Dupree was signed by the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League in 1984. 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. "Marcus doesn't want to play football and he doesn't want to go to college," said the OU coach. Bornon May 22, 1964, Marcus Dupree grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi. In April that year, he asked his former USFL coach, Dick Coury, then the quarterbacks coach for the Rams, if he could work out for the team if he got into shape, and impressed Coury and head coach John Robinson enough to earn a contract. Where is Michael Oher now, is he still playing football in 2023? First quarter, you may score two touchdowns. Dupree has appeared in regional commercials including Hyundai and was cast in a 2017 feature film, One Mile to You. What did Marcus Dupree . A 30 for 30 documentary on Duprees life The Best There Never Was aired on ESPN in 2010. Among those who were issued demands to return funds are Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, former professional football player Marcus Dupree and former professional wrestler Ted Dibiase Sr. He said he preferred running backs who "were a little more well-rounded, could catch the ball coming out of the backfield and could do some of the other things besides run with the football."[15]. I can only speak for Marcus. Reginald Paul Dupre (pronounced du-PRAY) was born 1957 in Bourg, Louisiana, to Alida D. Naquin and Reggie Dupre Sr. But I think that rainbow let me know that she heard the news and shes mighty happy that, finally. He knows that young football players make a lot of mistakes. FACT CHECK: Dave Ramsey Made a Statement About America Online, FACT CHECK: CIA Director Gina Haspel Found Dead, FACT CHECK: Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemens Clubs. According to a 2019 state audit, Dupree was paid, in part, for "equine assisted learning," which Mississippi's state auditor, Shad White, told ESPN meant "teaching people how to ride horses.". Dupree said he was not aware the money New had used to pay him had come from misappropriated welfare funds. We do the wrestling events to see kids cheer and see kids faces smile to it like I did when I was younger.. Meet the Inspiring NFL On-Air Personality, Who Is Will Hardy? Although Dupree was big at 6' 2", 225 lbs., he was deceptively fast, agile and tough. Not much is known about his personal life except that he has three sonsMarquez, Landon, and Rashad. 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. [Clarion-Ledger] On March 13, 2020, an article in the Jackson Mississippi newspaper Clarion-Ledger identified $104,974 in allegedly misappropriated TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) that was paid to Dupree for his role as a spokesperson for the charity Families First. He was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where his playing in high school attracted national attention. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. It was the first time the two have communicated since Dupree left the squad. "Neither Mr. Dupree, nor his foundation, will be making any payment in response to your demand. It would be best for him. The media interprets this as Switzer blaming the loss at the Fiesta Bowl on Dupree. The monthly lease payments for the property totaled $9,500, the audit states. He starred for the Memphis Showboats. Marcus Dupree's age is 58. It's the story of Marcus Dupree, who was one of the most famously recruited high school football players of his generation. Even though that sounded preposterous, he might have hit the nail on the head. Marcus Dupree watched the Super Bowl last Sunday in the place where he grew up, the town of Philadelphia, Mississippi. The brothers are quite close, and Duprees friends note that Reggie proves to be a motivating factor for Duprees prowess. I can now answer 'yes' to that question, Dupree said. According to the lawsuit, from August 2017 to September 2019 Dupree was paid $371,000 from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. The documentary chronicles the life of marcus dupree, perhaps the greatest running back ever in high school football. 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. He won the Big 8 Newcomer of the Year Award, was named to APs All-Big Eight First Team and UPI placed him on their All-Big Eight Second Team. To date, six people have been indicted in the pending welfare fraud case. In 1983, Dupree declared he'd be transferring to Southern Mississippi. Marcus Dupree was a national star as a freshman running back at the University of Oklahoma in 1982. It is around this time that Dupree is born, and as a child he dreams of becoming a football player. 