Marshall Hendricks

Barry Faulkner

Marshall Hendricks, empowered by the enthusiasm of youth, dreams of a

senior moment.

But it is not old age the San Jose State junior cornerback covets.

Rather, it is the fourth season of his college football experience, a

season he believes can rival the senior year he fashioned in the fall

of 1999 at Estancia High.

“A collegiate career is like four quarters,” Hendricks said during

a phone interview from San Jose, where he and the Spartans prepared

for Saturday’s 69-41 Western Athletic Conference win over UTEP. “You

have four years to play, just like there are four quarters in a game.

And the fourth quarter is crunch time. That’s when you show all that

you’ve learned.”

No one would dispute that Hendricks aced his high school football

final, rushing for a school single-season record 1,477 yards on 200

carries, producing 1,963 all-purpose yards and collecting a

Newport-Mesa district-leading eight interceptions. His efforts

produced All-Newport-Mesa and first-team All-Pacific Coast League

recognition.

Hendricks’ emergence at Estancia followed a modest varsity

experience at Edison High, where he started both ways as a junior.

But Hendricks’ grand plan to play Division I-A football was

detoured when a scholarship opportunity at Oregon State fell through.

Instead, he headed to Division II Humboldt State. He started two

seasons for the Northern California-based Lumberjacks, but longed for

a bigger stage.

“I always wanted to compete against the cream of the crop,”

Hendricks said. “I saw some players I’d played against in high school

playing on television on Saturdays. I had a vision to get to Division

I-A.”

That vision became a reality after his sophomore season, when,

with a teammate’s help, he made contact with the Spartan coaching

staff. He transferred before the 2002 season, which he sat out as a

redshirt. But he practiced with the Spartans, who were obviously

impressed by his athleticism, including 4.4 speed in the 40-yard

dash.

Hendricks, utilizing what he termed a higher level of coaching,

emerged from spring and summer drills as a starter in 2003. He has

started seven of the Spartans’ nine games through Saturday, producing

20 tackles and one interception. He has also broken up two passes. He

has played primarily at cornerback, but spent time at safety in a six

defensive back scheme against Hawaii, a 13-10 winner over the

Spartans Nov. 1.

Hendricks’ interception came in a Sept. 6 loss at Stanford, one

week after a 65-3 drubbing by powerful Florida at the Gators’ home

stadium, known as The Swamp.

“Playing [at Florida] was like fulfilling one of my big a big

dreams,” Hendricks recalled.

His dream of big-time competition has also included a 77-14

drubbing by Boise State, as well as wins over Grambling, SMU and the

aforementioned UTEP triumph.

“At this level, everyone has tremendous talent,” Hendricks said.

“It’s more of a technical game at the D-I level. Some receivers try

to play mind games and the good ones try to lure you into allowing

them to do the things they want to do. I’m still learning a lot.”

Just as he did before his prep swan song, he sees much bigger

things ahead in his final collegiate season and, perhaps, even beyond

into the professional ranks.

“Anybody who knows me, knows I believe in myself and I try not to

listen to what [any doubters] have to say,” Hendricks said. “I want

to keep working as hard as I can and try to take things to the

fullest. I believe my opportunities will come.”

Hendricks said those opportunities may include returning kicks

next season, which he would relish.

“We still have two games left [at Fresno State Saturday and at

home against Tulsa Nov. 22],” he said. “I want to finish out this

season strong and build even more confidence I can carry over into

next year. I really want to take off in my senior year, just like my

senior year in high school.”