Three years ago, he wasn’t even playing quarterback. He was a defensive back for the Georgia Bulldogs, with no time under center in sight.
Back in July 2013, he was just moving to Auburn, mere months after quarterbacking at Garden City Community College in Kansas. A month later, he was head coach Gus Malzahn’s first quarterback.
Still a little raw, with a habit of overthrowing receivers by ten-plus yards, he caused many to wonder early on if Malzahn had made the right call.
Sure, he was a great athlete, ran the ball well, but how would he perform in crunch time?
Time after time, he responded with a big play. Time after time, he answered the bell. Time after time, he came up huge.
Almost three years after being dismissed from Georgia’s football team, he is walking out of Auburn, Alabama as an SEC champion and one of the Tigers’ all-time greatest quarterbacks.
Nick Marshall has left quite a legacy.
I remember the first time I ever watched Nick Marshall play. It was against Washington State in his and Auburn’s first game of the 2013 season, and to be completely honest, I wasn’t too impressed.
Marshall’s numbers in that game were mediocre at best: 10/19 for 99 yards, nine carries for 27 yards. As if a sign of things to come, he missed his first three passes of the game, all aimed at different receivers.
It looked like this guy couldn’t throw the ball into the ocean. He’d somehow overthrow it. I thought Gus Malzahn had made the first coaching mistake of his life.
I couldn’t believe that the guy I was watching would be Auburn’s starting quarterback. And I certainly would have never believed that he would be hoisting the SEC championship trophy three months later.
At least, I wouldn’t have believed it based on his first outing. But as he did with every Auburn fan, he very rapidly won me over.
What sets Nick Marshall apart as a not only a quarterback, but as a football player, isn’t something that can be taught. It really can’t even be quantified.
It’s an intangible that precious few athletes possess, and it’s exactly the sought-after quality that separates the good from the great.
But in Marshall’s case, it can be summed up in two words: clutch playmaker.
Ever since he’s been in an Auburn uniform, Nick Marshall has always been a playmaker. Even when his accuracy and decision-making in the passing game were questionable, he was always a threat to break a big play.
He could do anything.
The strength of his arm has never been questioned. Many in the Auburn family have gawked in amazement as Nick Marshall would effortlessly sling the ball far downfield with a simple flick of his wrist.
He is hands down the most elusive runner Auburn has ever had at quarterback. With quick feet, and great vision and balance, Marshall can leave any defender spinning in circles.
And once he breaks into the open field, his 4.4 speed does the rest.
He's definitely one of the five best quarterbacks Auburn has ever had, arguably the third best (behind Cam Newton and Pat Sullivan).
Because he never won any major awards on the national level, however, he will likely not be remembered by many as such. And that's a sad thought.
In his two seasons, Marshall directed offenses that averaged 501.3 yards and 39.5 points per game in 2013, and 485 yards and 35.5 points this past season. Last year, Auburn led the SEC and the nation in rushing offense (328.3 yards per game), while finishing a close second in the conference this year (255.5 yards per game).
Marshall's numbers weren't so bad, either. Through 27 games, Marshall amassed 4508 passing yards and 1866 rushing yards. He threw 34 touchdowns to only 13 interceptions, while rushing for 23 more.
With the ball in his hands, he was as dangerous a player as anyone.
He has had a wonderful (albeit rather short) career, but it's filled with some of the greatest, most memorable Auburn moments I've been privileged to witness.
September 2013, Auburn trails by three at home against Mississippi State with less than two minutes to go. So what does Nick Marshall do? He only goes six of eight throwing on a flawless two-minute drill, capped off by an even more perfect touchdown pass to CJ Uzomah in the back corner of the end zone for the win.
Oh, and that was his third game.
It's also the game in which he actually (and statistically) threw a pass to himself.
September 2014, Auburn is on the road against ranked Kansas State, in a completely unknown environment. After throwing a beautiful fade route to Duke Williams for the lead earlier that quarter, Nick Marshall does he does.
Facing a long third down in its own territory with less than two minutes to go, Auburn has a choice to make. Go for the conversion, or play it safe and give the ball back to Kansas State with a little bit of time to work.
Auburn goes for it. And Nick Marshall makes it pay off.
He throws a flawless pass over the middle, just out of the reach of a defender, but right into the outstretched arms of Duke Williams for a 39-yard gain into Kansas State territory.
From there, Auburn kneels the ball three times. Game over.
November 2013, Auburn trails Georgia 38-37 at home with just 36 seconds left on the clock. The Tigers have just blown a 20-point, fourth quarter lead, and after throwing two incompletions and taking a sack on the current drive, Nick Marshall now faces fourth down and 18 at his own 27-yard line.
