The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Sitting Down With Former Michigan Safety Marcus Ray Marcus Ray took center stage in one of the most memo- rable Sports Illustrated covers of all time involving a Michi- gan football player. The image of him sending Ohio State's David Boston into a helicopter twirl on an incomplete pass captured the intensity of the U-M-OSU matchup. Ray was a part of three Michigan victories over the Buck- eyes, in 1995, '96 and '97, the final one catapulting the Wolverines toward a national championship. The Columbus native looked on with fervent anticipation when the Wol- verines and Buckeyes squared off this year, and took time to share his thoughts with The Wolverine. The Wolverine: What was it like watching the Michigan- Ohio State game this year? Ray: "I was elated. I was really happy for the seniors. I was happy for the fans, and proud of Greg Mattison and Brady Hoke turning our program back around. "Any time you win 10 games in any season, that's a big deal. Even though Ohio State wasn't a great team, the brand name is still Ohio State. As long as you beat the brand, it counts. They counted their three wins against us when we weren't any good. A win is a win. "Being from Columbus, and being a part of this rivalry, I was just so happy for the program. I was sitting right in the front row. It almost brought tears to my face to see all those 100,000 people standing at The Big House like that." The Wolverine: You've seen both of the coaches you men- tion up close before. Where do you think they and the other Michigan coaches will have this program headed? Ray: "In the next two years, I think our program is going to be top five, definitely top 10. I don't know if it will be next year, but by 2013, we should be fighting for a national title, or at least competing. "Now with the talent pool in the Big Ten being so spread out evenly, a team like Michigan State or Wisconsin can rise and win some games, when a Michigan and Ohio State is down. But those guys have our program headed in the right direction. "I see Michigan being right at the top of the conference, having conference supremacy, and definitely playing for a national title soon." The Wolverine: What about Brady Hoke has allowed him to come in and recruit as well as he has and win 10 games his first year? Ray: "Brady is a players' coach. He's a humble man. He has a great sense of humor. He's a listener. He's not a know-it-all. He's compassionate. He understands people. "When he walks into a home to recruit, the way he lights up the room with his smile, he's like a big teddy bear. You feel like you can get close to him. He doesn't talk down to people. He comes across as an average, every-day guy that you could go out with and have a good time. "In today's world, these kids, with all this technology and all the distractions they face, they want to play for a coach like that. Not necessarily a father figure, but a figure who can maintain his authority and show he cares about the kids. Ray, who was a member of U-M's 1997 national championship squad and made a memorable hit in the Ohio State victory that year, was elated by the Wolverines' win over the Buckeyes. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN "Michigan sells itself. Obviously, we had a great season this year, and that's what makes it easy. He can relate. He's not that old. He does have a track record of success. He was at Michigan before, so he's not trying to sell something he doesn't know about. He's not a used car salesman. "People just love him in general. He'd be loved on a job if he worked at Wal-Mart, or he was a bartender. He has that type of glow. When people know you care about them, they'll go the extra mile for you." The Wolverine: What is going on in your life right now? Ray: "I have 'Rays of Light, Vol. 1," on Amazon.com. I'm working on 'Rays of Light, Vol. 2 — Truth Is Light.' That will be out April/May, 2012. Then finally, I'm going to do '1997 — The Making Of A Champion,' where I'm going to tell the story from my perspective, interview some players and put a nice book together, for the beginning of the 2012 season. "I've been doing a lot of speaking engagements at high schools, prisons and juvenile centers. But I'm really looking to expand into the media, maybe sports talk radio, do some commentary. I'm also looking to move to the Detroit metro area, or Ann Arbor area, soon. I'm working my book and try- ing to build my own brand. "I definitely want to crack into the media — just stay around game, and if a coaching opportunity comes up, I would take that." — John Borton DECEMBER 2011 THE WOLVERINE 17