Blue Hens football player Yarns chasing his NFL dream

NEWARK — Marcus Yarns knows he has a chance to be more than just a good football player.

The Delaware standout running back has the chance to be a good example, too.
Yarns, a Salisbury, Md. native, wants to prove that a lot of good things are possible with hard work.

“Growing up, I’ve always had this motto, I want to be the first to do anything and everything,” he said this week.

“For me, I want to get drafted (by the NFL). I feel like that would be huge, not only for the program but for where I come from. For me to get drafted, I feel like that would be a huge, huge step.

“That’s something I want to live. And, to live that, I’ve got to keep being my best each and every day.”

Yarns knows this season is his chance to finish what he’s already started.

People have taken notice of the 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior. He’s earned a number of preseason honors and had NFL scouts passing through Newark to see him.

But with over 2,000 all-purpose yards in his career, including 1,500 rushing, Yarns know he has to keep proving himself.

“I think he understands that he has more eyes on him now,” said Delaware running backs coach Andrew Pierce. “But the same way we prepare, the same way everybody in the group needs to practice is the way he’s going to practice.

“We’re going to ask a lot of him — like we did last year. And he’s accepted the challenge. He’s put his body in a situation this summer where he can come out and execute at a high level and practice hard. All those things will get him to what his ultimate goal is. I’m excited for him.”

Blue Hen quarterback Ryan O’Connor has been impressed with Yarns for a long time.

The two played against each other in Maryland’s Bayside Conference when O’Connor was at Easton and Yarns was suiting up for Parkside High.

O’Connor remembers his sophomore season when Easton was up 14-0 on Parkside at halftime.

“He hadn’t touched the ball once on offense, I don’t know what was happening,” said the quarterback. “It was like he just showed up in the second half and ran for 300 yards with the game-winning touchdown. It was awful.”

Not surprisingly, O’Connor is happy to line up in the same backfield with Yarns now. O’Connor is impressed with the player that Yarns has become.

“He’s the best player on our team, the best player in the conference, the best player in the FCS,” said O’Connor. “I’ve been competing against him for years. Now getting to be on the same team as him, having him stand right next to me on every play makes me feel amazing about how the drive is going to go.

“He’s a game-changer, he’s a great teammate. It’s been awesome to see him grow from high school. I can’t say enough about him.”

Having a high-profile player like Yarns helps the younger players on the squad, too, said Pierce.

He said he can talk to all his running backs about the right way to handle similar situations.

“Everybody in the room can learn from it,” said Pierce. “None of the expectations that I have or the standards that I have for the way these guys practice changes because the scout is out there.

“I think Marcus understands that and I think everybody in the room is learning that. ... Just being an overall pro is helping my room even more. They’re understanding what it takes to even get eyes on you.”

“Going out there and seeing Marc every day, and seeing him be great, just makes us want to go,” said sophomore running back Saeed St. Fleur. “Being behind an All-American back is good. You get to see the ups and downs of it — the whole process.”

Yarns said he’s OK with the process that comes with getting some interest from NFL scouts. He said it’s not a distraction.

The way he looks at it, the attention is just reason to work even harder.

“If anything, I find it motivating that I actually have a chance,” he said. “It just helps me focus and lock in even more to the job at hand.”

More high school days

Yarns remembers some moments playing against O’Connor in high school, too, of course.

Yarns also played defensive back in those days. He said O’Connor got him to bite on a fake before throwing a touchdown against him.

“Playing against ‘OC’ I always knew he was a good player,” said Yarns. “Once he committed (to Delaware) he hit me up ASAP. I’m like, ‘We’ve got to get to work, this is about to be a crazy story.’”