Bill Text: MS SC507 | 2011 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognize legendary Mississippi football star Marcus Dupree on the occasion of his ESPN documentary.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-5)
Status: (Passed) 2011-01-24 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC507 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-SC507-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Ward, Tollison, Burton, Butler (38th), Fillingane, Frazier, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Jones, Lee (35th), Simmons, Stone, Watson
Senate Concurrent Resolution 507
(As Adopted by Senate and House)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE LEGACY OF LEGENDARY MISSISSIPPI FOOTBALL STAR MARCUS DUPREE FROM PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI, ON THE OCCASION OF THE NOVEMBER 9, 2010, "ESPN" DOCUMENTARY ON HIS CAREER.
WHEREAS, in 1982, a star running back from Philadelphia, Mississippi, lit the college football scene on fire! His name was Marcus Dupree; and
WHEREAS, Marcus L. Dupree was born May 22, 1964, in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Dupree was so heavily recruited that Willie Morris wrote a book about his recruiting called The Courting of Marcus Dupree; and
WHEREAS, Dupree played high school football for the Philadelphia High School Tornadoes from 1978 to 1981. As a freshman in 1978, he ran a 4.4 40-yard dash. He had a 75-yard kickoff return touchdown on his first play in high school. That same season, he scored five touchdowns rushing and receiving and scored seven more via kick and punt returns. As a sophomore in 1979, Dupree was switched to running back and rushed for 1,850 yards and scored 28 touchdowns. He was also an integral part of the 1979-1980 basketball team which finished the year with a 33-4 record. In 1980 (Dupree's junior year of high school), Dupree rushed for 2,550 yards and scored 34 touchdowns (25 rushing, 9 by kick return). During his senior year, Dupree rushed for 2,955 yards and scored 36 touchdowns. On November 13, 1981, Dupree's final high school game was at the Choctaw Bowl on the Choctaw Indian Reservation's tribal high school's Warriors Stadium. He finished his high school football career having accumulated 5,284 rushing yards with an 8.3-yard-per-carry average. There was considerable media coverage to witness the record-breaking event. Dupree scored 87 touchdowns during his playing time in high school, breaking the record set by Herschel Walker by one; and
WHEREAS, Marcus Dupree was recruited by every major football program in the nation. Notable among them were UCLA, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi State, Georgia, Oklahoma, Colorado, LSU, Southern Mississippi, and Pittsburgh. Dupree received a famous visit via private plane from Billy Sims urging him to attend Oklahoma, which he did; and
WHEREAS, Dupree's freshman season at University of Oklahoma in 1982 was astonishing, though it began slowly. He received little playing time until four games into the season, when Head Coach Barry Switzer decided to switch to the I-formation to better utilize Dupree's abilities. After this change, he took the conference by storm. He had four 100-yard rushing games including 158 yards against Kansas on October 16, after which he was given the starting tailback position. He was also named Big Eight "Offensive Player of the Week" for that game. Dupree finished the season with a total of 1,144 yards, and 13 touchdowns for a 7.8-yard-per-carry average, and he only started seven games. He was also the first freshman ever to lead Oklahoma University in rushing. He was named Big 8 "Newcomer of the Year" and was also named to the AP All-Big Eight First Team and to UPI's All-Big Eight Second Team. The June 20, 1983, Sports Illustrated featured Dupree on the cover; and
WHEREAS, on January 1, 1983, Oklahoma played Arizona State in the Fiesta Bowl. Dupree started the game, but had to leave three times due to a broken finger, an ankle injury, a rib injury and a pulled hamstring. Amazingly, in a little over 1/2 of the game's playing time, he amassed a rushing total of 245 yards on only 19 carries, averaging almost 13 yards every time he carried the ball from scrimmage. In doing so, he set the rushing record for yards in the Fiesta Bowl and was named MVP of the game, although Arizona State won the game. After his remarkable freshman year, Dupree was widely considered the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore; and
WHEREAS, Dupree's much-anticipated sophomore season did not turn out as planned. Hampered by injuries, Dupree still managed to gain 369 yards on 61 carries with three touchdowns in the first four games of the season. After suffering a concussion, he returned to Mississippi and announced that he was leaving Oklahoma University and transferring to the University of Southern Mississippi. Because of NCAA rules, he would have to sit out the 1984 season, so he decided to leave University of Southern Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Marcus didn't achieve NFL success for reasons of circumstance. Dupree was signed by the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League in 1984. He scored a touchdown on his first professional possession. He gained 684 yards on 145 carries with 9 touchdowns for a 4.7 yard-per-carry average. He had two 100-yard rushing games. The Breakers moved to Portland, Oregon, for the 1985 season; and
WHEREAS, in 1990, Walter Payton urged him to get back into shape for the NFL; Dupree agreed, and got back to running a 4.5 40-yard dash and was eventually signed by the Los Angeles Rams; and
WHEREAS, in 1992, Dupree led the Rams in rushing in the preseason but was cut by Coach John Robinson, and retired shortly afterward; and
WHEREAS, Dupree has involved himself in many ventures since his football career. He was executive host for a casino, and a professional wrestler for the USWA in 1995. He also scouted for the Washington Redskins and was a General Manager for an arena football team; and
WHEREAS, an ESPN documentary on Dupree, titled "The Best That Never Was" and directed by Jonathan Hock, premiered on November 9, 2010, as part of the "30 for 30" Series of films celebrating ESPN's 30th Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride and nostalgia that we acknowledge the place of Marcus Dupree in the storied sports history of the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize the legacy of legendary Mississippi football star Marcus Dupree from Philadelphia, Mississippi, on the occasion of the ESPN documentary on his career aired on November 9, 2010, and extend to Marcus and his family and friends our congratulations for his place in sports history and our best wishes in his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Marcus Dupree and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
