PREP FOOTBALL: John Hardin's Marcum enjoying breakout season (9/25)

By CHUCK JONES cjones@thenewsenterprise.com RADCLIFF — John Hardin senior Tim Marcum can remember the coaches telling him he might only touch the ball 20 times prior to the football season beginning because of the number of weapons the Bulldogs have. Maybe, Marcum wanted to prove them wrong. Maybe, Marcum has developed into more of a weapon than a diversion. Whatever the case, Marcum has emerged as not only John Hardin’s go-to receiver, but one of the top wideouts in the area. Marcum is fourth in the area in receptions with 17 for 265 yards and is tied for second in receiving touchdowns with four. “It’s going really great,” Marcum said of his season. “Before the season, I remember them sitting me down and telling I may get 20 balls. Looks like I’m going to get more than that. I just happened to fall into a program that runs the ball, but they find ways to get me the ball.” The Bulldogs (4-0 and ranked second in the Associated Press’ Class 5-A poll) certainly have done that through the first four games. The 6-foot-1, 172-pound Marcum has picked up right where he left off last season when he led the team in receptions and receiving touchdowns. He had 22 catches for 387 yards and seven scores last season. “Tim does a really good job,” John Hardin coach Mark Brown said. “He has a nice blend of speed and good hands and he runs good routes. He’s capable of picking up yardage after the catch, which is a big thing. He doesn’t mind catching the ball in a crowd.” Heading into Friday night’s Class 5-A, District 3 game at Louisville Waggener, John Hardin’s offense is averaging 43.8 points and 479.8 yards a game. The Bulldogs, who run the Wing-T offense, are viewed as a running team, and rightfully so, as they have continued to put up gaudy numbers this season. But the Bulldogs are throwing for 141.5 yards a game, which is up nearly 50 yards from last season’s 12-1 team. Marcum is a big reason for the passing game’s success as he averages 66.3 yards a game. “We knew what he was capable of,” Brown said. “He’s our No. 1 receiver and he’s earned that spot. We throw the ball more than most Wing-T teams, but it hurts him some because we spread it out so much.” Marcum’s receiving totals are much more impressive when one considers this has become a pass-happy area with four teams using Tony Franklin’s System, a spread offense. Teams using that offense are averaging more than 28 attempts per week compared to John Hardin’s 15 attempts per game. “Everybody wants the ball in their hands,” Marcum said. “But I don’t care about stats or how many catches I get each game. I’m just trying to make plays to get my team up and help us win games.” That’s always been Marcum’s motto. His sophomore year he was thrown into the fire early, starting at quarterback because the Bulldogs were searching for a replacement for Jerren Morning. Marcum admits, “I wasn’t very good at it.” With Alex Dingle emerging at quarterback last season, Marcum made the switch to wideout without complaint. Although he enjoyed playing quarterback, Marcum, who played fullback at Bluegrass Middle School, said, “I’d say (receiver) is my best position.” “He handled the transition fine,” Brown said. “I think he knew deep down he wasn’t really a quarterback. He’s going to do whatever you need him to do. He could play halfback if we needed him to, but we have so many halfbacks. But he’s one of those players that’s going to do what’s best for the team.” Besides being the Bulldogs’ top receiving threat, Marcum plays cornerback, where he has one interception this season, and he handles the punting duties, averaging 38.0 yards per punt. “I just like being out on the field,” Marcum said. “I’m not like my brother (D.J.). I’m not as good defensively as he was, but I think I have the edge on him offensively. I’ll do whatever they need because I just want to be on the field.” There was a time when Marcum’s status for this season was up in the air. Marcum is already 19 years ago and was held back a year in school due to family issues. But his father, David, worked relentlessly with lawmakers and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association granted Marcum an extra year of eligibility. “I’m very fortunate,” Marcum said. “My dad fought hard for me. I didn’t know all the hard work he did at the time. Coach Brown did a lot for me, too. I’m fortunate to get this last opportunity to put a uniform on and play football. I’m just glad I have this chance.” Marcum isn’t the only one. The Bulldogs are glad they have their playmaker at wideout this season. Chuck Jones can be reached at 505-1759

Jill Pickett

John Hardin's Tim Marcum is fourth in the area in receptions with 17 for 265 yards and is tied for second in receiving touchdowns with four.

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Jill Pickett

John Hardin's Tim Marcum is in the midst of a breakout season.

Buy this photo