Logic would dictate that the game is over. But Nick Marshall never believes it.
After dropping back, then stepping up to avoid the pressure, Marshall effortlessly heaves a literal prayer downfield toward a streaking Ricardo Louis and two Georgia defenders.
Inexplicably, the ball bounces off the two defenders right into Louis’s outstretched arms, and he strolls into the end zone for the game winning touchdown.
To this day, it’s the only thing I’ve witnessed with my own two eyes that I would call a miracle.
Later that same November (two weeks later, in fact), Auburn is going toe-to-toe with top-ranked Alabama. After trading blows the entire game, Auburn finds itself down 28-21 with 2:41 left.
The Tigers stick to what they’re best at, running the ball with Tre Mason six times in a row, all the way down to the Alabama 39-yard line. Everyone thinks Auburn will hand the ball off to Mason again.
But this time, Marshall keeps it.
After running out to his left and drawing two Alabama defenders toward him, right at the line of scrimmage, he lofts a pass softly over their heads to a wide open Sammie Coates, who waltzes into the end zone untouched.
To this day, I have no idea if Marshall had an intention of throwing the ball when it was snapped, but no matter what, it is the ultimate testament to his improvisational prowess and calm nature.
The 2013 Iron Bowl is remembered because of the Kick Six, as it should be. But Marshall’s touchdown to Coates mere minutes before made college football’s most remarkable play possible in the first place.
Just as he has his entire Auburn career, Nick Marshall put his team in position to win.
Marshall was more than just a spectacular playmaker. He was the catalyst that sparked Auburn's resurgence.
Yes, Gus Malzahn has played as big a part in Auburn's return to relevancy as anyone, but a coach's offense is only as good as his quarterback.
And led by Nick Marshall, Auburn's offense was spectacular.
He was always calm, cool, and collected. He never wavered, never doubted himself. No moment was ever too big for Nick Marshall.
Auburn will certainly miss him, probably more than most people realize.
Ever since the bitter end to Auburn’s 2014 campaign, all eyes have been on rising junior Jeremy Johnson, who seems primed and ready to take the reins at quarterback next season.
And while he certainly a great talent, the Auburn family should not be so quick to forget about Marshall.
Remember that he won 20 games in two seasons. Remember that he has faced two Heisman quarterbacks, and outdueled one while coming up 13 seconds short against the other.
Remember that when the game was on the line, there was no one better equipped to make the play Auburn needed than Nick Marshall.
And he always made the play his team needed.
After all, he’ll always be the Auburn quarterback who threw a pass to himself.
After Auburn's disappointing loss to Wisconsin, ending an underwhelming 2014 campaign, all eyes have turned to 2015.
With new changes in the defensive coaching staff, an anticipated shift to a more pass-oriented offense behind rising junior Jeremy Johnson, and a slightly less daunting schedule, next season has the potential to be special.
There are plenty of questions every Auburn fan is asking. Can Will Muschamp improve the defense? How soon could he accomplish such a feat? Assuming he earns the job, how successful will Jeremy Johnson be in his first year as a starter?
Luckily, Matt Donaldson and I decided to answer all of these questions, and many more.
So listen up. There's a lot to talk about.
It's never too early to start looking ahead.
After all, if you never look ahead, you might find yourself running face first into a stop sign. Or you might open a carton of milk, only to find chunks of sour disgusting dairy gunk floating around in it.
Or you might go buy a new Xbox, only to remember two weeks later that you still have to pay this thing called rent.
The same goes for football. It's easy to get swept up in the sorrow of a bad season, wallowing in self-pity on account of the woes of your favorite team.
Conversely, it's just as easy to focus too much on the current success of your team and ignore the fact that they lose 25 seniors and an All-American quarterback after January (looking at you, 2011 Auburn).
No matter how good your team is or isn't this year, it can always be better next year. That's why it's important to look ahead, so you can know what to expect beyond this season.
If you're not good at looking ahead, I'm here to help.
I've compiled a nifty little list of current freshmen around the SEC who have A) made a big splash in the conference and will do so again in 2015, or B) weren't the number one guy this year, but are worth paying attention to next year.
These are the young men of whom I speak:
Nick Chubb, Running back, Georgia
Meet Todd Gurley 2.0. This freshman phenom was thrust into service when Gurley, a Heisman candidate, was sidelined by a suspension. And due to injuries in the Bulldogs' backfield, Chubb was the only option left.
