He's been in and out of hospitals many times and still needs further medical attention. 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. Ken had gotten my power of attorney. Id only met him that one time.. He also finished with 13 touchdowns and was the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, rushing for 239 yards. He was a sought-after college recruitplaying for Oklahoma and was named Football NewsFreshman of the Year.. Be patient and stay with the process.. I did enjoy acting, Dupree said. We help them (and their families) travel through the college recruiting process with confidence and a peace of mind, he says of the company. 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. In 1983, Dupree declared hed be transferring to Southern Mississippi. The monthly lease payments for the property totaled $9,500, the audit states. However, he is not bothered by the decision, feeling that he accomplished what he set out to do. 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. Dupree came home to Mississippi and enrolled at USM. That turns out to be true. 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. Dupree was the center of the most heated recruiting frenzy in the history of college football back in 1981. Five have pleaded guilty. All rights reserved. While he was carrying the ball early in the second half, he suffered a severe knee injury and was taken off on a stretcher. Commercials deleted. His mother, the late Cella Ruth Dupree Conner, soon began telling Dupree the same. He is plagued by anxiety, and on February 25th, 1985, Dupree suffers a terrible knee injury during his starting game. Heres what happened to football player Marcus Dupree and where he is now, in 2023. Last Name: Ricky Adams 1977-1981. [2], As a sophomore in 1979, he was switched to running back and rushed for 1,850 yards and scored 28 touchdowns. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Reggies disability weighs heavily on Duprees conscience, and he hopes that his football talents can earn him enough to afford costly treatments for Reggie. In October 2021, Dupree's lawyer, J. Matthew Eichelberger, sent a sharply worded letter to White. His second and final season in the USFL was short-lived after sustaining a severe knee injury. Marcus is thought to live with girlfriend, Kim, and enjoys spending time with his family. He returned to professional football in 1990, playing in 15 games over two seasons for the Los Angeles Rams before being waived prior to the 1992 season. He enjoys the experience, and feels that he finally got some vindication after years of suffering. 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. Here's what happened to football player Marcus Dupree and where he is now, in 2023. To date, six people have been indicted in the pending welfare fraud case. ", "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. Those who knew Dupree declare that he is possibly the best running back who ever played football. What happened to Marcus Dupree? It would be best for him. The player maintains that Switzer. He plays his first high school game on September 8th, 1978, and amazes onlookers by scoring a touchdown on his very first play. Although his career as a footballer didnt last too long, he sure managed to win hearts all over the country. Dupree gives an interview to Sports Illustrated in the summer of 1983 in which he expounds upon his distaste for Switzer and for the University of Oklahoma. He reported to campus late, missed the team photo and put on considerable weight. In 1984, marcus dupree signed with the new orleans breakers of the usfl and had a pretty good season, scoring nine touchdowns. After he was released by the Rams, Dupree performed as a professional wrestler for the USWA in 1995. To meet the classroom requirements, however, Dupree would need to pass 24 more hours of work between now and September. Im just waiting on them to give me a call.. Dupree wasn't attending classes at OU and now he's quit school again. Dupree had already displayed his supreme athletic prowess while at Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Mississippi. The reason Marquez did not stay or play was because he blew his knee apart during the 1st week of Fall camp . In the summer of 1990, Dupree is invited to Los Angeles to attend the Rams training camp. I can only speak for Marcus. This comes as a surprise to the other schools vying for his attention, and some suspect that he was coerced into joining Oklahoma. When he resurfaced in Mississippi, he announced he was leaving OU and transferring to the University of Southern Mississippi. Marcus Dupree is in an Oklahoma uniform of sorts again. In August 1983, Dupree snubs Oklahoma by not appearing for the team photograph, but arrives at practice the next day. 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. 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. If marcus duprees story was a fairy tale, it would read like this: Dupree was the center of the most heated recruiting frenzy in. Throughout the year, he was injured and often was on the bench watching Buford Jordan take his carries. "I was all over the state. "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. Did that mean Marcus is now more interested in beginning a professional career? He is 19 years old and sitting before a cadre of sportswriters from Chicago and New York, L.A., Washington and. White said his office found "limited evidence" Dupree or anyone else ever delivered those sorts of services to the needy. Everybody around me was sad when I was released, he said. He has done speaking engagements for Novo Nordisk in the past where he discusses how he manages his Type 2 diabetes. [4] In 1981, Marcus's final high school football game was played on the Choctaw Indian Reservation's tribal high school's Warriors Stadium. An NCAA spokesman said Wednesday that feat is "legally" impossible. Marcus Dupree's age is 58. Perhaps several people gave him bad advice. Doris Allen 1973-1977. 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 October 2021, Dupree's lawyer, J. Matthew Eichelberger, sent a sharply worded letter to White. He ran for 249 yards in the Fiesta Bowl, despite being overweight and out of shape. It wasin 1985, Dupree earned the starting position for the season opener against the Arizona Outlaws, during whichhe sufferedthat knee injury that ended his career with the USFL. Geneva Alexander 1976-1980. 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. It was so bright, it looked like I could step up on it and walk right into heaven.. I had forgotten about Marcus Dupree.Until roughly a month ago, when I watched a brilliant documentary on ESPN that was conceived, written, and directed by Jonathan Hock. Dupree committed to play for Barry Switzer at the University of Oklahoma. Others were just a step too slow., Connolly continued, But youll also find a select few individuals who had all the tools. Dupree said he wasnt having much fun. Follow@BillyWatkins11 on Twitter. 