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An upbeat website for a downtown school

the Southerner Online

Character commits to fight for the Gamecocks

Character+commits+to+fight+for+the+Gamecocks

by Kate Weatherby and Hannah Ferguson

Marlon Character Jr., a senior at Grady, recently committed to play football at the University of South Carolina on a full-ride scholarship. Character made this decision after playing football for more than 10 years and having a number of top-ranked colleges around the country try to recruit him, including UGA, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss and Auburn.

Throughout high school, he spent time visiting colleges, and after seeing Auburn University this summer, Character Jr. nearly committed there. Nevertheless, he visited South Carolina and verbally committed the same day of his visit, making a firm decision that Carolina was the school for him.

“It wasn’t a lot of bells and whistles when he visited South Carolina, and I think he respected that about them,” Charcter’s father, Marlon Character Sr. said. “It was just about him, and that this is what we expect from you and this is what we are going to be able to do with you instead of singing and dancing, you know. It was just real.”

Making a four-year commitment to a team and school can be a difficult decision, but to Character, South Carolina was the obvious choice.

“It’s just a different feeling when you go to that one school, and that’s what South Carolina was,” Character said.

Character aspires to quickly get playing time as a freshman at the Division I school, and as long as he learns the playbook and keeps his grades up, he believes he will. Character’s transition to South Carolina will also require him to change his position on the field. At Grady, he played safety, but at South Carolina, he will play cornerback.

“They are both defensive backs, corner is a little more detailed in covering, but he should do fine,” Character said. “He’s not completely new to the position.”

Character grew up playing with several of South Carolina’s 2015 recruits, so he already has a close relationship with some of his future teammates. He met most of the current team, and is beginning to develop a closer relationship with his coaches.

“The day I committed, I got a lot closer with the coach,” Character said.

Character has 12 years of football experience behind him. Character said his family and coaches fostered his personal drive to succeed at football. He hopes to continue to work hard, and eventually make it all the way to the NFL.

“This is just what he’s been doing his entire life, so it’s almost an expectation of his,” Character Sr. said. “He’s been playing sports since he was three years old. He expects a lot from himself.”

Character said the loss of his best friend two years ago, Creekside High’s De’antre Turman, inspired him to fully devote himself to football. Turman died after breaking a vertebrae in a routine football tackle on Aug. 16, 2013. Character had a hard time with the loss, but instead of quitting football, he worked even harder in memory of his friend.

During his time at Grady, Character played receiver and safety, making an impact on the team both on and off the field.

“He’s a very productive player, always working hard,” teammate Darian Pitts said. “He’s just a true baller when it comes to football. He’s a great leader for the team.”

Grady’s head coach Earthwind Moreland said Character’s Grady career demonstrates great potential.

“He has a lot of potential to be great, to go on to the next level and do great things, but it’s going to take hard work on and off the field,” Moreland said.

Moreland also helped Character in the recruiting process. Moreland said he assisted Character  in determining questions for recruitment officers and in making the final commitment decision. The two also have a special connection because they share the same number jersey.

“When I first got here, I took a liking to him,” Moreland said. “The first thing was that he wears the exact same number that I wore, so you know, we always have this little thing. When somebody wears your number, you have like a lineage behind you that you try to push them in order to do right.”

Until Character officially signs with the Gamecocks, South Carolina coaches cannot release their expectations, but based on the words of his father, teammates and former coaches, Character will not disappoint.

“I think he has all the qualities to make a great college football player,” Character Sr. said. “The sky’s the limit; I see nothing but greatness for him.”

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Character commits to fight for the Gamecocks