Turns out it wasn't a bad option, making Chubb the most obvious choice for this list.
This freshman phenom took the SEC by storm, running for 1547 yards and 14 touchdowns, most of which came over the course of eight games, including his 266-yard, two touchdown explosion against Louisville in the Belk Bowl.
Despite being the starter for a little over half the season, Chubb finished second in the SEC in rushing, only behind Auburn’s Cameron Artis-Payne.
Displaying an angry, downhill running style combined with good breakaway speed, look for this tough, young tailback to carry the load for the Georgia offense in the coming season.
Leonard Fournette, Running back, LSU
Say hello to the second most obvious choice for this list.
If not for Nick Chubb’s midseason explosion, Fournette would likely have finished as the SEC’s Freshman of the Year.
Like Chubb, the conference’s other freshman phenom didn’t quite hit his stride until midseason. However, unlike his Georgia counterpart, Fournette was not thrust into action due to a lack of depth at his position.
He played early on because he was that good. And as the season wore on, he got better, so much so that by the end of the season, he was the primary ball carrier for LSU.
Eclipsing the 1000-yard mark, along with ten touchdowns, this bruising back saved his best for last, running for 289 yards and three touchdowns on just 30 carries over his final two games.
He’s probably the most naturally athletic player on this list, and combined with great balance, tailback vision, and homerun speed, he’s the ideal running back.
Don’t be shocked by an even bigger sophomore season out of him.
Myles Garrett, Defensive end, Texas A&M
This absolute stud of a defensive end was the only bright spot on an otherwise abysmal Texas A&M defense in 2014.
The naturally gifted 6’5”, 250-pound lineman broke the SEC freshman sack record, tallying 11.5 sacks to go along with 70 total tackles (14 for loss).
Garrett’s speed around the edge is the immediate focal point of his uncanny pass rush ability, but he also displays considerable strength in fighting through blocks.
He provided the Aggies’ secondary with a bit of a safety net; it wouldn’t matter if they couldn’t stick with the opponent’s receivers, because Garrett would already have the quarterback on the ground.
JK Scott, Punter, Alabama
If you're scoffing at me for getting excited about a punter, you clearly haven't seen this kid punt.
This skeletal 6’4”, 185-pound freshman booted his way into the SEC’s top spot, averaging 48 yards a punt through the 12 games in which he recorded a punt. In all but one of those games, he averaged at least 42.8 yards per punt.
He sailed no less than six punts of at least 60 yards, as well as blasting two punts 70 and 73 yards (the latter of which occurred in the Sugar Bowl).
Those numbers probably sound really boring, but consider this: Alabama goes three-and-out at its own 25-yard line and is forced to punt. With normal punters, you would expect their opponent to take over outside of at least its own 30-yard line.
But instead, after a 70-yard punt, the other team is starting with the ball inside their own 15-yard line.
He’s the ultimate field position flipper.
Roc Thomas, Running back, Auburn
One could argue that this highly touted freshman would have started for Auburn had he not been behind the SEC’s leading rusher, Cameron Artis-Payne, on the depth chart.
Despite only tallying 214 yards and two touchdowns, this freshman showed us exactly why the hype surrounding him was so big on those few carries.
He displayed a rare explosive ability through the tackles, locating the holes and quickly accelerating through them. He’s also as shifty as they get.
In the latter half of the season, he was used as a change of pace back when Artis-Payne needed a breather, and returned kickoffs alongside speedster Corey Grant.
Despite being part of a loaded backfield for 2015, Thomas appears first on the pecking order to be Auburn’s third straight 1000-yard rusher.
Derek Barnett, Defensive end, Tennessee
Second only to the freakish Myles Garrett, this extremely talented freshman made a lot of noise for a young, resurgent Tennessee squad.
Although the Vols only finished 7-6, they turned a lot of heads with their energy and physical play, and Barnett was right in the middle of it.
The 6’3”, 267-pound wrecking ball finished second in the SEC in tackles for loss with 20.5, and tied for fourth in sacks with ten.
It should be a treat watching this young star grow with an Butch Jones’ ever-improving squad.
Treon Harris, Quarterback, Florida
2014 started with Jeff Driskel as Florida’s quarterback. Under new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, Driskel was supposed to finally be transformed into the standout quarterback many thought he could be.
Instead, he got benched in the middle of the season, during a bizarre 42-13 blowout loss at home to Missouri. Enter freshman Treon Harris.
Though Harris couldn’t quite salvage the day against Missouri, he did make his first collegiate start the next week; and led the Gators to a 38-20 blowout win over Georgia, despite throwing only six passes.
