It is no surprise that Marcus Harper II is successful in college athletics. With a frame of 6-foot-2 and 324 pounds, he’d be a natural fit in many sports. In fact, as a child, the Oregon senior offensive lineman from Chicago Heights, Illinois, loved competition. However, football wasn’t his first interest.
“I really didn’t get into football until high school,” he explains. “I thought it would be basketball for me all the way.”
But biology played a hand when a growth spurt gave him the width of a forward and the height of a point guard. “That’s not a good combination for basketball,” Harper laughs.
Even when he initially tried out for high school football, Harper thought he could be a wide receiver or a tight end, until his coach told him he was wasting time with those positions. “He said there was a better place for me with my size, and put me on the offensive line. I’m glad that happened, because that’s a position I’ve come to love, and it created my love for this game.”
He became a three-year letterman shortly thereafter. Then the colleges called, and he became a Duck in 2020. The transition from high school to college ball took a couple of years, but Harper became one of the country’s best offensive guards. Last season, the fifth-year senior did not give up one single quarterback sack in 432 pass-blocking opportunities. For a guy who was initially hesitant to put on the shoulder pads, he’s embraced it now.
“I like being able to run up and hit somebody, as well as show my agility and athleticism for a guy my size,” he says. “For that matter, I like to be able to show my aggressiveness helping my team win, and I take a lot of pride in my craft.”
Harper not only takes pride in the physical parts of the line, but the mental aspects as well.
“The o-line has a lot more schematics than most people give credit for,” he explains. “It is actually a very intellectual position.”
And if there’s anyone excited about the UO transitioning from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, it’s Harper. Not only did he grow up in the Midwest watching Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, he was heavily recruited by some of those schools. There are also more opportunities for his relatives to see him play, particularly his father, Marcus Harper Sr., his “main man” who taught him to always dream big.
In his final year at Oregon, he’s expected to take on an even greater leadership role on one of the best offensive lines in the nation, and he’s “absolutely ready.” “I’ve led in many forms before this season,” he says. “Right now, it’s about making sure we’re making the plays we’re supposed to, so the quarterback can make the throws, or the running back can have the open holes to run for big yardage.”
He’s had many great memories over the past two years, including substantial playing time in an otherwise murky loss to Georgia in 2022, and many thrilling victories. He is also enchanted by the many places of natural beauty in the Willamette Valley. “In Chicago, we don’t really have a lot of that,” he says. “But here, you can go out to Dexter Lake and be calm with the water. It’s a real good vibe. That’s one of my many favorite parts of the Eugene area.”
He’ll continue to enjoy this area a little longer, while preparing for his future. At one time, football wasn’t even an afterthought. Now it’s a springboard that could launch him just about anywhere.
“I plan on being in the NFL for many years,” he states. “But I could eventually see myself in coaching, as an entrepreneur, a TV personality, even possibly in acting. We’ll see. I look forward to what comes next.”
That now includes the launch of “The Big Mark Show” in collaboration with Oregon Ducks on Sports Illustrated. This series will provide an unprecedented look into the life of a college athlete, showcasing Harper’s journey both on and off the field.
