Syracuse Football: Get To Know Your Orange Man--#11 Marquis Spruill

Admit it: you still don't know enough Orange men. 

So brush up on all the profile's we've profiled by clicking here. Then, come back and read about the Orange-man that is #11, linebacker Marquis Spruill.

Position: Middle Linebacker

Year: Sophomore

Height: 6'1''

Weight: 216 pounds

Hometown: Hillside, NJ

High School: Hillside

How'd He Get Here & What'd Rivals Say?: An 0-10 junior season spoiled any recruiting hype for Spruill when he was a senior at Hillside. So, he took his talents to Fork Union Military Academy. 

The 6 A.M. salutes paid off. Spruill became a four-star Rivals prospect at Fork Union, and that was enough to get the attention of one Doug Marrone, says this Daily Orange article: 

"I remember watching him on the film," (Linebackers coach Dan) Conley said. "… Coach Shafer and I watched his film, and we said this guy had a lot of potential. Coach Marrone said, ‘What do you think he can get better (at)?' I created a list of things that I thought I could get him better at. We do that with every recruit. He's got some very good potential. He's an explosive guy. He can run. He's got a good change of direction. He's a smart football player."

2010 Season: Spruill cracked the starting lineup, then started cracking skulls at outside linebacker alongside vets Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith. The man-child started all 13 games and recorded 51 total tackles. Two of those tackles were sacks, and one of them came in the Pinstripe Bowl (go to 1:58 in this video to see it again. And again. And again). 

2011 Projections: Spruill at outside linebacker? A decoy, I tell you! Scott Shafer played Spruill out outside 'backer for playing experience, said Nolan Weidner: 

"Shafer said coaches decided to teach Spruill an outside linebacker position so he could play more in 2010, with the idea of moving him back to the middle someday."

 

That day is now, and even though Spruill is just a sophomore, he's the veteran in a Hogue-less, Smith-less linebacking corps. 

Sounds like he's up for the challenge, and then some.

As far as the linebackers go, don't worry about Spruill. Unless you're worried about how good he'll look this season.

Doug Marrone Said: Spruill is poised for a big year, but HCDM isn't going to let his middle linebacker get a big head: 

"He played well for us last year as a true freshman [at outside linebacker], but there's still going to be a learning curve for the kid."

Personally, I think the only learning curve Spruill has is how to call the plays in the center of the defense. I'm drinking the Kool-Aid , even if HCDM tried to make it all watery.

Links Of Wonder: Here's a link that will certainly lead you to the Twitter page of Marquis Spruill. But if for some reason that doesn't work, like say, an internet glitch or a link to something else, go ahead an click here. Cough* Cough* 

Lettuce Getta Good Look Atchya: Why should I give you one highlight video when I can just link them ALL?