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. Coach Switzer says I dont practice that well. Prominent college football coaches turn up in person to speak to Dupree, and intense competition amongst them is expected. He was big, fast, and strong with incredible football instincts. During week nine of the 1990 season, Dupree made his first appearance and rushed for 22 yards on four carries, wearing number 34 in honor of Payton instead of his usual 22. On Wednesday, Dupree denied wrongdoing in an interview with ESPN. Dupree told ESPN he "was shocked" when he learned that Nancy New, the head of one of the nonprofits, the Mississippi Community Education Center, had pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts of bribery, fraud and racketeering. Marcus L. Dupree (born May 22, 1964) is a former American football player. Throughout the year, he was injured and often was on the bench watching Buford Jordan take his carries. Is Najee Harris Related to Pittsburgh Steelers Legend, Franco Harris? "I have a lawyer, and I'm just waiting to see how it all pans out," Dupree said. But on Wednesday, Fairley said Dupree simply wanted to "play football" this year. Dupree feels ostracized by Switzer, and others believe that Switzers attitude is unnecessary. Feb 14, 2009. [8] He made his first start against Oklahoma State and scored two touchdowns. His football journey was profiled in a 2010 ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, "The Best That Never Was.". Meet the Rumored New Head Coach of the Utah Jazz. Switzer was raked over the coals by critics of the college football system. "I was all over the state. He also ran a sports bar and worked as a casino-greeter for a short period of time. The many coaches attempting to recruit Dupree pursue him intensely, monitoring him and his family and making monetary offers as a means of swaying his choice. There was such a lack of communication. i wish i could do that.. It turns out that Marcus indeed called Switzer before he left the Southern Miss campus. Dupree attended Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where he played for the Philadelphia Tornadoes high school football team from 1978 to 1981. Some of the unfortunate ones were too small. Even with these setbacks, he still managed to run for a Fiesta Bowl record 249 yards, a record that still stands today. Nearly 100 schools hotly pursued Dupree's signature before he ultimately landed in Norman, Oklahoma with the Sooners. Favre has denied wrongdoing. That was unfair. Dupree said he couldn't quantify how many times he mentored teens at his horse farm, but he says over the roughly two-year period he was paid by the state he also made 20 to 30 appearances working as a liaison for Families First, traveling Mississippi to speak in prisons and schools and recording radio commercials. He had to leave the game several times, participating in only 34 offensive plays. Dupree started his career with reynir sandgeri in the 1. But Dupree insists he did mentor teens at his 15-acre horse farm in Flora, Mississippi. The father of pistol conner, marcus. . Dupree scored 87 touchdowns total during his playing time in high school, breaking the national high school record (set by Herschel Walker) by one. Many editorial writers around the nation focused in on OU as an example of all that is wrong in college football. Dupree told ESPN he "was shocked" when he learned that Nancy New, the head of one of the nonprofits, the Mississippi Community Education Center, had pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts of bribery, fraud and racketeering. After going to Oklahoma, he eventually wound up in the USFL, where he suffered a career-threatening knee injury. A Mississippi Department of Human Services initiative called Families First for Mississippi, run by two nonprofits, illegally funneled the federal welfare money to Dupree, the lawsuit states, in exchange for his work as a "celebrity endorser" and "motivational speaker.". At Oklahoma, its not fun. The team gets off to a bad start, and Dupree suffers a leg injury during a game which takes him out of commission for a time. I first heard about his legend a few years back and I've found it to be utterly captivating and fascinating. I know I shouldnt have left [OU], but I still love Oklahoma and I still love watching [the Sooners] play., Today, Dupree goes around speaking, telling his story. When I got ready to buy my mother a car, I said, Let me check with Ken, Dupree recalled. 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. Marcus Dupree, who rose to fame in Mississippi and beyond after a brief but impressive football career that became the subject of an ESPN documentary, is speaking out about his alleged role in a sprawling welfare fraud case that has also entangled Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Brett Favre and dozens of others. Its how you handle adversity. Everybody around me was sad when I was released, he said. Marcus Dupree, a Mississippi football legend, denies that he defrauded the state's welfare system and is "shocked" to be "lumped in" with Brett Favre in the fraud investigation's findings. That turns out to be true. Marcus is thought to live with girlfriend, Kim, and enjoys spending time with his family. helped Favre abuse welfare funds, Winner: 2013 Peabody Award; 2011 Edward R. Murrow Award/Video Investigative Reporting, Covers breaking news, investigative pieces and human interest features. Although Switzer was known for running a loose ship, Dupree's lackadaisical attitude was too much for him, and he called Dupree "lazy. . The Best Marcus Dupree Brother Reggie Died Ideas. Theyre the ones who didnt achieve NFL success for reasons of circumstance. He recovers and despite his injury manages to perform well for a game against Kansas State. And it finally did for Ken., Asked if he believedFairley will receive the maximum sentence, Dupree answered: He needs to serve his time., RELATED: Jury finds Kenneth Fairley guilty on all three counts. "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. As a senior in 1981, he rushed for 2,955 yards and scored 36 touchdowns. He played with them for two seasons before he was forced to leave the gamebecause ofa knee injury. 