Living Out A Dream: The Journey of Marcus Pierce Jr.

Doors open from the Tennessee locker room and the team begins pouring out. Hundreds of cleats clacking against the brick of Neyland Stadium. Among the team, a walk-on running back tries to stay calm, but the adrenaline rapidly pumping through his body has his heart nearly beating out of his chest.

Ahead of him, a faint sound quickly grows to a roar. The Pride of the Southland Marching Band forms one of the greatest traditions in college football and brings the crowd to life as the Tennessee Volunteers come racing out through the T. This was the moment Marcus Pierce Jr. worked so hard for and was finally experiencing after a long, uncertain journey.

"In my heart, I knew this was where I was supposed to be," Pierce said with a smile. "I am so excited to be at the University of Tennessee. This is something that I really take pride in, and it's a blessing to have the opportunity."

It wasn't until seventh grade that Pierce started playing organized football, an even tougher feat considering he hails from the state of Texas. In high school, his mix of speed and power at running back captured the attention of several colleges. In an attempt to gain more exposure, he chose to switch schools before his senior campaign, a decision that could have changed his life. However, an injury cost him the entire season. Just like that, the number of colleges interested in him fell to just a handful.

There was no way Pierce would let an injury crush his plans of playing college football. Shortly after finishing up recovery, he was back on the grind and catching the eyes of college recruiters. One program more than 800 miles from his hometown of Dallas, Texas, located in East Tennessee at the foot of the Smoky Mountains reached out and showed great interest.

In the fall of 2017, Pierce enrolled at Maryville College, a Division III program, to play football for the Scots. Eager for his return to the field after missing the previous season, he was a contributor on special teams as a freshman. During his sophomore campaign, he was part of the main rotation at running back and even helped lead the program to its first-ever conference championship, but he still wanted more for himself.

Pierce achieved his goal of playing college football, but he still had his sights set on playing for a major Division I program. When contemplating the decision to go for his dream or stay at Maryville, the thought of future regrets fueled him to leave the program and enroll at Tennessee despite no direct path to the football team.

That wasn't going to stop Pierce, though. He spent the entire fall semester trying to get in contact with the UT coaching staff and recruiters, grasping for any opportunity to join the team. He went to games as a fan and envisioned what it would be like to trot out on the field in front of a packed Neyland Stadium donning the Power T on his helmet. Finally, the chance to be a part of the program presented itself, as he was given the opportunity to walk on with the Vols. Just when everything was looking up and the hard work was paying off, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and put the sports world on pause.

"Being a walk on is not easy," Pierce admitted. "When you have that winning mindset and that grit and resilience, you can push through anything. I had to show that this is something I want and am committed to."

It could have easily been the end of Pierce's career, but he refused to stop pursuing his dream. As a walk on at the bottom of the program, no day was guaranteed and meant he had to work harder both on and off the field. Once sports started back, every practice felt like a tryout with the need to make highlight plays and prove he belonged. Off the field, he dedicated his free time to studying film and learning the offense. One thing was certain: Pierce would be ready if the opportunity came.

After not seeing any playing time during the 2020 season, Pierce worked even harder going into his senior year. Throughout the spring and summer practices, he slowly started climbing up the depth chart at running back, one of UT's deepest positions ahead of the 2021 campaign. Going into the first game of the season against Bowling Green, he found himself as the No. 4 running back for the Vols.

Standing beside the offensive coaches the entire game, Pierce patiently waited for the chance to enter the game. Finally, that chance came in the fourth quarter.

Pierce's number was called, and the moment he had dreamed of since he was a kid and had envisioned from the stands two years before came to fruition. Not only did he play, but he rushed the ball eight times for 36 yards in his Tennessee, SEC and Division I debut. His dream was now a reality.

"It really meant a lot to me when my teammates found out I was going in the game," Pierce said. "They were cheering me on, slapping me on the helmet. I showed me that they believe in me and my ability."

Keep your eyes open for the No. 30 jersey to make more appearances in the UT backfield this season. The journey to get to that point was paved by relentless determination and dedication. No matter the obstacle, Pierce continued fighting for one single chance to prove himself. With that goal attained, he has now turned his focus to scoring a touchdown.

As someone who gives his all for Tennessee every day, Pierce has as good of a shot as any to cue up Rocky Top after entering the Orange and White checkerboard end zones in Neyland Stadium.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Players Mentioned

Marcus Pierce Jr.

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