Completed Event: Football at Temple on September 13, 2025 , Win , 42, to, 3
Final
Football
42
at Temple
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
With Adversity Comes Inspiration
November 23, 2007 | Football
NORMAN, Okla. -- Marcus Walker knows adversity well. Coming from Waco, Texas, Walker's life has not always been easy. With struggles in his home life and hardships with his family, it is truly inspiring see how far Walker has come.
Walker is the first member of his family to attend a large public university and will be the first to finish his degree upon graduation.
"Just making it to college was a big deal for me," Walker said. "Just being able to experience school and play football is great."
Although Walker's family may not be able to relate to his college life, they are always there to support him and back him in everything he does.
"They are the most supportive family," Walker said. "It's a support that is always there and they are really helpful."
Walker has needed that support more than usual in the last couple of years after his brother and best friend, Carl Walker, got into legal trouble halfway through the 2005 football season.
"It was so rough for me, probably the roughest time of my life," Walker said. "Carl has been my best friend since we were little. It was tough to not get to talk to him or be around him and to not have him be able to watch me play."
The Walker brothers, who are only 22 months apart, have a special bond that goes beyond being brothers.
"We're brothers but we're also best friends," the older Walker said. "If there was something closer than a brother, that is what we would be. We have always been attached at the hip."
After two years of being gone, Carl Walker is now able to come to all of the Oklahoma football games and watch his brother play. Having the support of his older brother has meant the world to Walker during his senior year.
"The best part of my senior year has been knowing that he is watching me play," Walker said. "Having him there and having his support is really great."
It has been equally inspiring for Carl. The older Walker brother loves to watch younger brother Marcus play and see him succeed after dealing with so many obstacles.
"You can't even imagine what it's like to be able to watch Marcus play," Carl said. "I don't even know how to explain how incredible it is."
After missing out on watching Marcus' career, it means that much more to Carl to be able to watch Walker in his senior year, which has also been his best season yet.
"God has perfect timing," Carl said. "It could not have worked out better to watch him play his senior year. It really is a dream come true. It's not really about how I feel. It's about him and how much he has accomplished."
Carl credits Walker's accomplishments to his incredible determination and drive. That determination has been with Walker since high school where he overcame troubles at home and finally made it to Oklahoma to play football.
"Marcus won't let anyone tell him he can't do something because he has that determination to get what he wants," Carl said. "Our mom always joked with him that there was a fine line between confident and cocky, but Marcus always had a great determination."
That fine line between confidence and cockiness is something that Walker knows well. Walker said that the hardest thing in college football is just to stay focused and grounded.
"When you come out of high school to such a high profile team, it's hard to stay focused at times," Walker said. "We're all in a situation where it is hard not to get distracted. We all have to know our goals and what we want to accomplish and make sure to make it happen."
For Walker those goals include two major things -- a college degree and a National Championship.
"First, I want to win a National Championship. It's something we're all working for," Walker said. "Second, I want to finish my degree. My grandma told me before I left for college to make sure that I finish my education and I'm going to make sure and do that."
For Walker, his senior year is something he has looked forward to for awhile. Walker said the best part is the team itself.
"I love the guys on this team," Walker said. "It's great to just enjoy the team and it makes it easy to go out there and play. We're just trying to have a good time and win a National Championship. After all, you only get one senior year."
While the dream of a National Championship may no longer be within reach, you can be sure Walker will make the most the time he has left at OU and move on to bigger things in the future with his degree in hand.
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Story by Leslie Koch | OU Athletics Media Relations
Walker is the first member of his family to attend a large public university and will be the first to finish his degree upon graduation.
"Just making it to college was a big deal for me," Walker said. "Just being able to experience school and play football is great."
Although Walker's family may not be able to relate to his college life, they are always there to support him and back him in everything he does.
"They are the most supportive family," Walker said. "It's a support that is always there and they are really helpful."
Walker has needed that support more than usual in the last couple of years after his brother and best friend, Carl Walker, got into legal trouble halfway through the 2005 football season.
"It was so rough for me, probably the roughest time of my life," Walker said. "Carl has been my best friend since we were little. It was tough to not get to talk to him or be around him and to not have him be able to watch me play."
The Walker brothers, who are only 22 months apart, have a special bond that goes beyond being brothers.
"We're brothers but we're also best friends," the older Walker said. "If there was something closer than a brother, that is what we would be. We have always been attached at the hip."
After two years of being gone, Carl Walker is now able to come to all of the Oklahoma football games and watch his brother play. Having the support of his older brother has meant the world to Walker during his senior year.
"God has perfect  timing. It could not have worked out better to watch him play his senior year." - Marcus' older brother Carl |
It has been equally inspiring for Carl. The older Walker brother loves to watch younger brother Marcus play and see him succeed after dealing with so many obstacles.
"You can't even imagine what it's like to be able to watch Marcus play," Carl said. "I don't even know how to explain how incredible it is."
After missing out on watching Marcus' career, it means that much more to Carl to be able to watch Walker in his senior year, which has also been his best season yet.
"God has perfect timing," Carl said. "It could not have worked out better to watch him play his senior year. It really is a dream come true. It's not really about how I feel. It's about him and how much he has accomplished."
Carl credits Walker's accomplishments to his incredible determination and drive. That determination has been with Walker since high school where he overcame troubles at home and finally made it to Oklahoma to play football.
"Marcus won't let anyone tell him he can't do something because he has that determination to get what he wants," Carl said. "Our mom always joked with him that there was a fine line between confident and cocky, but Marcus always had a great determination."
That fine line between confidence and cockiness is something that Walker knows well. Walker said that the hardest thing in college football is just to stay focused and grounded.
"When you come out of high school to such a high profile team, it's hard to stay focused at times," Walker said. "We're all in a situation where it is hard not to get distracted. We all have to know our goals and what we want to accomplish and make sure to make it happen."
For Walker those goals include two major things -- a college degree and a National Championship.
"First, I want to win a National Championship. It's something we're all working for," Walker said. "Second, I want to finish my degree. My grandma told me before I left for college to make sure that I finish my education and I'm going to make sure and do that."
For Walker, his senior year is something he has looked forward to for awhile. Walker said the best part is the team itself.
"I love the guys on this team," Walker said. "It's great to just enjoy the team and it makes it easy to go out there and play. We're just trying to have a good time and win a National Championship. After all, you only get one senior year."
While the dream of a National Championship may no longer be within reach, you can be sure Walker will make the most the time he has left at OU and move on to bigger things in the future with his degree in hand.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Story by Leslie Koch | OU Athletics Media Relations
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