He’s been Florida’s go-to quarterback ever since.
Now with Driskel transferring away, Harris will be the undisputed starter, and it’s probably a good thing, too. During a year in which Florida suffered from severe offensive ineptitude, Harris was one of the few players who could actually give the Gators a spark.
His ability to extend plays with his legs was especially invaluable, as well as his ability to run the read option with Florida’s talented tailbacks. His accuracy leaves a lot to be desired, but give him a break, people. He’s just a freshman.
A natural playmaker, look for Harris to put up significant numbers with Jim McElwain at the helm in 2015.
Stanley “Boom” Williams, Running back, Kentucky
“Boom’s” numbers won’t blow you away at first: 486 rushing yards with five touchdowns, 162 receiving yards and one touchdown, and 511 kick return yards.
But put that all together, and what do you have (this is the part where you pull out your calculators)? For you lazy ones out there, it comes out to 1159 total yards.
Still not impressed? He only played in ten of Kentucky’s 12 games. And once we do math one more time, we see that he averaged 115.9 total yards per game.
That’s good for 14th in the SEC, while playing for a team that prefers to throw the ball more often than not.
That’s a pretty successful freshman campaign, in my book. And with the constant improvement the Wildcats are under with Mark Stoops at the reigns, it’s hard not to see this kid’s numbers vastly increasing in the future.
Speedy Noil, Wide receiver, Texas A&M
This youngster wins the “best name” award for this list, hands down. And what a fitting name it is.
The fastest player checking in here, this speedy receiver provided explosive plays all over the field, especially as a punt and kick returner.
Although he didn’t put up incredibly stout numbers in his freshman campaign, he displayed enough of his game breaking speed to leave Aggies fans licking their chops.
He averaged 12 yards a punt return, 23.9 yards per kick return, and put up a solid 583 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver. He ranked seventh in the SEC in all-purpose yards per game with 118.2 per outing.
What he lacks in size (5’11”, 190), he certainly makes up for with a 4.4 40-yard dash time and blazing quickness.
Ralph Webb, Running back, Vanderbilt
Absolutely the only thing Vanderbilt had going for it on offense this season. That’s why Mr. Webb is on this list, in fact.
At the surface, his numbers aren’t that fantastic. You have to consider, however, who he’s playing for.
In a year of being on the 3-9 team that gets absolutely (and consistently) demolished by nearly every opponent, rushing for 907 yards and four touchdowns is quite an accomplishment.
And the best part? He’s just a freshman.
With even some adequate coaching and talent around him, Webb could develop into a true star in the SEC.
Goodness knows Vanderbilt needs him.
Auburn's bowl loss to Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl was at the very least, disappointing.
We all know the Tigers are better than what their 8-5 record will look like, but eventually, your mistakes catch up with you. From the penalties to blown coverages, missed tackles to missed field goals, Auburn could never seem to get out of its own way.
Matt Donaldson accompanies me for a little therapeutic discussion about why Auburn lost, what they could have done to win, and what kind of fallout to expect.
Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. You're about to hear some Auburn football talk.
I normally don't do this sort of thing- highlighting two bad plays in one week- but this mistake was just too good to pass up. And with bowl season winding down with a massive flurry of games all in one weekend, it was bound to happen.
Part two of this week's edition comes to us from the Taxslayer Bowl between Tennessee and Iowa, a game in which Tennessee throttled poor Iowa.
The Hawkeyes' poor performance was best encapsulated by possibly the most puzzling mental error I've seen in a long time.
That's Iowa tailback Jonathan Parker. As I understand it, he's a rather dynamic playmaker; hence the reason he's returning kicks.
But on this play, he's an idiot.
I probably don't need to tell you all of the things that were wrong with this play, but for comedic purposes, I'm going to anyway.
1) He shouldn't have caught the ball in the first place; he was at the one-yard line when the ball fell into his arms. If he let it go, it almost certainly would've either bounced into the end zone (touchback) or bounced out of bounds (penalty, you start at your own 40-yard line).
2) YOU CAN'T THROW A FORWARD PASS ON A KICKOFF. EVER. Don't they teach these things to young football players now?
3) Even if he was allowed to throw the ball forward, it was a terrible throw. What started out as a weak shot put turned into one of those "ball is still live when it hits the ground" plays in Jackpot.
4) And even if it wasn't a horrendous throw, none of his teammates were looking at it.
5) It's actually a good thing there's a rule against throwing the ball forward whenever you want, because it saved Iowa from handing Tennessee another touchdown on a silver platter.
But hey, he made a name for himself, right?
