Musil Trying to Keep From Being Blocked OutMany have been pointing to this as the year when Marshall Musil takes over the fullback position at Oklahoma. Musil was recruited as a big athlete out of high school and fullback position coach Kevin Wilson sees the former high school linebacker and tight end as a potential standout at the position.
Fans have been looking for a premiere fullback in the OU offense since the departure of J.D. Runnels.
Musil showed why coaches are excited about his athletic abilities when he starred in last spring's Red & White Game as a running back. But this fall, Musil is working hard to become a better lead blocker so he's not left on the sidelines holding his helmet in 2010.
Q: Marshall, you come into fall camp after having a huge spring game. Did that performance give you any kind of boost into the summer and now into fall workouts?Marshall Musil: Well in that game I was mostly running and that's not really what I've been trying to work on. Right now, I'm working on my blocking, because that's what I need to get down first.
Q: Coach Wilson said after the spring game, if you want to get on the field that you're blocking needs to get better. How far along are you in that aspect of your game?Musil: I can't really put a number on it. I just want to be able to contribute at the end of two-a-days and by the time Utah State comes around. The running and catching aspect of my game will come after I get the blocking down. After I get that down then I can do the rest.
Q: You must have made some improvement though, they have you as the first team fullback. Is there any part of blocking you feel like you've improved on?Musil: I really don't know. Right now, I'm working on just moving my feet when I make contact. I think if I keep doing that over the rest of the two-a-days, then hopefully I will get it down.
Q: Do you know a lot about the history of the fullbacks under Coach Stoops? Obviously you were here with Brody Eldridge, but do you know of guys like J.D. Runnells and others?Musil: I never watched J.D. play, but I know he played tight end too. In his picture on the wall he has a ball in his hands, so I know he got the ball a time or two (laughing). So I know they were able to move guys around. Coach likes to do that, kind of like he did with Brody.
Q: Were you surprised at how many carries you got in the spring game?Musil: It really flew by. I think someone told me afterwards I had like 25 carries. My reaction was, 'Really? I only had 92 yards!' I have to at least break triple digits if I'm going to have that many caries.
Q: What did that spring game do for you?Musil: I think it just showed the coaches that I could run and catch a little. It showed that I could contribute, now it's all up to the blocking.
Q: How tough is it to play fullback? A lot of high schools don't have the position anymore.Musil: Well I played fullback in high school, we ran the I (formation). I don't know how hard it is, I've never really thought about it. I just go out there and do it.
Q: A lot of college coaches have said they're trying to do away with it since a lot of high schools are doing away with it.Musil: Yeah, well I went to a smaller school and we didn't run the spread and we didn't play the teams who could spread it out.
Q: Do you think it's an undervalued position?Musil: Yeah, I think so. I think when you can run the ball, that's when you win games. Look at Florida and Alabama. When we are able to run the ball, we're always near the top of the nation.
Q: Do you spend time with both the running backs and the tight ends?Musil: No, I'm mostly with the tight ends.
Q: Who recruited you out of high school?Musil: Well everybody else had me at linebacker. Oklahoma was the only one who wanted me as a full back.
Q: Is that one of the reason's you liked OU?Musil: Yeah, I wanted to play offense.
Q: What did Kevin Wilson tell you about playing fullback when he recruited you?Musil: Wow, that was a really long time ago (laughing). I don't remember. I guess he said something I liked because I'm here?right?