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. But not me. In spite of this, Switzer still puts Dupree on the field and he manages to penetrate Arizonas defense, although the effort takes a toll on him physically. Sports Illustrated has a look at . He also played an overbearing dad of a young football player in the film, Life at These Speeds. Marcus L. Dupree (born May 22, 1964) is a former American football player. I know I shouldnt have left [OU], but I still love Oklahoma and I still love watching [the Sooners] play.. "[6], Dupree was heavily recruited by the major college football programs, and during the final month of the recruiting period, his high school coach, Joe Wood, answered more than 100 phone calls a day from colleges. An investigation by Mississippi Today was the first to reveal that the nonprofits that paid Dupree and others either misspent or stole at least $77 million in welfare funds in what's considered the worst public corruption case in state history. 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. My first paycheck was for $42,000. I can't wait until we go to court. Switzer was raked over the coals by critics of the college football system. He starred for the Memphis Showboats. 1n 1985 and 1986, Dupree missed two more years of football with knee injuries he sustained in the USFL. Dupree is also a licensed truck driver with OTR experience. 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. Dupree leads his team to the Fiesta Bowl on New Years Day of 1983 against Arizona. "Neither Mr. Dupree, nor his foundation, will be making any payment in response to your demand. On April 13, 2018, Dupree's foundation purchased the horse farm and residence in Flora where Dupree lives for $855,000. While finishing college at the university, he played spring football for the Golden Eagles. 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. However, he did not play college football again until 1985 after the NCAA ruled that. Many of the things that have happened to him weren't necessarily because he had no regard for others. He recovers and despite his injury manages to perform well for a game against Kansas State. 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 Los Angeles Rams held his rights after drafting him in the 12th round in 1986. Feb 14, 2009. First quarter, you may score two touchdowns. D. He played for the Breakers for two seasons before a knee injury forced him to leave the game. Effective 2009 July 1, Reggie Dupre became director of levees for Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana.. At the time of his selection by the Levee Board, Reggie Dupre was a Democratic state senator for District 20 (Houma area), to which he was first elected in a special election in . In mid-October of 1983, Dupree decides not to return to Oklahoma at all. The nonprofit that funneled the money to Dupree went as far as to "guarantee the residence through the bank with a six-year lease from April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2024," according to the state audit. Dupree signed with the USFL, playing for the New Orleans Breakers. I signed a contract and I did my job," Dupree said. The statement read in part: "I am deeply concerned that something like this always seems to occur during our recruiting season and I definitely worry about its impact on our recruiting efforts.". Marcus Duprees net worth has beenestimatedat $10,000, according to sources. He gained 684 yards on 145 carries with nine touchdowns for a 4.7 yards per carry average. It should be apparent to even the most casual observer that Switzer has done all he can for Dupree. Ken is going to pay for some of the things hes done., Dupree filed suit against Fairley during the late 1980s, but I didnt see it through. He is plagued by anxiety, and on February 25th, 1985, Dupree suffers a terrible knee injury during his starting game. "I don't appreciate being lumped into something like I took money," Dupree said. Secondly, he married the former Cella Ruth Dupree, the daughter of Rev.. Can the Lions fix their defense? It was the first time the two have communicated since Dupree left the squad. 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. He had many obstacles in his football career and made him a stronger person. He said his message is simple. The nonprofit that funneled the money to Dupree went as far as to "guarantee the residence through the bank with a six-year lease from April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2024," according to the state audit. "I have a lawyer, and I'm just waiting to see how it all pans out," Dupree said. Dupree's much-anticipated sophomore season did not turn out as planned. But Dupree insists he did mentor teens at his 15-acre horse farm in Flora, Mississippi. In his autobiography, Switzer devoted an entire chapter to Dupree, saying he regretted not getting to know him better. At the same time, Dupree comes to feel that he is being treated unfairly and is not being given the same privileges and benefits of the other players, such as preferential housing and monetary compensation. [7], On January 1, 1983, Dupree's freshman season ended with a 32-21 Fiesta Bowl loss against Arizona State. I dont know.. I signed a contract and I did my job," Dupree said. The ramifications of these events last for many years after they transpired. It's been a while since a "30 for 30" film got a two-hour running time (most had to come in at an hour, and a handful got an hour and a half to two hours), and "The Best That Never Was . Have something to tell us about this article? 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. In 1984, Marcus Dupree signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL and had a pretty good season, scoring nine touchdowns. Dupree sues Fairley in an attempt to recover some of his money. He feels an extra twinge of regret when the 1985 Oklahoma college team goes on to win the national championship.In the present-day, Dupree visits the house that once belonged to his deceased mother, combing through his old trophies and possessions. Few athletes have been blessed with the size, power and speed of dupree. The upstart league had initially sworn off underclassmen in hopes of appeasing college coaches and officials angered by the blockbuster signing of Herschel Walker after his junior year. But the one question people always wanted to know: Did Ken Fairley ever go to jail? Dupree and head coach Barry Switzer were at odds. In 2023, Marcus Dupree is a motivational and inspirational speaker who travels doing speaking engagements. 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. By: Aliya Khan - Published: October 18, 2017 at 12:56 pm | Last Updated: Prominent college football coaches turn up in person to speak to Dupree, and intense competition amongst them is expected. Read on to know more about the footballer-turned-pro wrestler in our Marcus Dupree wiki. Kiper's new Big Board rankings for the 2023 NFL draft: Top 25 prospects, Wambach to quit company over Favre allegations, Favre charity gave to USM while he sought funds, Texts: Ex-gov. All rights reserved. He recounts that his father, long after being released from prison, takes great interest in the high school football games and becomes one of Duprees fans. Too long, he said professional wrestler for the USWA in 1995 to Oklahoma at all coach Barry were. 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