1983 Marcus Dupree Disappears

This is a Sports News story from KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

[@mfgary5094]

The fact he didn’t play for 5 seasons in the prime of his prime, and comes back and makes the rams team and plays is just amazing in itaelf

[@kawirocket88]

I'm just amazed he returned from the USFL injury with the Breakers. That was a hyper-extention injury if there ever was one.

[@MrOccyc]

Hershel Walker and Dupree were the best RBs I saw play. Just my opinion.

[@JetsetComedian]

I'm a Longhorn and this guy was every bit of Earl the Pearl Campbell. It's a damn shame how it went for him. Paul Palmer Boobie Miles LeShon Johnson Kijana Carter Anthony Thompson Blair Thomas .....Marcus Dupree

[@MrLesNessman]

Marcus looked really gimpy running in that Kansas game, some guys are lucky and don't get hurt too bad, looked to me like Marcus played banged up when he should not have. Somebody mismanaged this this guy, he needed to survive College healthy to get the big NFL contract. I don't think they watched out for player injuries as well as they could have back then, i.e. making them wait until fully healed.

[@str8outtatexas1]

i remember i was a freshman in high school when dupree was a freshman at ou.he reminded me and all my classmates of a former star at our high school named eric dickerson back in 76-79.dupree ran damn near like eric,but eric was much faster and smoother. i loved watching them both. switzer destroyed dupree's career. i just watched the 30 for 30 on dupree's career. it's sad that his career turned out the way it did. they just don't make backs like this anymore. old school backs were the shit.

[@TPBGR]

Dickerson was much faster? Are you kidding? Do you know how fast Dupree was? At least as fast but likely faster than Dickerson and way bigger.

[@jeremymccage9213]

He had bad influences to soft mentally. I to watched the 30 /30 you are leaving out things. He said Barry helped him alot to. Lots of factors made him quit not just Barry.

[@09rja]

The really wild part about this: here was Switzer being tough with a player.....something he was slammed for not doing when he was in Dallas.

[@jeremymccage9213]

He helped this guy multiple times. Being tough builds corrector. People are soft today because not enough disaplain.

[@2taggs2]

Switzer and Dupree both admitted how they handled the situation. All the blame can't go on Switzer, because Dupree was difficult to coach at times -- and needed to be disciplined. All the blame can't go on Dupree, he assumed to be treated better because he was so highly touted; every school was wiling to do anything to sign him. I'm sure Dupree was expecting love - not tough love. There are three sides to every story: 1. Yours (Dupree). 2. Mine (Switzer). 3. The truth.

[@mmcneil777]

I think Marcus may have experienced a temporary burnout, but Switzer pushed him over the edge. Switzer seemed to have a strange resentment and hatred of Marcus. They were wrongly matched. If Dupree had played at Texas, Dupree may have felt some burnout, but the coach was such a Dupree fanatic, he probably would have reinspired him. Would have been just a bump in the road rather then a deal breaker. In 30 for 30 Dupree transferred to another school and couldn’t stand to be away from the game. Doesn’t sound like a guy who was burned out on the game.

[@indicaonly2143]

As a young man and being an athlete...and dealing w life and your talent...u have to b handled correctly. U have to b reached.

[@hambone694]

Barry Switzer is one of the best at reaching people, it’s what made him arguably the best recruiter in CFB. In my opinion, as someone with a lot of knowledge on OU’s history, a lot of his public comments about Marcus were made in order to inspire the players that were still on his team. There was a ton of young talent on that ‘83 team (they went to 4 straight orange bowls in the 4 years that followed, national championship in ‘85) and not all of them were the biggest fans of Marcus. While Switzer in hindsight probably could have been a little easier on him and loved him up and started him immediately, Dupree also could have been a little more mature and both have admitted as much since.

[@mmcneil777]

@@hambone694 Great insights. Dupree mentioned he regretted leaving OU. Didn’t realize that was a motivation tactic by Switzer: A lot of the guys he recruited where fun-loving yet hard driving guys like himself and he probably thought it would motive Dupree. However Dupree was cut from a different cloth and didn’t respond will to that type of criticism and being called out in front of the press. Switzer needed to ease up just a little bit and think Dupree might of rethought leaving OU. It’s too bad, because in Dupree’s freshman season, Barry was the right type of coach for him who was pushing him to make the most of his abilities. That run of games Duprees freshman season, they were actually a good fit. What you said put things in context and makes Barry’s comments not seem as harsh. They could have really had something special together and I think it would have prepared Dupree for the NFL.

[@morganturner5487]

Dupree also had a ton of bad influences speaking on him this time too.

