Linfield University Athletics

Athlete 1966 - 1969

Randy Marshall, Class of 1973, is selected to the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame for his contributions in football.

Marshall was a two-time NAIA All-America nose guard, a member of two Northwest Conference championship football teams, and played in the National Football League.

He also played basketball at Linfield on a conference and district championship basketball team. In fact, he was recruited to Linfield out of Santiam High School in Mill City by Hall of Fame basketball coach Ted Wilson, but was turned to football as a sophomore by Hall of Fame coach Paul Durham and Hall of Fame player Pete Dengenis.

Marshall's most memorable accomplishments were on the football field. In summary, they are:

--Chosen Wildcats Outstanding Defensive Player by the team in 1966, '67, '68 and '69 on teams that went 27-8-1 and won two conference championships;

--First-team All-Northwest Conference defense in 1967, '68, '69; second team in 1966;

--NAIA All-American honorable mention in 1968 and '69; Associated Press Small-College All-American honorable mention in 1969;

--NAIA District 2 first-team all-star in 1967, '68, '69;

--Associated Press Little All-Northwest second team defensive end in 1966; United Press International Little All-Coast in 1967 and '68; Little All-Northwest first team in 1969;

--Named best defensive lineman in the Northwest Conference by The Oregonian in 1969 and nominated for 1969 Hayward Athlete of the Year in Oregon.

Ad Rutschman, Marshall's coach his last three years at Linfield, calls him "the most dominant player at his position I have ever seen or coached."

The NFL took notice. Marshall was drafted in the sixth round in 1970 by the Atlanta Falcons and played two seasons for Atlanta. He was traded to the Buffalo Bills in 1972 but retired because of chronic knee problems.

Marshall returned in 1973 to his home in Wamic, Oregon, 40 miles south of The Dalles, where he has resided most of the years since and runs a 250 cow-calf operation and raises wheat and hay on his 1,700-acre RD Marshall Ranch. He also completed his degree at Linfield in 1973 in business administration.