Marc Wilson
Quarterback 6
Ht/Wt
6'
5"
|
204 lbs.
Class
Senior
Hometown
Seattle, 
Washington
Last School
Shorecrest High School
Roster Years
1975-1979


Personal

  • Born in Bremerton, Wash
  • Married to Colleen Cox 
  • Majored in economics

Career Highlights

  • First-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (Kodak), the Football Writers Association of America, United Press International, Association Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation and Churchmen's Hall of Fame 1979
  • All-Western Athletic Conference First Team, Downtown Athletic Club of New York Player of the Year, NCAA Top Five Award, Juhan Trophy Winner (Churchmen's Hall of Fame) 1979
  • Third in the Heisman voting 1979
  • WAC Offensive Player of the Year 1979
  • Was selected to the Churchmen's All-America squad for 1978
  • Set four WAC records overall during the season 1977
  • Led WAC in passing and total offense 1977
  • Selected WAC Back of the Year 1977

Before BYU

  • Had an outstanding career, both athletically and academically, at Shorecrest High in Seattle
  • Was all-metro in basketball (averaged 19 points per game as a forward)
  • Was all-metro in baseball (pitcher and outfielder) and was voted MVP three years in a row
  • His baseball team won state title in 1975
  • In football was all-metro as quarterback and safety
  • Academically, he carried a 3.83 GPA, was member of the National Honor Society, and was scholar-athlete (seven in Seattle area)

After BYU

  • Was drafted by the Oakland Raiders
  • Also played for the Los Angeles Raiders, the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots

Post BYU Honors and Societies

  • Played with two Super Bowl Champions, the 1980 Oakland Raiders and the 1983 Los Angeles Raiders
  • Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1990

Stats

Year Rushes Net Rush TDR  Comp.  Att. HI  P-Yards PTD
1977     81       20   2   164   277  18   2,418   24
1978    104       85   2   121   233  13   1,499    8
1979     61     -140   3   250   427  15   3,720   29
Career  246      -35   7   535   937  46   7,637   61
1990 BYU Hall of Fame

1990 BYU Hall of Fame

Few athletes ever start as successfully as did quarterback Marc Wilson, dubbed "The Marc of Excellence" by his hometown Seattle newspaper.

When Marc replaced injured All-American quarterback Gifford Nielson in game five of the 1977 season, he was a virtual unknown. After he threw for seven touchdown passes against that Colorado State team, however, the quarterback monster was born.

In 1978 - through injury, the fickleness of fans, and the performance of Jim McMahon - Marc really learned about the anonymity an athlete endures. But his star rose again the next year when he rebounded from a midsummer appendicitis attack in the Idaho mountains and led BYU to a season-opening upset of highly touted Texas A&M.

Other highlights of his collegiate career were throwing three touchdown passes in his first three pass attempts in a nationally televised game at San Diego State and breaking the NCAA record with 571 yards passing against Utah.

Marc's record as a starter was 22-4. He broke nine NCAA records and tied two others. He was BYU's first consensus All-American and finished third in the 1979 Heisman Trophy balloting.

Drafted by the Oakland Raiders, Marc played with two Super Bowl champions, the 1980 Oakland Raiders and the 1983 Los Angeles Raiders. He also played with the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots.

Freshman Year 1975

  • Was with the jayvee squad, connecting on 23 of 63 attempts for 355 yards
Sophmore Year 1977

  • Was a relatively unknown reserve quarterback on the squad at the start of the season
  • Came in the game generally when the contest was on ice, playing behind Gifford Nielsen
  • As a reserve he was 18 for 20 in passing, but was forced into the lineup as a starter when Nielsen was hurt at Oregon tate
  • In his first game as a starter at Colorado State he set a new WAC record of seven touchdown passes in one game in a 63-17 victory ... was 15-25 in passing for 332 yards against CSU
  • Consequently was named WAC offensive player of the week, UPI Backfield of the Week, Associated Press Back of the Week and Sports Illustrated offensive player of the week
  • Against Arizona he was 23-43 for 334 yards
  • Set an NCAA record of 571 passing yards against Utah
  • Against the Utes he also set a WAC record for single game total offense with 582 yards
  • Total against Utah was 26-41 for 571 passing yards and five TD passes
  • The 72-yard TD pass to Mike Chronister against the Utes was the longest counter for BYU's season
  • As a result Wilson was selected as WAC offensive player of the week, UPI backfield and AP co-back of the week
  • Against Long Beach State he tied an NCAA record for most passes completed in one half, 27 of 37 attempts
  • In that game he totaled 37-54 passes for 408 yards and four TD passes
  • Set four WAC records overall during the season
  • Led WAC in passing and total offense
  • Ranked third nationally in total offense and eighth in passing offense
  • Set five school records and four stadium records
  • Totals for 1977: 164 of 277 passes, 18 interceptions, 2,418 passing yards and 2,483 yards total offense
  • Tied for second nationally with 24 TD passes
  • Selected WAC Back of the Year
Junior Year 1978

  • Was injured against CSU, but came on the next week for his season's best performance against New Mexico
  • Against the Lobos he rallied the team back from behind in the fourth quarter with 10 completions for 90 yards
  • Total stats from the UNM game were 24 of 39 passes for 293 yards and one TD, plus 44 yards rushing
  • Consequently he was named WAC player-of-the-week
  • Two weeks later he lost his starting position to Jim McMahon at Oregon
  • Not until he started against Hawai`i did Wilson see considerable action
  • Against the Rainbow Warriors he was 26 of 30 passing for 291 yards and two TDs via the air
  • Rushing-wise he had 61 yards and one TD
  • For the Hawai`i game he was named WAC offensive player-of-the-week and player-of-the-game by the media
  • Also started in the Holiday Bowl vs. Navy
  • Was selected to the Churchmen's All-America squad for 1978
Senior Year 1979

  • Drafted as the 15th pick in the first round by the Oakland Raiders
  • First-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (Kodak), the Football Writers Association of America, United Press International, Association Press, Walter CAmp Football Foundation and Churchmen's Hall of Fame
  • All-Western Athletic Conference First Team, Downtown Athletic Club of New York Player of the Year, NCAA Top Five Award, Juhan Trophy Winner (Churchmen's Hall of Fame)
  • Third in the Heisman voting
  • WAC Offensive Player of the Year
  • WAC Player of the Week vs. Hawai`i and Wyoming
  • Winner of the Dale Rex Award
  • Deseret News Sportsman of the Year
  • Completed four touchdown passes in the first half at San Diego State, including three TD passes on BYU's first three possessions of the game
  • Engineered an 18-17 upset over nationally-ranked Texas A & M in Houston, weeks after his emergency appendectomy
Graduate Year

Redshirt Year 1976

Medical Redshirt Year 1976