[@jeremymccage9213]

Marcus was soft in the mind . Look at rest of career. No switzer

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

Can't help but think if he had a coach like Bear Bryant, Lou Holtz, Tom Osborne or Joe Paterno (pre-scandal, obviously), his college career may have turned out much better. Switzer definitely knew X's and O's and how to win, but some younger players need more than that, and Dupree was one of them. In this regard Switzer and his jerk attitude failed completely.

[@jimwebster9687]

In case you haven’t heard, Switzer had an amazing relationship with his players. How do you think he won 3 natl championships? How did he recruit such talent and be so successful?? I guess some people just feel better about themselves cutting down others.

[@Larry_Amor]

That’s how Saban is

[@jeremymccage9213]

😂 they were rough too.

[@DrRBW]

Combination of factors and it could certainly be seen that the Coach screwed him. He was also pretty immature when he came to OU, but it is up to the coaching staff to see this and help some of these young men grow up. I was the sports photographer for one of the Oklahoma City Television Stations at the time. I shot most of the video in the story. I spent the week after he disappeared in MIssissippi with a reporter talking with his friends. Didn't like Switzer too much.

[@mayankingrevisited8815]

I think he was more naive then immature

[@dthompson28]

@GatorBaitIn08 : I agree...I played at Oklahoma State Univ. 4 years... 3rd All Time Rushing Leader. All I heard about was Marcus Dupree coming up. I wanted to be a sooner. Then he disappeared and I knew something wasn't right (Switzer). I'm a Dupree fan, and Barry Sanders fan. Those are the runners that motivated me. David Thompson #28

[@phillyfan3942]

David your a bad dude.... 3rd time all rushing legend? You will forever be a legend

[@jeremymccage9213]

Barry wasn't just the problem he was home sick had bad influences and was soft mentally.

[@thomasl8734]

He should have gone to Ole Miss

[@frankrizzo454]

That's what I said?

[@kabbey30]

You know, part of the frustration is that these are still kids. Kids are still allowed to make 'stupid' mistakes. It is part of growing up and a learning process. It's frustrating and I still remember being disappointed with Marcus for his actions, but I also remember that as a Sooner fan, we loved him and cared about him first, and football secondly. We went through these same types of things with The Boz, Bomar, etc. If we don't give these kids any leeway, especially for what pride they give us as our team, we will never be tolerant at any point of our lives of anyone who reacts, most likely, a different way of dealing with their issues on their own terms. Marcus will always have his place (positively) in OU football history. If you don't agree, look how Barry Switzer has still accepted these kids for their talents recalling fondly of them, including Charles Thompson, now. He loves them all and really sets a great example of how to forgive.

[@mattdaugherty7865]

It’s a shame Marcus missed out on a National Championship!

[@jobu88]

Biggest factors contributing to his bizarre story -- he was a very small town mama's boy who didn't like being away from home, and he spent four years in high school able to totally dominate without having to push himself very hard and didn't like the OU work ethic in practice. Barry Switzer and the coaching staff could have done more to mentor him, but plenty of small town kids came to OU over the years and did great.

[@jeremymccage9213]

Facts

[@boomer1991]

You guys bashing Barry Switzer have no idea what you are talking about. Barry was popular among the players and most players liked him. If you don't like him, there is a good chance that you are from Texas. Why? Because Barry owned Texas. He owned Darrell Royal. Most texans hate Barry for this reason and this reason only. Marcus, although extremely talented, was a mommas boy and got homesick. That is the real reason why he left. I know, because I grew up in OK during this time period.

[@2taggs2]

I find it amazing that Switzer was this hard ass, take no shit coach in college - and when he coached the Cowboys in the NFL, he let them do what they wanted to do. Completly different styles of coaching.

[@brianclark1858]

easy to bully young kids who are playing for free. Millionaire nfl players are totally different.

[@2taggs2]

@@brianclark1858 Cool... I read what I wrote 10+ years ago... and I still agree with my younger self.

[@09rja]

He really wasn't that hard ass in college. I think Dupree wasn't really as interested in playing football as everyone wishes he would have been.

[@jeremymccage9213]

Wrong

[@tysanpagz4311]

That BURNOUT is not a lie tho. Seen many greats just not have that drive to play the sport their so highly touted for. They lose that feeling, drive and passion.

[@TPBGR]

Reminds me of Glen Coffee. He didn’t like football either and it took him until after his rookie season in the NFL to quit. Then he tried making an NFL comeback years later to no avail. Glen Coffee was a star at Alabama and got drafted by the 49ers as Frank Gore’s backup.

