5’5 Reggie Marshall Mixes it up in the Trenches For East Ridge

   When 5’5 Reggie Marshall came out for football last year, East Ridge head coach Tracy Malone wasn’t sold on playing him in the trenches

"I sold him short. I’ll take full blame for it. The coaches were constantly hey man, we’ve got to play him. He’s doing good. We’ve got to play him. We’ve got to play him. I never would take the bait. I never would bite on it."

   But Marshall convinced his head coach he could compete last spring.

Said Marshall,"They popped me in one day going against Ryan Young. Good friend of mine. 6’5. Real good guy. I was real aggressive. They liked me."

   Imagine what opponents think when Marshall gets in the middle of the big boys.

Said Malone,"I’m sure when he walks out there and lines up against somebody, they’re looking at him like seriously, whose little brother has run out here on the field."

Said lineman Allen Lee,"They’ll chuckle. But when Pete snaps the ball, and they feel his power and his lick. It’s like all the chuckles stop." 

   So what does Marshall do to be effective?

Said Marshall,"Just hit them in the mouth. Become real aggressive."

Said Malone,"I mean obviously in football, especially on the line scrimmage, you talk about the low-man wins. He’s going to be there to start with. But he’s just tenacious, and he’s really, really good with his technique."

Reporter-"Have you ever seen him almost go under somebody’s legs?"

Laughs Malone,"Yeah. Saw it on film the other night at Polk County. (chuckles) He’s low, and he’s in there right around people’s knees, so he’s hard to block."

  And how can the Pioneers not be inspired by the play of Reggie Marshall.

Said Lee,"If he can do it, then I know we can do it. Reggie is somebody we can really look up to. He’s so small, but you just can’t underestimate him."

  Reporter-"That’s kind of a funny word. You ‘look up’ to Reggie."

Laughs Lee, "Yeah. yeah. Reggie is a good player."