Marx welcomed back to SRU
Senior defensive tackle a preseason All-American despite coming off injury
SLIPPERY ROCK — Something changed in Slippery Rock University’s defense during Week 5 against Edinboro last season.
And it wasn’t good.
Senior defensie tackle Jeff Marx — who often lines up on the nose of the football — went down with a broken foot, Expected to miss a couple of weeks, he did not return to action in 2021.
“It just never got any better,” the 6-foot-0, 285-pound Marx said. “It was so frustrating. But I never thought for a second that my career at The Rock was over. I was coming back.”
So while the rest of that senior class from last year — the winningest in the history of SRU football with 41 victories — moved on, Marx is back as the definite leader of that defensive unit. He is majoring in business management.
Marx was an All-PSAC West performer in 2019. Combined with the lost 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last season’s injury, he’s waited a long time to build off that performance.
“We’re getting his physical play back and his leadership,” defensive coordinator Dom Razzano said. “Jeff Marx plays with attitude.”
Head coach Shawn Lutz agreed.
“With Jeff on the field, teams weren’t going to run on us. That’s how he felt. That’s how he played,” Lutz said. “When he went down, we missed that.”
Marx has been named second team Preseason All-America by Lindy’s Sports despite playing less than half a season in 2021.
“I appreciate that recognition, but that’s something I have to earn,” he said. “Being All-American at the end of the year is what counts. I’ve learned from the absolute best here, guys like Marcus Martin, Chad Kuhn, Joe Phillips ... It’s my turn to step out and have a standout year.
“I learned how to lead by watching Tim Vernick these past three years. He was our heart and soul. I want to be that guy.”
Marx and fellow lineman Zach Bader were teammates and roommates for two years at SRU. Now Bader is the team’s defensive line coach while Marx is still playing.
“An adjustment I have to make, for sure,” Marx said. “We’re still close friends off the field. On the field, he’s my coach and I have to respect that.”
Bader doesn’t see their new-coach player relationship as being a problem.
“The guy loves to play football too much,” Bader said. “He’s been chomping at the bit to get back out there. I don’t have to motivate Jeff Marx at all. He is extremely self-motivated right now.”
Marx said his biggest goals this season are to be a good leader and “sacrifice my body to double-teams for the good of the team, if that’s what it takes. Bottom line ... I want to win.”
Razzano said his defense couldn’t replace Marx last year because, well, he’s irreplaceable.
“We’re talking about a guy who weighs 280 pounds, who is as strong and athletic as anybody his size, who moves like a linebacker and can change direction as well as almost any skilled position player,” Razzano said.
“He does more than clog up the middle. He makes plays. We are thrilled to have him back.”
