New Bears on the Block: Cal Frosh TE Ben Marshall
Last August, the Bears pulled in a commitment from one of their top tight end prospects in Blackman High School (Murfreesboro, TN) tight end Ben Marshall. The 6-4/230 TE also held offers from Ole Miss, Pitt, West Virginia, Vandy and WSU as well as others. He took an official visit to Cal the second weekend in June, where the Bears made a big impression on the versatile TE, who played in all three phases of the game for his Blackman squad.
"I just felt like the coaching staff had a whole lot more energy than like most other schools did," Marshall noted. "And they made me feel at home with everything like how I play and they answered all my questions I had and I loved everything about it."
Marshall’s recruitment was started by previous tight ends coach Geep Chryst but was picked up by his position coach, Tim Plough.
"It's been good. Coach Plough has made me feel welcome and everything along with the other tight ends," Marshall said. "They've all been cool, helping me understand things. They've been great."
The versatile frosh also played linebacker and quarterback along with handling longsnapper and kick and punt return duties for Blackman.
"Yeah, it's fun just to do everything like that," Marshall said. "I play offense and defense, too, so they just utilized me in every way possible which you gotta love as a football player."
Marshall won’t be the only new tight end on the Cal roster, with Oregon State transfer JT Byrne, who had a similar profile at Carmel High School before playing collegiately.
As for what he’s currently focusing on?
"Just getting in here and putting on weight and everything," Marshall noted. "I think I'm pretty decent size at 230 coming in. But there's always room to improve because you know because guys at this level are bigger and stronger and faster. So my focus right now is just weight room and then also just like getting the formations down because it's only like my fourth day right now. So getting the formations and then slowly learning the plays but just taking it step by step."
The 3 star TE had a big season as a junior, adding 65 receptions for 834 yards (12.8 ypc) and 7 TDs on the season in just 9 games. Thought his senior stats aren’t available, the versatile Marshall ended his season with another big game, doing a little bit of everything, scoring on a 2-yard run, a 13-yard reception, and a 59-yard passing TD. He also punted 3 times for an average of 44.7 yards per punt.
Not just a typical inline blocker, Marshall brings advanced receiving skills having grown up playing receiver before he grew into his tight end position.
"I played receiver growing up and then I just happened to get a little bigger," Marshall noted. "So my coach junior year from that time in, but it was a whole lot hand down stuff and I'd just use my size and my reach and athletic skills to make improvements and just score."
The transition with his new classmates and teammates has been a smooth one so far for the Volunteer State native.
"Yeah, all of them are cool," Marshall said. "We've been hanging out, the tight ends and everything. Everyone here really made me feel welcome so I really love that about this place."
For what he’s most looking forward to as a new Cal player and student athlete, Marshall is anxious to see exactly how being a part of a Power Five program will work.
"Just seeing how they run things and stuff because it's my first year in college," Marshall said. "I don't really know the behind-the-scenes of how college programs are run and where to go, what goes on during practice, what goes on in the weight room and see how they make me better.
"Go Bears!"
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