JANUARY 1, 2015
By STAMPEDERS.COM STAFF
Marvin Coleman was a little guy from a small school, but he sure had big talent.
Listed at five-foot-nine, Coleman came to the Calgary Stampeders in 1994 after completing his collegiate career at Central State, a Division II school located in the town of Wilberforce, Ohio.
Coleman first made his mark as a kick returner for the Stamps – as a rookie in 1994, he returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown – before establishing himself as a standout defensive back. The best measure of Coleman’s ability and versatility is that in seven seasons with Calgary, he earned West Division all-star recognition no fewer than eight times – five times as a cornerback and three times a special-teams player. He was a double all-star in 1996, 1998 and 2000 and was part of the Stamps’ Grey Cup-winning squad in 1998.
While some head coaches would shy away from using an all-star starter – especially one who weighed only 170 lbs. — on special teams, Wally Buono simply couldn’t pass up Coleman’s dynamic skill.
Coleman remains the franchise’s all-time leader in punt-return yards (4,696), kickoff-return yards (5,331) and punt-return touchdowns (five).
He was also dangerous on defence as he returned three of his 20 career interceptions as a Stamp for a touchdown.
By the time Coleman joined the Red and White, he had a very big chip on his shoulder. He was overlooked in recruiting by larger schools and skeptics considered him too small to be a defensive back in the pro ranks.
“I’ve been hearing things basically all my life,” said Coleman early in his career. “I’ve gone out to prove them wrong.”
Buono, an astute judge of talent, didn’t hesitate to insert Coleman into the starting lineup after losing both of his cornerbacks – Junior Thurman and Douglass Craft – following the 1994 season. Coleman responded by recording a team-best six interceptions in 1995.
“He’s not a real big guy,” said Buono at the time, “but that doesn’t mean he’s not a good football player. And he’s not afraid to step into you. One game, a receiver came across the flat and he put eight stitches in his chin. He plays very big.”
Coleman left the Stamps in 2001 to sign with the XFL’s San Francisco Demons. After the fledgling league folded, he returned to the CFL as he joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was a division all-star for the Bombers in 2001 but his bid for a second Grey Cup ring was foiled, coincidentally, by the Stampeders as Calgary upended heavily favoured Winnipeg in the championship game.
He played two more seasons with the Bombers before retiring. In a decade in the CFL, Coleman had 28 interceptions, six of which he returned for touchdowns. He also had seven special-teams touchdowns and 11,545 combined return yards.
All in all, a big career for a little man.
VIA: https://www.stampeders.com/2015/01/01/history-lesson-150101/
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