Football - 2004 Profile - Guilford College

Marcus Ballard

DB, Sr., 5-8, 175, Burgaw, NC

A two-time rushing leader who moves to the secondary upon rejoining the team after a one-year absence... a very fast student-athlete with good hands and leaping ability... a dangerous kick returner... could surface in some offensive formations... has three 100-yard rushing games... 2002: Guilford's top scorer and kick returner... ranked third in the ODAC in both categories... Guilford's second-leading rusher and number-three receiver... had 126 rushing yards on 13 carries and tied the school record with four touchdowns against Methodist... had 216 all-purpose yards in the game... ODAC Offensive Player of the Week (9/16)... had six catches for 118 yards, both career highs, at Randolph-Macon... 2001: Led Guilford's rushers for the second straight season... ranked seventh among ODAC rushing yards per game leaders (52.6)... had Guilford's best yards per carry average since 1984... ODAC Offensive Player of the Week winner after rushing for a season-high 106 yards and a score versus Methodist... collected 203 all-purpose yards (63 rushing, 140 kickoff return) and two touchdowns at Catholic... returned a kickoff 80 yards for a TD in the game, the Quakers' longest return of the season... paced Guilford's rushers five times... 2000: Honorable mention All-ODAC pick... had the most rushing yards by a rookie since David Heggie's '98 951 yards in 1995... ranked sixth among ODAC rushing and all-purpose yards per game leaders... won Guilford's Soup Bowl MVP prize with a career-high 182 rushing yards and an 81-yard touchdown run versus Greensboro... gained 97 rushing yards against Emory & Henry thanks to a team-best 82-yard touchdown run, the school's longest offensive play since 1989... led Guilford in punt returns... Personal: Played junior varsity basketball at Guilford in 2001-02... three-time All-Coastal 3-A Conference football player for Coach Gary Lewis' Pender H.S. team... rushed for 2,586 yards in 23 games... key player on Pender's 2000 sectional basketball champions... Coastal 3-A Conference Track MVP in 2000... Pender's 2000 Male Athlete of the Year... older brother, Anthony, ran track for North Carolina Central... cousin of New York Giants' defensive tackle Norman Hand and West Georgia defensive back Kevin Johnson... son of George and Barbara Ballard... business management major.