During the University of Oklahoma's annual Spring Game, redshirt freshman Marshall Musil carried the ball 29 times for 92 yards, both game highs, and unleashed a run when he slipped a tackle, made a quick cut and eventually gained 45 yards. Afterwards, he gave his mom, Connie, a big hug on the sideline, an embrace that last several minutes.
It's a scene that's been replicated many times throughout the years — and could be seen on Saturdays for the next four seasons at OU. Musil, known for his close relationship with his family and his ability to make plays on the football field, was a 2009 Shrine Bowl selection for Class 2-1A La Crosse.
After redshirting last season for the Sooners, Musil had a breakthrough performance at the spring game, a showcase that could propel Musil to more playing time this fall. While Musil played tailback in the spring, he could play a variety of positions, including fullback.
"He texted me as soon as it was over," Ryan Cornelsen, Musil's high school coach at La Crosse, said. "He was excited. He had a lot of fun doing it. I think that was the key. He went out and played hard and enjoyed himself, probably a little bit out of position to where he will actually probably help the team. ... I think it probably helped his stock." Musil's stock was sky-high after his outstanding prep career at La Crosse.
At his first practice freshman year of high school, Musil ran a trap against air cut off his left foot and moved right. After the play, Cornelsen turned to his assistants and said Musil had NCAA Division I talent. It proved correct; after a strong junior season, Musil was offered scholarships by multiple schools, including Kansas, Missouri and Tulsa. Many teams wanted Musil to play defense, but Oklahoma recruited Musil to be a hybrid tight end/fullback, a key selling point.
In the spring of 2008, on the last day a college could make a high school visit, OU assistant Kevin Wilson flew into Great Bend and traveled to La Crosse. Wilson watched Musil in workouts and the two shared the same fun-loving attitude. Musil went to an OU summer camp and further impressed. Two days after the camp, Musil headed back to Normon and head coach Bob Stoops offered Musil a scholarship, an offer he later verbally accepted.
"It was pretty sweet," Musil said.
That fall, Musil, ranked as the No. 4 player in Kansas by Rivals.com, led the Leopards to an 11-1 record and a final No. 2 ranking in the statewide media poll. Musil earned first team all-state from multiple publications and was The Hays Daily News' Offensive Player of the Year. Musil (now 6-foot-2, 241 pounds) had the rare combination of size, speed and lateral movement that allowed him to find seams, cutback and sprint over and around tacklers. He collected 1,272 rushing yards and averaged 12 yards a carry his senior year.
More importantly, Musil was known for his high character, traits developed through a strong family unit. His dad, Terry, a former high school coach, passed away when Musil was young. Musil was raised by his mom, Connie. Musil's older sister, Meredith, and Connie attended every game, made scrapbooks and built a bond. After every game, Connie, Meredith and Marshall would spend time together. Meredith moved to Oklahoma to teach after her brother went to college.
"Mom and I always knew he was something special," Meredith said. "And so especially after our dad died, it became very important to me to be there for everything. I just love it so much."
"She did a great job raising him," Cornelsen said.
Musil completed his career in the Shrine Bowl last summer and matched his cousins, Chris and Shawn Steiner of Claflin. The two — "like my uncles to me," Musil said — played in the Shrine Bowl during their prep careers. Musil still remembered Chris playing for the West team at the 1994 Shrine Bowl in Lawrence. Six years later, he attended Shawn's Shrine Bowl contest at Washburn. Afteward, Musil went down to the field with the rest of the fans and Shawn put his helmet on Musil's head.
"I was on TV," Musil said. "I thought it was pretty cool when I was little."
For Musil, his Shrine Bowl experience yielded a West victory before he headed back to OU and started fall camp. Musil decided to redshirt his freshman year. At Musil's first practice, though, Cornelsen, now the Hays High School football coach, traveled down to Normon. Even during Musil's redshirt year, Connie (who remarried in 2009) and her husband, Tim Weber, traveled to Normon to watch games.
"I thought it was neat for him and I to get to see that," Cornelsen said. "He worked awful hard to get there. Awful proud to watch him practice and take the field as a Sooner."
Then, in the spring, Musil showcased his talents in front of the Sooner faithful. Known as "Meta Musil" — "he goes out there and gets it done," Sooner defensive tackle Jamarkus McFarland told reporters — Musil received the bulk of the carries for the Sooner White team. He converted a fourth-and-1 during the first touchdown, the eventual winning score in a 23-0 White victory. While it's unlikely Musil will rush the ball much in the fall (the top rushers, including DeMarco Murray, sat on the spring game because of injury), Musil could see the field often.
"Marshall is a really good player," Stoops told reporters after the spring game. "We've known that since he was going against us last year on scout team. We like the way he runs, the way he blocks. He is a bigger guy. He's going to do a lot for us in different ways."
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