In the huddle: Offensive lineman Marcus Mbow

A conversation with Purdue offensive lineman Marcus Mbow, a junior from Milwaukee, who wanted to quit football at an early age, speaks French and was forced to start over in the recruiting process after Arizona State pulled his scholarship.

Do you have a nickname?

A lot of people just call me Big Marc. That’s really it.

Is that something from a long time ago, or did you acquire it here?

I feel like it’s always been a nickname. It’s shortened down from Marcus, and I’ve always been big.

Your Game Day routine?

Usually wake up early and just throw my headphones on and try and think about the game the rest of the day. Get some food in me, stay hydrated, but usually just lock in and think about the game.

Music on your headphones?

It varies. It really depends on the mood. It could be anywhere from hip hop to classical to European music to anything really. So, I’m a big variety guy when it comes to music.

Are you superstitious?

I try not to. Just try to have a good routine, not too specific, not too detailed. I don’t think superstitions are the best idea.

Why did you come to Purdue?

I had a good connection with the coaching staff. I knew a couple of people who went here already and it’s close to home with good academics.

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Your first football memory?

I used to hate football. In middle school, I used to ask my mom if I could quit. She wouldn’t let me. But my first memory, I remember getting hit by one of the coaches –  he threw a football at me in practice because I wasn’t paying attention. He launched the football like 20 yards and hit me square in my face.

You didn’t have a helmet on?

I was just messing around, just talking.

How old were you?

I was probably like 13 or 14.

Nothing like that has happened to you since?

I’m more serious now. It’s damn near a job for me. I take it seriously with all my heart.

You didn’t really love football early. At what point did you start loving football, and knew it might take you someplace?

Probably around junior, senior year of high school. We got a new football head coach, and me and him grew very close, and he knew a lot about real football and taught me how to play. Once I started to get better and learn and started kicking ass a little bit, that’s when I started to enjoy it.

Always been a lineman?

Yeah, still hoping to touch that ball someday.

If you could switch positions, where would you play?

I feel like I’d be a solid d-lineman. I feel like skill position-wise, I’d be a good tight end. I’d block and then catch you off guard with a route every now and then.

Have you ever tried to sneak in with the tight ends?

I ask coach (Justin) Sinz on the daily, ‘just sneak me a little, just little something back there one time.’ Just a quick little pitch. It would be cool.

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Who’s the Purdue defensive lineman you enjoy going up against?

I like going up against Will (Heldt). He’s a really good player. We get a good amount of work in, especially during camp.

Your food in an all-you-can-eat contest?

Probably go with orange chicken. I make it from scratch and it’s really good.

When did you start eating it?

I’ve probably always enjoyed orange chicken. I started making my own probably my sophomore, junior year in high school. I had people coming in and asking me to make up some and pay me for it. I still make it to this day. It’s pretty good. I’ll give myself that one.

Is it once a week, twice a week, three times a week?

Maybe once a month now. That’s a big project. You’ve got to clean up afterward, too. It’s a little bit too much.

You play football, and I know you played basketball, and you’re pretty good. If you take those two sports out of the equation, what’s your sport?

Soccer.

Did you play as a youngster?

I always wanted to play. I’ve always been a bigger guy. Soccer wasn’t the big guy kind of thing, but otherwise, I feel like that would probably be it.

Would you be on the attack in soccer, or would you be on defense?

I feel like attacking would be cool. I feel like I’d be a good center mid and distribute to my teammates.

Your dad is from Africa, and how has that helped shape your life?

It’s been cool. It’s always been like something that I’ve always wanted to go to where he’s from, but I haven’t got the opportunity yet. It’s been cool because it helps me expand and meet more people. I take French here, and I’ve met a bunch of people in that French class and my teacher is also from Africa. That’s something to connect to. I’ve got teammates like Bakyne (Coly). He’s from where my dad is from, and that’s really cool. Me and him are really close. Things like that help me make connections.

Where’s your dad from?

He’s from Senegal.

Any other language classes?

French has got all my time. That’s all I got.

Is that something you delved into in high school?

I was in French a little bit in high school. I’m rusty as hell now because I stopped after my sophomore year.

How will you use French moving forward in your life?

Probably just use it to be able to talk to my family in another language, and be able to communicate with my grandmother and people who are in the U.S.

In 20 years, Marcus will be doing what?

Hopefully, just investing in doing what’s right for the people around me and my family and take care of people, and just being a good person.

Is the NFL a goal?

The goal for me is to go to the NFL and play at the next level and be the best player I can no matter where I’m at.

Beyond that, are you looking at opening a business?

I probably open a couple of businesses. I’ve got a couple of interests, and I can invest in certain franchisees. But I’d definitely be investing for the most part, and definitely relaxing for the most part.

We may have covered this  – what’s the one thing your teammates don’t know about you?

Probably about the music. A lot of people don’t know the music selection that I listen to. That’d be my guess. And the variety. I’ll throw some classical or French music on the headphones.

What’s the toughest thing you’ve had to overcome, whether it’s athletically or personally?

Probably breaking my leg last year. That was a pretty big one for me, just because I’ve never been hurt before, especially anything serious when you missed more than a couple of days. It was definitely wicked, looking down and seeing my leg to the side. That was something. And then just the process to get back. It’s a grind.

Another one was when Arizona State pulled my scholarship during my senior year.  It just got me as a young kid. I thought I was good there. I thought it was going to be a good spot, but it led me astray. I remember when they first called, I didn’t see it coming at all. They said they didn’t have any spots left.

What did that teach you?

It taught me to keep people close but don’t let them get too close and never put all your trust or all your eggs in one basket. I think it just helped me grow up a little bit. It was a painful experience for me, but you had to move on if you want to keep going in life. I moved on from it and just grew up.

Now, did you reach out to Purdue, or did Purdue reach out to you after that, or did you just open your recruitment?

I opened my recruitment. I think they reached back out to me, and we just started talking. I had a couple schools reach back out to me when it happened, but I didn’t fall off and that’s the good thing.