Several weeks ago the Las Vegas Locos announced their list of protected players that were excluded from the expansion draft of the United Football League. The only running back on the list was 31 year old Marcel Shipp.
Although Shipp split time with DeDe Dorsey, who has since left the Locos for a contract with the NFL’s Detroit Lions, he was still the UFL’s fourth-leading rusher with 81 carries for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns. The fact that he is the only running back by the Locos is a strong indicator of his value to the team.
Shipp isn’t used to being in such high demand by a professional football team. After a stellar collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts, all 32 NFL teams passed on Shipp in all 7 rounds of the draft. Although he was left off the draft board, he wasn’t locked out of the NFL. Following the draft, Shipp signed a contract with the Arizona Cardinals as an Undrafted Free Agent.
Fortunate as the contract was for Shipp, it was just as fortunate for the Cardinals. Although they saw little return from Shipp his rookie year, he busted onto the scene the following year with 834 yards on 188 carries and 6 touchdowns, in addition to 413 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. Although this year alone made him a worthy investment for the Cardinals, his production began to decline and was eventually out of the league by 2008.
Shipp finished his NFL career with 11 touchdowns, 2,197 rushing yards, and 605 carries, in addition 113 receptions for 937 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns over the course of 6 seasons.
Shipp’s exit from the NFL wasn’t too unexpected as the age of 30 has become the age-du-choix for running backs to be deemed too old by modern NFL wisdom. However, his entrance into the UFL was unexpected; or at least the way in which he entered the UFL was unexpected.
The Locos did not think they were getting a running back when they originally approached Shipp on joining their organization for the premiere season of the UFL. Coach Jim Fassel asked Shipp if he would consider joining as a running backs coach. It was Shipp who indicated that he still had interest in playing, in spite of being north of age 30. Coach Fassel gave him a work out and was impressed. “Heck, this guy can still play. He’s got some years left,” said Fassel.
At that point it was a no-brainer to sign Shipp to the Locos’ roster. As Fassel said himself, “He’s a good blocker, a good powerful inside-type runner, a good receiver and a guy that’s got experience on the professional level.”
His experience shined through. In addition to on-field production, he became a locker-room leader. According to Fassel, other running backs on the team took the opportunity to “learn from him little tricks and see how concentrated and focused he is,” which is “the key — if you want to be good.”
The 2010 off season continues with Shipp currently as the only running back on the roster; however, with the Locos looking forward to the last two of their three scheduled tryouts, it is clear that he won’t be alone for long. Which is great for the Locos. The quicker the franchise can get its future backs into the same locker room as their current player-coach, the bigger the head start the Locos backfield will have against opposing defenses.
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