#2
MARCUS BURLEY
Year: Junior
Position:
Defensive Back
Height /Weight: 5-10 / 185
Hometown: Richmond, Va.
High School:
Highland Springs HS
Major: Sport Management
• 2011 Delaware Season Statistics
High School: Played at Highland Springs High School for head coach Scott Burton...competed in football and track and field...played cornerback, kick returner, and punt returner in football...led team to a 10-0 record and the Capital District title in 2007...team also won title in 2006 and has qualified for the Central Region playoffs seven straight years...team has had several defensive backs earn Division I scholarships...as a senior intercepted four passes and collected 29 tackles and returned five kicks for touchdowns...averaged 33.0 yards on 25 returns for the season...named first team Virginia High School Coaches Association All-State, first team Associated Press All-State, and Virginia Preps honorable mention All-State as a senior as a defensive back...first team Richmond Times Dispatch All-Metro, first team All-Capital District as both a defensive back and kick returner...in track, was a two-time Capital District 400 meter champion and also won title in the 200 meters in 2008...team was two-time Capital District champions...honor roll student...high school football teammate of current Blue Hen linebacker and co-captain Andrew Harrison.
At Delaware: Exceptional athlete with great speed and instincts…most experienced defensive back on squad that will need to replace four all-conference, including two All-American, starters…has appeared in 26 career games with 11 starts and recorded 98 tackles and two interceptions…part-time starter who is expected to take over full-time role at left cornerback spot…earned pre-season second team All-CAA honors by Phil Steele College Football Preview...will make transition into more of a leadership position to help a young unit…one of the team’s fastest players…has added strength and size in the off-season…will also battle for playing time on punt and kickoff returns…switched number from 15 to 2.
2010 Season: Enjoyed outstanding second season for the Blue Hens...played in all 15 games, starting five of the first seven contests before giving way to All-CAA selection Darryl Jones...recorded a tackle in each of the 15 games he played…played key role in covering punts and kickoffs as well...collected 47 total tackles, good enough for No. 8 on the team, including 33 solo tackles...had three solo stops in the season opener vs. West Chester...tied career-high tackle mark when he recorded nine tackles vs. South Dakota State...collected eight tackles the next week vs. Duquesne...named Blue Hen Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Game vs. Rhode Island when he recorded three tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, and two interceptions for 49 yards...his interception with 1:42 left thwarted the Rams' game-tying drive attempt…key contributor on punt coverage as a gunner...Delaware defense led the nation in scoring defense at 12.1 points per game and ranked No. 5 in total defense (280.7 yards per game)…team went 12-3 and advanced to the FCS national title game under head coach K.C. Keeler.
2009 Season: Had a solid rookie campaign on his way to playing in all 11 games as a redshirt freshman…started six games and was a valuable fill-in when injuries hit other members of the unit…finished No. 7 on the Blue Hens in tackles with 51…had 39 solo tackles…earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors after win over Massachusetts as he recorded seven tackles and returned a fumble recovery 42 yards for a his first career touchdown to give Hens a 20-0 lead…recorded five or more tackles on six occasion for the Blue Hen defense…recovered another fumble in loss vs. Villanova…registered six tackles and a forced fumble in victory over Hofstra…career-high nine tackles came in game vs. William & Mary when he made his first career start in place of Tyrone Grant…contributed to special teams as a return man and defender on punt return…returned five punts for 35 yards (7.0 avg.) and had team’s longest punt return of the season with a 20-yarder vs. James Madison…team went 6-5 for Keeler.
2008 Season: Did not see game action as a true freshman and retained freshman eligibility...team went 4-8 under Keeler.
Personal: Marcus Ray Burley...born July 16, 1990...son of Charles and Marcella Burley...has a younger sister...sport management major at Delaware…enjoys playing video games in his spare time...has worked at Covenant Woods Retirement Home and at the front desk of the Christiana Commons dorms at UD during the summer...cousin, Herbert Turner, played college football for three seasons.
Career Statistics at Delaware
| Year | GP/GS | Tackles (Solo) | TFL-Yards | Sacks-Yards | PB | Int. |
| 2010 | 15/5 | 47 (33) | 0.5-1 | 0-0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2009 | 11/6 | 51 (39) | 1.5-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 26/11 | 98 (72) | 2-2 | 0-0 | 6 | 2 |
Career-High Tackles: 9 vs. William & Mary, 2009
