Marshall continues

It’s been five long years of hard work for Newport Harbor High football product Jeff Marshall.

Now, the University of Montana senior is trying to extend his college football career, week by week.

The Grizzlies’ starting center is preparing for the second round of the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs, where his No. 2-seeded Montana squad (11-1) will play host to Southern Illinois (9-3) today at 12:30 p.m.

“This is the best we’ve been playing all year, which is what you want going into the playoffs,” Marshall said. “I think we can go all the way.”

The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Marshall missed this season’s first game for the Big Sky Conference-champion Grizzlies while recovering from shoulder surgery and an ankle injury.

But he’s started every game since for Montana, his third consecutive year as starter at either guard or center and also his third consecutive year as a second-team All-Big Sky Conference selection. He redshirted in 2002 and missed most of 2003 due to injury.

Marshall, 22, is the only senior on the team’s offensive line. He said coming into the season, he had more starts than the other four linemen combined.

“I took on the challenge of holding the offensive line together, but now they’re coming into their own,” said Marshall, who plans to graduate this month with a business degree. “We’re playing a lot better now because we’ve had the games together as a team.”

While at Newport Harbor High, Marshall earned first-team All-Sea View League status as the Sailors’ senior center in 2001, helping lead the Tars to the CIF Southern Section Division VI semifinals.

He said he looks to a similarly strong ending to his college playing career.

“I’m wrapping up five years of my life going into this program,” he said. “So I’m playing my heart out, trying to make this year count the most. It’s the last one I have.”