[@DrRBW]

It might be interesting to look at the number of Hamstring injuries that were occurring on the Sooner team during this period. I am not sure we ever reported it but I can remember we talked about it and wondered what it was about the training that hurting rather than helping in this regard. I believe most of the running backs in this period experienced Ham String injuries and that's tough to fix. I stand open to correction on this observation.

[@tammyhavlik1015]

Wow! That would be an interesting review.

[@todiathink8864]

The weight room can cause more injuries than the gridiron......

[@roastbeef441]

That horrible first generation turf ruined slot of good players

[@191831]

You guys need to lay off the 30 for 30. yall are just re-saying what was said in the documentary

[@jabariholas5180]

they ran em into the ground 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@ericshanline6153]

Marcus also suffered a bad concussion in that 1983 Texas game! Depression and confusion and anxiety are highlighted symptoms of concussions, especially in the first week after one. Back then they didn't diagnose it, You just got Your bell rung!

[@tammyhavlik1015]

When the coach can't admit his own issues.

[@miri9885]

Prior to Dupree, Switzer was a wishbone coach where many backs share the load, I dont believe Switzer did a very good job of understanding a single back work load or Dupree multiple injuries. Dupree entered his sophomore year with a lingering hamstring injury, then sustained a knee injury, and then finally the concussion in the Texas game that ended his OU career.

[@johngreenwood3106]

I totally agree I played in the usfl with Marcus Dupree Oklahoma was the wrong school for him he should have went to Texas are Georgia Barry was the wrong coach for him that was the biggest problem but you go back and watch all the usfl films Marcus Dupree just destroyed in that League let alone playing with Herschel Walker😊😊🏈🏈

[@jeremymccage9213]

Wrong

[@8ballsix27]

1:02 Did he just say "poo-pooed" in a serious news segment?

[@practicalpurpose]

The harsh reality is, there's not going to be somebody to hold your hand and spoon feed you mush your whole life. The strong survive. The weak pray to hang in there. While Dupree was strong athletically, he was extremly weak mentally and emotionally and it brought him down. Switzer won championships before Dupree got there, and won them after Dupree left. Switzer was a great coach and Dupree was a ton a wasted potential. Happens all the time. He was weak.

[@soonerdog2024]

H was that and he was lazy.In high school he didn’t have to hard because he so much better than anybody else.Once at Oklahoma it wasn’t that way and he wasn’t willing to put in the work.

[@Xfactorjcw]

I wouldn’t say that he was weak cause there are a lot players that are wired differently than others and as a coach, Barry should have talked to him and see what were the problems and see if they could’ve came to a resolution. He didn’t do that and if anything, Barry wasted him, not the other way around. If you don’t remember, he ran Troy Aikman outta Oklahoma too and as a result, Barry got ran out of Dallas after the Super Bowl win 🤷🏾‍♂️ so that’s karma 💯! He’s a great coach but he’s one who can’t relate to his players 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@Xfactorjcw]

@@soonerdog2024 would you wanna put in work for someone who doesn’t want you on the team and is not looking out for your best interest at heart? Then berates you on live tv!!!?? He got hurt and he was looking out for himself health wise but Barry wasn’t trying to hear that. You gotta show your players that you care 🤷🏾‍♂️ and Marcus didn’t feel like he had Barry in his corner so he dipped. Happens all the time. Even through all that happened to Marcus he still got to the NFL so he couldn’t have been too lazy 🤷🏾‍♂️ just think if Barry had his back from the beginning he’d probably would have been one of the greats in the league........just saying 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@timberman1045]

I know him personally, he lives 30 miles from me. My brother played against him in high school. Marcus scored no points that game .,LOUISVILLE High won 6-0 1981

[@tmac7924]

1982? dupree was at ou in 82

[@timberman1045]

@@tmac7924 might have been 81 but they played against one another

[@timberman1045]

@@tmac7924 I changed date to for ya ,

[@michaelsimsplaya4199]

We played him in high school also . Kosciusko 34 Philly 0 ( Dupe was only 10th grade ) He was an amazing talent even then

[@kevinellis5075]

Blame Switzer for this guy?????????????? Please he still lives off of being a former Sooner.... If it was up to me he couldn't show his face in Oklahoma...

[@bigGdawggwatch]

A hamstring tear (injury) is nothing to play with. I had one in High School. I was told that it happened because of not properly warming up (stretching) before going into a full action activity. I think that coach Switzer was running his athletes like horses before properly getting them warmed up prior to going full speed. That is my opinion, I may be wrong but that is how I injured my hamstring.

[@bigGdawggwatch]

@Potsie791 In a strange way i have to agree with you. But in today's era, I don't think that players are treated the same way as in Marcus era.

