‘Hungry’ Edwards: Let the journey begin

Marcus Edwards, left, shakes hands with childhood friend Isaiah Yonas as seven Sabino High School students signed national letters of intent to play collegiate sports.

Sabino High School’s Marcus Edwards spent his entire senior season sidelined with a knee injury. He knew it would be only a matter of time before he got back on the gridiron.

Now he’s one step closer.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 280-pound defensive lineman signed a national letter of intent to play football for Navy on Wednesday morning in front of classmates, fellow athletes and family members, including his father, Douglas, a retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force.

“I’m blessed having a school like Navy stay with me after an injury like I had. It just shows me a lot about their character and everything,” said Edwards, who plans on studying nuclear engineering. “I haven’t played football in about a year now, and the fire is building; I’m very hungry for this.

“I’m ready to ball out.”

Edwards was Southern Arizona’s lone player to formally accept a scholarship with an FBS program Wednesday. Sahuaro’s Derik Hall and Salpointe Catholic’s Taylor Powell both signed with NAU, and Pusch Ridge Christian’s Mitch Reilly finalized his commitment to University of San Diego. Both programs play at the FCS level.

Another local recruit, Mountain View’s Demetrius Flannigan, plans to sign with the Arizona Wildcats at a later date. Flannigan verbally committed to the UA last summer but did not play as a senior after being ruled ineligible by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

Edwards missed time for a different reason. The senior tore the ACL in his right knee on the final day of spring practice last year and was unable to recover in time to play another down of high school football. Navy had enough interest in Edwards that it actually extended an offer to him after his injury.

“This is going to make him hungrier, more motivated, more excited to get back out on the field because he has a passion to play football,” Sabino coach Jay Campos said.

“To be able to get out there and play at a high level for a great program like Navy is a tremendous opportunity.”

Edwards, wearing a Navy blue vest over a gold long-sleeve shirt with a matching tie, used his father’s retirement pen to fill out his paperwork. He was flanked by five teammates, all of whom signed to play at the next level.

“Seeing him go to a school where he could play football with a great academic institution is amazing,” said Douglas Edwards, who spent 22 years in the Air Force before retiring in 2001. “When I was leaving school I was thinking about going to a military academy, but I just took the enlisted route.

“I’m excited for him. As a

father, seeing your son go out

and do positive things makes you happy.”

Marcus Edwards is bigger, faster and stronger than when he was injured, his father said. Edwards was hoping to play at the end of his senior season, but doctors decided it was better to be safe rather than risk a setback that could jeopardize his future.

“It was really heartbreaking in some ways the fact that he couldn’t play this season for us; he wanted to play so bad for his team,” Campos said. “But it’s fortunate that he still has an opportunity to go play college football.”