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. There is no doubting the Sooners got a black eye over this. 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. He has always been willing to offer a second chance. "I'm getting lumped in with whatever Brett Favre and the governor had going on. She kept saying, Something aint right about that guy. As usual, my grandmother proved to be right again.. In the summer of 1990, Dupree is invited to Los Angeles to attend the Rams training camp. After five and a half years away, he attempted a comeback to the NFL in 1990 with the Los Angeles Rams. Dupree's defection after the Texas game last October doomed the '83 OU season to mediocrity, and the slightest hint that he might return for '84 could have a devastating effect on the high school players the Sooners are trying to recruit for next season. Such was the case with Marcus Dupree, a star running back who lit the college football scene on fire as a freshman in 1982.. Fairley was by his side during the process. In his first season at Oklahoma, Dupree didnt get a whole lot of playing time early, but after the Sooners starter 1-2, Dupree got thrown int the mix a little more. This becomes something of a semi-common occurrence at Duprees games, and other high school teams try to adjust their strategies specifically to deal with him.By 1981, Dupree is known throughout Philadelphia and draws a great deal of attention to the football scene there. Marcus Dupree is in an Oklahoma uniform of sorts again. He never actually touched the field for the Golden Eagles. It would be the best for his family. It was in 1985, Dupree earned the starting position for the season opener against the Arizona Outlaws, during which he suffered that knee injury that ended his career with the USFL. But he decided in Dupree's case that he had done all he could for Marcus. Did Steph Curry go bald? At this point, Duprees younger brother Reggie undergoes treatments for his cerebral palsy, which he was born with. 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. Marcus dupree was once the biggest name in the future of football. One in this series of sports documentaries presented by ESPN about important people and events from 1979 to 2009.This film is about the tumultuous and misfortune-laden career of football player Marcus Dupree. 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. 22 for the Crowbar Championship Wrasslin (CCW). He played in 15 games over two seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, before being waivedprior to the1992 season. Dupree's much-anticipated sophomore season did not turn out as planned. In two unimpressive seasons with the Rams, he scored one touchdown and had just 68 rushing attempts. He plays his first high school game on September 8th, 1978, and amazes onlookers by scoring a touchdown on his very first play. I was 19 years old at the time. But his name didn't appear with any frequency in the national media until the results of a state audit in Mississippi became public and a lawsuit was then filed by the state in May against Dupree, his foundation and dozens of other defendants. He had two 100-yard rushing games. Unfortunately, this is how his career as a footballer ended. Geneva Alexander 1976-1980. That was wrong. What Happened To Marcus Dupree Brother Reggieazusa Pacific University Softball Division. My signing bonus was $300,000. Marcus dupree was one of the most exciting college football prospects of all time. In two seasons (1990-91), he rushed 68 times for 251 yards and a touchdown. Dupree had not been a product of the Oklahoma system. But statements coming out of the offices of the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League Wednesday made it sound as if Dupree will play for them this season. I know I shouldnt have left [OU], but I still love Oklahoma and I still love watching [the Sooners] play.. To meet the classroom requirements, however, Dupree would need to pass 24 more hours of work between now and September. Darnell Anderson 1976-1980. So we drove to Forest and met Ken Fairley. Why Jimbo Fisher, Quinn Ewers and USC all have plenty to prove in 2023, Five big college football questions to answer this offseason. But his name didn't appear with any frequency in the national media until the results of a state audit in Mississippi became public and a lawsuit was then filed by the state in May against Dupree, his foundation and dozens of other defendants. A Mississippi Department of Human Services initiative called Families First for Mississippi, run by two nonprofits, illegally funneled the federal welfare money to Dupree, the lawsuit states, in exchange for his work as a "celebrity endorser" and "motivational speaker.". He had many obstacles in his football career and made him a stronger person. ", "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. Reggie is happily married and living in Alabama, and Dupree joins a crew cleaning up an oil spill off the coast of Mississippi. Marcus Dupree was born on the 22nd of May, 1964. Alleged haircut has NBA fans in a spin, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. Be patient and stay with the process.. "I mentored the kids through the horses by having responsibility, cleaning the stalls, and, if you got good with that, I'd let you ride a horse. Dupree returned to professional football in 1990. 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