Top 2014 DE Recruit Lawrence Marshall Takes Time to Talk With Spartan Nation!
Top 2014 DE Recruit Lawrence Marshall Takes Time to Talk With Spartan Nation!
Q: Lawrence, welcome to the program.
A: Hi, thank you.
A: I’m 230 right now.
Q: You are? That should be illegal if you’re that big, the way you move. You’re really 230 lbs?
A: I just weighed myself Sunday and I was 230.
Q: I’ve talked to a lot of people. It’s hard to find anybody that doesn’t like you. Are you Mr. Personality?
A: You got to in this business. You just gotta make friends. Be a nice guy on the field and off the field. Your character is everything.
Q: Everyone says, He’s a great sportsman. He’s got great character. He’s a super kid. You’ve touched a lot of people in your life.
A: I try to, thank you. I always remember when I was one of those little guy athletes where a good impression is everything. So I try to make a good impression on everybody.
Q: Someone from your school said you’re a good role model and you always think about what young kids will think about you. Is that true?
A: Yeah, very true. I play the game for me, I try to do my best and that’s how I play it.
Q: How can you be such a great guy and a stone-cold killer on the football field?
A: I’ve got two different personalities. On the field, hard-nosed, play to the whistle. Off the field, nice young man.
Q: A high school football official said he’s seen you crush kids and then say, Hey that was a good play. You’ll get me next time. And then you help them up. Is that true?
A: Yeah, I always help the quarterbacks up. If I knock him down I always help him up.
Q: A teacher at your school said that they think you really appreciate this process, every offer. Is that true?
A: Very true. Every offer I get I thank God for it. I’m very humble and very excited.
Q: A secretary at your school said, I don’t know if he’ll talk about himself. He’s humble. Why is it so hard for you, as good as you are, to talk about it?
A: Because you have to stay humble. God gave me the ability to play the game of football and I just wanna stay humble.
Q: You have a lot of places that you can go. Do you know a timeframe that you want to make a decision or is it just gonna be that you’ll wake up one day and really feel like God’s put on your heart one place to go?
A: I’m making my decision very soon. Yes.
Q: Is Michigan State legitimately in play for your talents?
A: Michigan State is in my top five, yes.
Q: What is it about Michigan State you like?
A: The coaching staff, the style of play, the players, everything.
Q: I was told by a member of your school staff that you really gelled with Coach Dantonio and he thinks you see a lot of yourself in Dantonio. Is that true?
A: That’s very true.
Q: Another one…as much as you’re like Dantonio, you’re also a lot like Narduzzi...you like the idea of putting your ear back and going and killing someone.
A: That was a funny one right there.
Q: Is that true, though?
A: That was very true.
Q: I’m gonna ask you this as a father. What did your family do to keep you humble with all of your talent? You’re blessed, young man. What’d they do?
A: Like my mom always tells me…she says God blessed me with the talent and He blessed me with it and I need to take away from it. So I stay humble.
Q: I was also told by someone at your school that whatever school you go to that Head Coach needs to keep mama on the phone because he isn’t gonna fear anybody more than mama. True?
A: Yeah, that’s a good one right there. Yeah.
Q: What is it about mom? Here you are all this height, 230 lbs and you’re afraid of mom?
A: Mom’s been there since the start. It’s crazy.
Q: Someone else said to ask you about a degree, about what it’s gonna mean for you to look across that stage and see your mom and you graduate from college. That may be the only thing that makes you cry. Is that gonna make you cry?
A: I don’t know if I’m gonna cry, but it’ll touch my heart. Getting a degree is a great thing, a college degree, help my family out with my degree, it’s the way of life.
Q: When you talked to all these recruiters across the country, what do they like best about your game?
A: My motor. Playing to the whistle. Not giving up on the play.
Q: And what do they tell you you gotta get better at?
A: They haven’t said much about getting better at. But I’m trying to improve on my strength, my explosion, feet. I have lots to improve on.
Q: Who’s your primary recruiter from Michigan State?
A: Coach Dantonio, Coach Salem, Coach Pat Narduzzi, the defensive line coach…
Q: Coach Burton?
A: Coach Burton.
Q: What do you think of him? He’s a crazy dog, isn’t he? I just love him.
A: Yeah, I do too.
Q: You said that you have a top five. Do you mind telling us what those are?
A: My top five are Michigan State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and USC.
Q: We’re rooting for you wherever you go. I’ve heard a lot of good stories about you. You’re a great kid.
A: Thank you. I appreciate it.
Q: Once your decision is made, I don’t care where you go, we’d like to have you back on to talk about it. Is that okay?
A: I’d love to do it.
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