Tyler Marr will be the starting quarterback for the Southwestern Bulldogs this fall. He is a fifth-year senior and has been at SWOSU all five years. He has been a backup for two seasons and has been patient waiting on his opportunity and it has finally come this season. He has shown some great signs over the last two years and is now ready for his opportunity.
I was able to sit down with Tyler and ask him a few things about football, his time here at Southwestern, and his plans for the future.
As I said before, Tyler has been waiting for his opportunity for two years and has been very patient. He is the type of athlete to work hard no matter the situation he is in.
“I have always tried to prepare with the mindset that I could be called on at any time. Although, immediately after finding out I would be the starter, it shifted into another gear. I’ve been bought in completely and giving full effort in everything I do.”
Head Coach Chet Pobolish had this to say about Tyler in a separate interview.
“All throughout camp, Tyler has been the most consistent guy leading our offense. He has waited his turn and learned from the quarterbacks before him and now it’s his time.”
As you can see, he is ready. The general sense with the team is that they are excited to see what Tyler can do.
In a rough game against the Oklahoma Baptist Bison last fall, Tyler came into the game midway through the 4th quarter and gave SWOSU a new spark. He ran the offense with complete confidence and made all the right decisions. In his limited time, Tyler threw the ball 4 times with 3 completions for 32 yards and also had 3 rushing attempts for 24 yards averaging 7.7 yards a carry with a long run of 20 yards. But again, the energy Marr brought into the game was unmatched.
I was also able to talk to him about football, not the x’s and o’s, but football. The sport. The love of the game and when he knew he wanted to play college football. Football, to current and former players, is special. It is something that connects men across the country, across generations, to something that is bigger than themselves. I believe that football is a lot like life. Both hit hard, both teach you how to hit back. Both humble you, and both build you up. There is competition in both, whether it be trying to compete for the starting position, or a promotion in your work place. Both football and life teach you to appreciate where you are at, yet make you want to pursue better. Both teach you to never underestimate your opponent and if you do, the consequences are harsh.
“I remember when I was still in little league and me and my dad would play catch in the yard and watch Oklahoma play on Saturdays. I think that is when I knew I wanted to play college ball.”
I think Tyler is like most football players in the sense that they knew they wanted to play at a high level when they were young. I don’t think most players wake up one day and decide a week before they go to college that they are going to play football. Just as Tyler said, it goes back to those early Saturday mornings, getting in your over sized pants and helmet, going out and playing because it was fun. Watching your favorite teams on Saturday and Sunday and beginning a dream to play at that level.
Another question I was able to ask Tyler was about the haters, and what he does with them. In every profession you deal with people who are going to try and tear you down. People that will tell you that you’re not good enough. Everyone handles it in different ways; whether it be using the talk as fuel, ignoring it, or letting it affect you.
“I know how much work I’ve put in and the guys that are going through it with me know too. Outside of that group, every other opinion is an uninformed one.”
This is something the SWOSU football team deals with a lot of the time. It has been 4 seasons since the last winning season. Being a part of the team for the last two years, it wasn’t easy listening to people talk bad about the team. This year, however, there is a different energy. It might be Coach Pobolish’s 2nd year. It might be the athletes he has brought in. it might be Tyler, the new starting quarterback, the guy who did it the right way. Not transferring to a place guaranteeing a staring position, not crying to anyone, just working hard and staying patient.
“I never thought about leaving. The people in Weatherford are incredible! I have built so many relationships that will last a lifetime.”
Tyler is an incredible man. I have never met anyone who doesn’t like him. He is very involved on campus and he was the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) president last year. Whenever he has the spare time, he is supporting other organizations around campus and he even has a young boy that he coaches.
Tyler has big plans after college. He plans to get married this spring. He plans to get into coaching as he wants to have an impact on other kids like his coaches have had on him. He wants and hopes to be a mentor to kids. As an older kid himself, he understands how hard life is. Life is always hard and it is nice to know that someone else went through it all. He hopes to be able to help young athletes get through middle school and high school and potentially onto college to continue their careers.
The last question I asked Tyler dealt with his plans for the season. To be honest, I expected the usual Undefeated season, ridiculous numbers, maybe even a championship. That isn’t the case at all. For a second I forgot I asked Tyler Marr, a very real, down to earth, humble guy.
“We’re going to take it one game at a time, but I want to win every single one of them. Individually, I just want to do my part to help put my team in the best position to make that happen.”
I don’t think anything else sums up it up better. Tyler Marr is your starting quarterback for Southwestern this fall. He is excited, prepared, ready.
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