[@nickbeef4824]

He may not have been the best but he was the most impressive to watch.

[@TCBabe1]

@ Barry Switzer..Marcus WAS a team player, you can ask his high school teammates, & he LOVED football, he was just reacting to your abuse. You took away the JOY of the game from him and even on the film your responsiblity is played down. At least you admitted to 'mishandling' him though.

[@buster60341]

Barry Switzer treated Marcus Dupree like a asshole when he was a Oklahoma.

[@darnellrtr252]

That’s coaching bro, coaches are always harder and crazier towards there best players. Because it helps the team nobody gets favoritism. He just didnt realize he had a spoiled kid from Mississippi that was raised by a single mom. Wasn’t use to following a male figure so he rebelled.

[@mukjong13]

THIS GUY IS FREAKIN INSANE!!!!!

[@kristashelby6622]

Still love you and think aLot of you.

[@hmanwarren1]

Dupree was a big baby.

[@samurai392]

Barry Switzer had a disastrous relationship with Troy aikman too. They hated each other. A lot of people think Barry spread those gay rumors about Troy. I wouldn't put it beneath Switzer after watching this.

[@todiathink8864]

Switzer completely mishandled this young man.

[@kev44000]

@Shreds1620 He still is. I am an OU fan

[@josephgutierrez2928]

I met him today my youth pastor knew him and I got a signed picture of him

[@Xfactorjcw]

That’s what’s up! He’s my uncle 💯

[@josephgutierrez2928]

@@Xfactorjcw if you ask him if he knows Justin Blankenship, he would say yes lol

[@Xfactorjcw]

@@josephgutierrez2928 will do the next time I speak with him. It’s a long story but my dad just found out that he’s my uncle

[@birch5757]

@BrianDWalker3445 Awesome, I'm glad you pointed that out, O-lineman make poor gymnasts lol

[@KrupaDrums]

You are what your records says you are..Parcels

[@TCBabe1]

@ger1mon, EXACTLY!

[@rancidlar]

If he went to Texas like he had committed to, I am sure he would have made it to the NFL and not been destroyed by the monster that is Barry Switzer.

[@bigh9884]

He should have stayed and played in his home state. Just like Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson did.

[@chrisb8655]

@@bigh9884 Damn right, he should have.

[@CaseyLouis]

Sick of Switzer. He walked away and never looked back.

[@josephgutierrez2928]

And his friend Malcolm Taylor

[@NOMPTONstyle]

@NOMPTONstyle not a switzer fan but love OU atleast he brought a title in 85

[@bs20sanders]

switzer ruined dupree and the cowboys dynasty

[@NOMPTONstyle]

he came to OU because Billy Simms, Switzer is what drove him away...its funny i saw him at Midway Deli today with that bigass superbowl ring

[@SuperiorBadBoy]

very sad time in OU history...Don't remind me...

[@mmcneil777]

It was OK for Switzer to make some comments to the media, but he should have confronted Marcus privately before chastising through the media after the ASU game. I think Dupree attitude after that game was ‘f.u.’ To Switzer. He felt burned by his coach.

[@archieamerson32]

yea he was great

[@kabbey30]

I remember saying to my friends, at the time, that Marcus playing college football was like watching a grown man playing against pee wee leaguers.

[@MyBobby78]

Switzer destroyed dupree's career. Damn shame

[@SuperiorHealthNC]

Marcus didn’t like Barry

[@99Silverado53]

@ger1mon True. Too bad he figured out he made a prick move 20 some odd years later he finally admitted on 30 on 30 "The best that never was".

[@dalejohnson4871]

Dupree! Here comes the Sooners! Hello!

[@dupontproject]

@ger1mon i read bozworth's bio a long time ago. he HATED switzer

[@artmajor1]

Switzer was a liar.

[@slofever512]

If Marcus Dupree goes to texas burnt orange nation would have embraced him and texas would have won several nattys. And then Barry really would have been pissed

[@indicaonly2143]

Kick someone in the ass and down them all the time and they will quit on you. Hold them up and love them and b there for someone and they will run thru a brick wall for you. That was barry switzers problem w marcus.

[@sooners12thman]

Dupree thought that it was going to be easy when he was recruited to OU then found that he had to work harder when he suited up and sadly believed he didn't have to do anything kind of like how Mike Tyson stopped training before he was knocked out by Buster Douglas. Dupree was a TO a player who only cared about himself and not the team.

