Marshall putting up big numbers
Byron Marshall is one of the top running backs on the West Coast in the 2012 recruiting class. He has the verbal offers to prove it and the 5-foot-10, 195-pound prospect from San Jose (Calif.) Valley Christian is off to a fast start in his junior season.
Marshall had 15 carries for 142 yards and two touchdowns in Valley Christian's season opener and then followed that up with 148 yards and a score on 16 carries and 180 yards and two TDs on 17 touches in his next two games. Valley Christian has outscored its opponents, 131-7, so far this season.
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"I'm pretty happy the way I'm playing so far," Marshall said. "I feel like I'm playing hard but I also feel like I have a lot more in me. I'm not close to having my best game yet.
"I'm just taking my time and just letting everything happen. I'm looking at all my options right now. I'm not close to narrowing down any school I want to go to. I'm going to take my officials and I'm just going to take my time with it."
Marshall's brother, Cameron, plays at Arizona State and the Sun Devils have already offered the top junior but he said there's no rush in making a decision.
Verbal offers have also arrived from Arizona, Boise State, BYU, Cal, Idaho, Oregon State, San Jose State and Stanford.
Alabama, LSU and Washington have recently been in contact with Marshall, who rushed for 1,035 yards and 17 touchdowns in his sophomore season.
Rivals.com rated Cameron Marshall, a three-star prospect, as the No. 23 all-purpose back in the 2009 class and No. 56 in the California state rankings. Many believe his younger brother will be ranked even higher.
"(My brother) always said just try to pick a school that even if you didn't play football there that you'd still want to go there," Marshall said.
"I've always had that in the back of my mind. I feel like he chose the right coach and the right system that best suited him so I want to do the same thing.
"It's real exciting. It's kind of surreal at times to see the letters coming in from those schools all across the country. I'm taking it all in right now."