Talented running back has high hopes at UNLV

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, April 1, 2003 | 9:10 a.m.

Compton (Calif.) College coach Cornell Ward called Alvin Marshall "the Marshall Faulk of junior college football." But Marshall, a first team JC All-American running back, brings back memories of another talented runner for UNLV assistant coach John Jackson.

"He reminds me a little of Charlie White," Jackson said referring to the 1979 Heisman Trophy winner from USC.

Jackson should know. He was White's running backs coach at USC.

"I don't really know much about him," Marshall said of White. "I was born in 1982, so I didn't get to see him play."

Too bad. To those around USC in the school's glory days, perhaps no player empitomized the Tailback U persona more than White, who seemed to wear opposing defenses down with his hard running style en route to 22 NCAA, Pac-10, USC or Rose Bowl records.

"I don't remember ever playing against a tailback who can run like White," legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant said after witnessing White rush for 199 yards against the Crimson Tide in 1978.

Whether Marshall, UNLV's most acclaimed recruit since Jason Thomas, can come close to being the type of player White was at USC is a long shot. But with 4.4 speed, good passing catching skills and surprising toughness for his size (5-foot-11, 190 pounds), he figures to be an impact player next fall.

"The first thing that impressed me with Alvin is that he's hungry to learn," Jackson said. "He obviously has abilities. That will help transfer that hunger into success. He has excellent speed. He's a tough guy. He wants to learn and he wants to do things absolutely right. That's what is going to make him a great player when it's all said and done."

Marshall signed with Nebraska out of Locke High School in Los Angeles. He ended up at Compton College where he led California in all-purpose yardage.

Despite offers from Oregon to Nebraska, to USC to Tennessee, he narrowed his choices to Fresno State, where his brother attends, and UNLV.

"Some schools wanted me to wait until the summer to come out, but I was ready to leave at mid-year," he said. "Being here and being able to take part in spring practice really gives you a jump start on a lot of stuff."

He said he isn't bothered by having to compete against two talented senior running backs with Pac-10 backgrounds in Larry Croom and Deon Burnett as well as junior Dominique Dorsey, the 2001 Mountain West Conference freshman of the year.

"Nah, I didn't really look at the backs that they have here," Marshall said. "I knew that they were putting in a two-back offense so it opens it up for another back to play. They do a lot of stuff with both spots. That made the decision a little bit better."

The chance to play for Jackson and John Robinson, who produced two Heisman winners in White and Marcus Allen during their USC days, also was a factor in Marshall's decision.

"When I look at what they have done with the backs that they have had, it played a big part in my decision," Marshall said.

After taking part in four spring practices, Marshall is glad he decided to go to a school that would allow him to get started now.

"It is a big step up," Marshall said. "Practice so far has been pretty cool. I'm trying to get everything down. The pace is a whole lot faster. We put in over 30 plays in the first three days and it's constantly building up.

"Right now I just want to work on my blocking. The plays are going to come. If you're a running back and you have eyes and you have vision, you're going to be able to run the ball."

Blocking? When was the last time you heard a star running back recruit talk about being eager to block?

That attitude already has made an impression with the coaching staff.

"He's not a big player but he's a physical player," Jackson said. "Runners have to be tough. A lot of people don't want to believe that runners have to be tough and physical. But they must be tough and physical in order to be successful.

"Alvin is a tough guy and like Charlie, has that hunger to learn."