6 Days to Gator Football: Wilber Marshall

Wilber Buddyhia Marshall is one of the most feared linebackers ever to grace a college or professional football field. Just look on YouTube for the famous quarterbacks he has sent to the hospital or to the bench with his earth-shattering tackles. Mr. Marshall played tight end and linebacker for Charley Pell's Florida Gators from 1980 to 1983 after initially coming to Florida to play tight end (he was a Parade All American on offense in Titusville, FL). He was the first three-time first team All SEC, and was a two-time Consensus All American. Mr. Marshall was the core of a nasty Gator defense that held opposing teams to under 15 points per game in 1981 and 1983. He finished his career with 343 tackles (9th in school history), 58 TFL (school record), 23 QB sacks (then a school record, now 5th), and 4 INTs after finishing as a finalist for the Lombardi Award in '82 and '83 and winning the ABC Sports National Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1983. The Gainesville Sun named Mr. Marshall as "Defensive Player of the Century" and a first team selection in its "Team of the Century". Wilber was selected as the 11th overall pick of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, whom he played for in Super Bowl XX. He also went on to play for the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI. Wilber Marshall is a member the University of Florida Athletic Association Hall of Fame, the University of Florida Ring of Honor, Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame, and College Football Hall of Fame.

BONUS: Mr. Marshall is one of six Gator players in the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame. The other Gators are Dale Van Sickel, Steve Spurrier, Carlos Alvarez, Jack Youngblood, Emmitt Smith. Charles Bachman, Doug Dickey, and Ray Graves are also in the Hall of Fame, but as coaches.

Here are some overall highlights of Wilber Marshall from his College Football Hall of Fame induction:

He was a beast for the 1985 Bears, just ask Joe Ferguson aka the QB Wilber nearly killed.

Here he is drilling Detroit Lions QB Joe Ferguson. Knocked him out. Cold.


Here he is trucking Detroit Lions QB Eric Hipple, and then picking up the fumble for a touchdown! Fast forward to 3:15.


Bonus: watch fellow Gator Scot Brantley bomb Detroit Lions QB Eric Hipple into the sideline!