[@PNAS99]

@redwingsfan35 HIS LIL BRO was his inspiration.I think Switzer was jealous of him and was scared of what he was becomming,Which was the biggest thing in OK history.He showed no love to a country kid who never been away from home and needed love the most so it drove him to have a i dont care attitude..He should of went to Texas but they think MONEY was he reason he chose OK cuz UT had him locked til the last minute. I dont think he was lazy!!

[@shane34lv]

He wasn't the first or last to clash with barry, terrible coach that ran a dirty program.

[@snowdog1611]

Marcus suffered from a lack of guidance. Those closest to him we're just not his best advisors, else they would've warned him about Switzerland, for one. Switzerland was about himself, not his players. A player's coach?! Is that why players burglarized his home in '88? Whether or not his body would've held up any better anywhere else, we'll never know, but I'm pretty sure he would have at least been dealt with in a more respectful way than he was by "bootlegger's boy."

[@SuperiorHealthNC]

Barry was the problem

[@mmcneil777]

Barry was the wrong coach for Marcus. At that stage of his career he needed a guy with more EQ and just turn him

[@brianclark1858]

Combination of being spoiled and his body giving up on him ruined his career.

[@MrLesNessman]

I'm an O.U. fan, but I agree, under Osborne Dupree would have had a better chance of being the best he could be. Switzer was too agressive sometimes, as a Cornhusker Dupree would have had a better chance behind Rozier and of not being over used when he should have been developing into a well rounded running back, like Rozier. Osborne would not have played this kid hurt, no way.

[@mmcneil777]

Barry was the wrong coach Marcus at that stage of his career. He needed a coach with more EQ who would jus turn him loose. I think Marvus avoided practice to get away from Barry. Actually, the fun-loving Dallas cowboy version of Barry might have worked with young Marcus. I think deep down Barry knew he blew it with Marcus.

[@glutamin111]

He admited it

[@smedleybutler8787]

Texas coaches put a bounty on him.$. "The most talented player he ever coached, bar none". Barry Switzer

[@ApolloAlto]

@eastcoastcroc As much as I liked Marcus, he was a undedicated player who believed he would never have to keep up his work ethic to succeed... and laziness combined with the use of steroids results in lots of injuries.. it fits, sadly.

[@bigh9884]

Nobody ever mentioned that Dupree used steroids.

[@keithkellogg5325]

Bs

[@etg832007]

I like this guy but hes not better than Herschel Walker

[@hotcarl3854]

Yeah he was, he broke all of Herschel’s HS records

[@etg832007]

@hotcarl3854 What records? Must have been in high school

[@hotcarl3854]

@@etg832007 “HS” means high school, which is what I wrote. Keep in mind, Marcus wasn’t even a full time starter until midway his freshman year in college. If he was given a full season, stayed focused, trained hard, didn’t get injured, didn’t have negative influences around him, he would have surpassed (or been on par) with Herschel as one of the greatest RB’s of all time.

[@etg832007]

@@hotcarl3854 He would have been. You just said it.

[@re8746]

Marcus knows he made a bad decision by going to OU. He knew he should have been at Texas. Switzer for some reason never liked Marcus and Marcus knew it.

[@300deebo]

Switzer is a really horrible coach.

[@chipschannel9494]

I enjoyed watching him at OU but he was a diva, then he went PRO and found MONSTERS and they took the old ‘wee wee’ out of him

[@josephmoad2507]

he went pro and got a 70 yard running td on the very first ball carry he would every have in the pros...

[@TheSteveGainesRockBand]

Marcus got what he deserved. He promised to go to Texas, then he reneged on his deal. If had gone to Texas Coach Akers would've treated him great, they would've won national titles, Marcus would've been drafted in the NFL, made millions, and then lost them all to his dirty preacher because he was a country hick. As it was Texas laid the big hit on him that ended his career at Oklahoma. He was never the same after that hit.

[@moishethebeadle96]

+Steve Someone Having your future career end right there before he could make anything out of it, all because he didn't go to one school over another, is what he deserved? What the fuck is wrong with you?

[@daquanmatthews3028]

your ignorant asf calling him a county hick my dads side is from Mississippi my cousin had the same shit going for him in basketball and football but lost it all

[@TheSteveGainesRockBand]

+daquan matthews Marcus broke his promise to Texas - Texas broke his college career. Now my ignorant "asf" has a lot more money than Marcus. If he'd had me as his financial adviser he'd probably be a multi-millionaire now instead of driving trucks, but he got what he deserved.

[@daquanmatthews3028]

Steve Someone whatever bender😂😂😂

[@SydneyGreenstreet1227]

That POS Kenneth Fairley is the biggest culprit in this story.

[@WillBadley-zu9vp]

He should have went to nebraska he would have been treated better there