Marcus Howard becomes the first member of the Rockford University football program to be enshrined in the Chuck DeWild Hall of Fame. Howard played on the inaugural football team in 2000 and was a major reason for the program’s early success. In his senior season in 2003, the Regents posted a 7-3 overall record, a program-high for wins in a season, and finished second in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference South Division.
To this day, Howard remains one of the most decorated football players in school history. Howard currently holds 18 school records and has two of Rockford’s four 1,000 yard single-season rushing performances. Howard is also the only Regent to rush for more than 300 yards in a game, a feat which he accomplished on two separate occasions. His stranglehold on the RU football record book includes holding the single-game, single-season and career records in six different categories. Howard’s records include: rushing yards (343 game, 1,413 season, 3,276 career), rushing attempts (43 game, 248 season, 650 career), rushing touchdowns (5 game, 17 season, 34 career), all-purpose yards (363 game, 1,497 season, 3,954 career), total touchdowns (5 game, 17 season, 35 career) and points (30 game, 102 season, 210 career). Howard’s performance on the field throughout his career earned him both regional and national recognition. He was twice named UMAC Offensive Player of the Week as well as being named the Don Hansen Football Gazette NCAA Division III National Co-Offensive Player of the Week. His first national weekly honor came as a freshman when Howard racked up 343 yards on 43 attempts and scored 3 touchdowns. His other national weekly honor came during his senior season when he carried the ball 29 times for 326 yards and 5 touchdowns in Rockford’s 105-0 win against Trinity Bible. Howard also received First Team All-UMAC South honors both his junior and senior seasons, as well as being named the UMAC South Division Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. His outstanding senior season was then capped off when he was voted to the Football Gazette NCAA Division III All-North Region Third Team.
Career: 2000-03
