playing football in school had attracted national attention. Im in pretty good spirits with that, he said. He is also a fan of wrestling, giving it a go full-time in the mid-1990s. I can't wait until we go to court. Marcus strove to do better and work that much harder because Reggie couldn't do the thinks Marcus could. Dupree sues Fairley in an attempt to recover some of his money. He died april 13, 1986, at the age of 42. On Wednesday, Dupree denied wrongdoing in an interview with ESPN. Dupree said he has no intention of paying the state back, as White's office has demanded. We do the wrestling events to see kids cheer and see kids faces smile to it like I did when I was younger.. I first heard about his legend a few years back and I've found it to be utterly captivating and fascinating. 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. "Marcus doesn't want to play football and he doesn't want to go to college," said the OU coach. Yes, you read that right; hes wearing No. Barry Switzer heard the news Tuesday morning that Marcus Dupree had dropped out of school at Southern Mississippi. As a result, he was given the starting tailback position over Stanley Wilson and was named Big Eight Offensive Player of the Week. In his second year with the team, which moved to Portland Oregon in 1985, he suffered a devastating knee injury, which all but ended his career. Since then, he has wrestled, worked as a VIP host for a casino group and also made ends meet by driving a truck. Marcus Dupree made a name in the 1982 OU-Texas game, but ended his Sooner career with a disappointing performance a year later. many of these athletes are flying. Oklahoma sends several of its alumni, at that time celebrated NFL players, to Mississippi to speak to Dupree. He got off to a good start, rushing 69 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. He was a sought-after college recruitplaying for Oklahoma and was named Football NewsFreshman of the Year.. but not at Oklahoma," Switzer said. Also on the porch. In 1983, Dupree declared hed be transferring to Southern Mississippi. "That was news to me. The Los Angeles Rams held his rights after drafting him in the 12th round in 1986. I was still being recruited by schools from all over the country. The Breakers moved to Portland, Oregon for the 1985 season. . ", "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 1984, Marcus Dupree signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL and had a pretty good season, scoring nine touchdowns. Why do the Jacksonville Jaguars say Duval? ", 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. #5. Marcus Dupree was one of the most heavily recruited high school football stars in American history. He appeared headed for a long career in the National Football League. ", 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 is carried off the field in a stretcher. Dupree is also a licensed truck driver with OTR experience. 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. "Neither Mr. Dupree, nor his foundation, will be making any payment in response to your demand. Turns out that Marcus Dupree was one of the parents just wanted them give... Goings-On around him speak to Dupree question, Dupree declared hed what happened to marcus dupree brother reggie transferring to Southern Mississippi it. 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