RANDY MARSHALL
Linfield Class of 1969 (graduated 1973)
Came to Linfield in 1965 from Santiam
High School (Mill City, Ore.)
6-5 and 270 pounds
RECRUITED TO PLAY BASKETBALL 
My recruitment to Linfield was to play
basketball. Ted Wilson and his
assistant, Dick Barnett, recruited
me. (I lettered in 1965-66 season
playing basketball for Linfield.) There was no interest from the coaches for me
to play football. I credit my career in Linfield football (lettered 1966, 1967,
1968 and 1969) to Pete Dengenis. He
was an assistant coach and talked me into trying out for the football team. He
convinced Coach Durham I had
football potential. I played two seasons for Coach Durham and the last two for Coach Rutchman. It was Coach Rutschman
who developed me into the NFL player I became. He is a great man, person and
coach who took me to the height of my football career.
NFL SCOUTS
During my junior season (1968) at Linfield I had contact with
NFL scouts representing several teams. They came to campus and ran me through
timed runs and visited with me. It was the same thing my senior season (1969),
but in addition to scouts representing several teams a scout for the New
Orleans Saints came to campus and timed me in some runs and some other testing.
The Saints were very interested in me and I thought I would
end up with New Orleans. But, on the day
of the 1970 NFL draft I was surprised to get drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in
the 6th round (152nd overall).
I think I was the first Linfield
player to get drafted that high in the NFL.
NFL CONTRACT
I asked Coach Rutchman to help me with the contract and
negotiations. So, when Bobby Beathard
of the Falcons came to campus in the spring of 1970, the three
of us sat in Coach Rutschman’s office and negotiated a deal which I eventually
agreed to and signed.
WITH
THE ATLANTA FALCONS
I
first trained and played the summer and fall of 1970 for the Atlanta Falcons.
Initially, I made the (1970) Falcon's taxi squad. Then, I was activated and
started against Denver. Because of how I played in that game I was named
'Lineman of the Week.' Denver threw the
whole kitchen sink at me thinking they could run over a rookie. It did not
happen. One highlight of that season was the game against New Orleans. I scored
a touchdown for Atlanta after sacking Saints QB Billy Kilmer in the end zone
and recovering the fumble. This TD put me in the NFL record book. That game was
played Sunday, Oct. 25, 1970, in Atlanta.
After a summer of rehabilitating a knee injury from the last Falcon game
of the 1970 season I had a good year in 1971 backing up Claude Humphrey, now a
member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A story in the Aug. 19, 1971,
Spartanburg, S.C., Herald-Journal
reported that the Falcons cut a veteran because "second year man Randy
Marshall," after having knee surgery during the off season, regained his
job as Humphrey's back-up, making the veteran player expendable. In Atlanta's
first preseason game of 1971 against New England I sacked Patriot QB Jim
Plunkett (a rookie that year, Heisman Trophy winner from Stanford) four times.
That earned me a spot on the Falcon team roster. I signed another contract with
the Falcons in 1972. Atlanta traded me the Buffalo Bills. But, I did not pass
the Bill's physical because of my knee problems and had to retire.
ATLANTA
FALCONS TRAINING CAMP
It
was a real eye opener. There was fighting and cheap shots from the pro players
you don’t see in college. The veterans stuck together and protected themselves
from the new players and rookies. This was a job to them and they were not
going to allow someone to take their job. Coming from a small high school
(Santiam) and a small college, I was nervous my first day of training camp.
There I was with big name NFL players and high draft choices. But, after a few
hours of practice, I realized that I was as good or better than many of them. I
could compete and play with the best players at camp. On the second day of
training camp I played with a lot more confidence and excelled. The major
difference between college and the pros was that there was no team play in
training camp. All players were out for their own good. You look out for
yourself with veterans. Unless they wanted you on their team, they could hurt
you and take you out.
Falcon training camp was at East Tennessee State University in Johnson
City, Tenn. The humidity was unbelievable. I’d lose 15
pounds at practice just from sweat. So, I drank a lot of Gatorade.
My preparation after being drafted and getting ready for
training camp went well. I was in good physical shape. I put on weight as the
summer went on. I was on a special protein diet and weight program the Falcons
provided.
DID ANYONE KNOW LINFIELD?
No one had any idea where Linfield. Two players did know
Oregon. Bob Berry, the Falcon quarterback from University of Oregon. And Falcon
coach Norm Van Brocklin, who also played for quarterback for the University of
Oregon and was an all-pro quarterback for the Rams and Eagles.
SURPRISES AND DISAPPOINMENTS
My biggest surprise was watching the big name college
players and draft choices being waived by the Falcons while I stayed. This was
very reassuring. The most disappointing was the fact I could have had a very
long and successful career if not for my knee problems.
THE TOTAL EXPERIENCE OF BEING A PRO
We traveled first class. I got to a lot of places, met a lot
of people, and had some great experiences I would have never had if it were not
for football. Sometimes I do have some regrets because of the physical problems
I have now related to football. But, if had it to do over again, yes I would.
WHAT IF?
What if my knees had not had problems and continued to play,
how far would I have gone and where would it have taken me?” I think about this
every once in awhile.
WATCHING NFL ON TV
I don’t watch NFL too much. If it’s the playoffs and the
Super Bowl, I watch. But, for the most part I don’t because of the arrogant
attitude of the players today. They’re a bunch of overpaid spoiled brats. Most
of them can’t talk or add two and two.
CONTINUED CONTACT WITH FALCON TEAMMATES
I stayed contact for a few years but as time went along so
did the communication. My last good friend and teammate was Greg Lens. He was
born in 1945
and died 2009. He
had Alzheimer's. We all know what that
was from. Of the 46 players that I played with in Atlanta, six or seven have died.
Not good odds.
FINAL COMMENT
I am proud of what I accomplished coming from a small high
school and college and I hope I inspired the same in others. I attribute a lot
of my accomplishments to my friend and coach, Ad Rutchman.
POSTSCRIPT -- These days Randy keeps up his competitiveness by racing lawnmowers. See
POSTSCRIPT -- These days Randy keeps up his competitiveness by racing lawnmowers. See
http://bit.ly/1nZiEoZ
RANDY MARSHALL PHOTO INFORMATION:
-Randy Marshall, 1971 Atlanta Falcons publicity
photos
-Linfield Sports Info publicity photos
...........
Randy Marshall signed US Postal Service postcard (football)
