Marist’s Marc Coy did not play tackle football until high school. He did not line up on offense until last season with the sophomore team.
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Coy remembers taking his first hit in a game. And shrugging it off.
“I was like, ‘All right, I can do this. That didn’t hurt,'” he said.
Now, Coy is a junior running back who made a big impression in his first varsity game.
Against Glenbard West’s traditionally tough defense, Coy ran for 131 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries Saturday in a 33-31 nonconference loss.
“From when I was 3 years old up through eighth grade, I always played flag football,” Coy said. “I came into Marist, they had me at defensive end as a freshman. Then sophomore year they said, ‘This kid is pretty fast. Let’s try him on the offensive side.’
“They put me at running back, and here I am.”
It has not taken Coy long to win over his teammates, either. He has shown he’s ready to be the starter at running back, according to senior quarterback Dermot Smyth.
“Marc’s a beast,” Smyth said. “I feel very confident with him, and our O-line did a great job for him.”
Coy felt some apprehension, mixed with a lot of excitement, leading up to his varsity debut.
“I was really nervous,” Coy said of Friday night. “My mind was just running. I woke up (Saturday) morning and just felt like a kid on Christmas.”
Coy said he reached out to some Marist graduates, including last season’s starting running back Jaylen Johnson, for advice on how to handle the nerves.
“I texted them and asked how they dealt with pressure,” Coy said. “They gave me some good pointers and I went from there.
“Jaylen Johnson said, ‘You’re with one other running back and you’re going out there for a reason.’ I heard that and I was like, ‘Here we go.'”
After the RedHawks (0-1) fell behind 21-0 in the first five minutes Saturday, Coy got them on the board with a 7-yard TD run in the first quarter. He broke off a 48-yard TD run in the second quarter.
The early success gave Coy a new sense of belief.
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“It just felt great,” Coy said. “I didn’t know what I was capable of, and once those runs happened, I was like, ‘Man, here we go. Here comes the season.'”
Marist coach Ron Dawczak knew he had a speedy running back in Coy, who also runs track.
Coy, though, exceeded expectations against Glenbard West.
Given the fact Coy is still new to the position, Dawczak believes he’s just starting to tap into his potential.
“Marc is a very talented kid,” Dawczak said. “He’s got great size and great speed. For playing tackle football just for a few years, he’s still learning the game.
“He’s got tremendous ability, and we’re really excited about him. I think he has great things in store for his future.”
Coy is also confident Marist has big things ahead this season.
After Saturday’s slow start, the RedHawks’ offense got rolling. Smyth, who shifted from receiver last season to quarterback, settled in and threw for 289 yards and a TD.
Receivers Mike Donegan and Ryan Sims made big plays as well.
Coy was a steady force, adding a 5-yard TD run in the third quarter.
“It’s just a brotherhood on our team,” Coy said. “We’re firing on all cylinders on offense now. Everyone is picking each other up.”
Coy is certainly not satisfied, though, after Marist’s comeback came up just short. The RedHawks will look to bounce back in Friday’s game at Richards.
“I’m going to keep working hard,” he said. “I’m going to have this loss motivate me through the whole season.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.