University of Buffalo running back Kevin Marks Jr. was a freshman when he learned that the Bulls eventually would travel to Norfolk to play against Old Dominion.
His four-year wait finally ended Saturday when Buffalo and ODU met at S.B. Ballard Stadium in the Bulls’ 35-34 victory.
It was special to Marks because it was a chance for him to come home.
Marks and Buffalo teammate Isaiah King, played at Norview and were teammates with Old Dominion quarterback D.J. Mack. Another Bull, teammate Khamran Laborn — Marks’s cousin — is a graduate of Maury High in Norfolk.
“When I saw them on the schedule, we knew we were coming back home,” Marks said. “We knew we gotta put on a show and get this done. I was definitely excited. And it’s an honor to come back home because a lot of people don’t get this opportunity. To come back home to this area is special.”
In 2016, Marks, King and Mack helped lead the Pilots to their first state semifinal appearance in decades. They lost to eventual state Group 5A champion Highland Springs.
On Saturday, it was the Bulls who came away with the victory — but barely.
Mack nearly led the Monarchs to a dramatic come-from-behind victory. The Monarchs trailed 35-7 at the half, but Mack rushed for two second-half touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass with 19 seconds left to pull ODU within one. But the Monarchs missed an extra point that would have sent the game into overtime.
Marks marveled at his former teammate.
“It feels good to see him show out tonight,” Marks said about Mack, who completed 24 of 41 passes for 224 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and also led the Monarchs in rushing with 84 yards. “Seeing him from the other sideline, he’s hard to handle for real. He’s tough. He hasn’t changed. It’s like high school again. But I’m happy for him, and I’m always going to be on his side.”
The two talk often on the phone. Just not game week.
But they did talk before the game and after.
Their reunion also was special for Maury coach Dyrri McCain.
McCain was an assistant coach at Norview when Mack, Marks and King played on that state semifinal team. He also coached Laborn at Maury.
“It’s going to be exciting,” McCain said before the game. “As a coach, you can’t put a price on that. It’s going to be good just to see all those guys. I just want all of them to play well. It’s a blessing to have four or five kids even at the college level. And then to have them playing against each other, it’s great.”
As high school seniors, Marks and Mack dominated.
Marks led South Hampton Roads in rushing with 2,364 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also set the school rushing record and was named first-team All-Tidewater.
Mack as a senior in 2016 threw for 2,975 yards and 34 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,127 yards and 17 touchdowns and was named the 2016 Abe Goldblatt All-Tidewater Player of the Year.
In college, Marks is two rushing touchdowns shy of tying Branden Oliver (2010-13) for third in school history with 33. He’s also 125 yards shy of becoming just the sixth player in program history to rush for 3,000 career yards.
Seeing all of them reunite at Old Dominion is something Marks didn’t take lightly.
“I was really excited, and humbled and blessed to get this opportunity to come back home and show out from where I’m from,” said Marks, who finished with 33 yards on 13 carries Saturday. “It was a big honor. I’m just glad we came and took the ‘W’ away from them.”
Larry Rubama, 757-446-2273, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com Follow @LHRubama on Twitter.
