Fansided

20 college football moments that deserve to be made into movies

By John Buhler

04 JAN 2006: Vince Young (10) of the University of Texas rushes for a big gain against the University of Southern California during the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Texas defeated USC 41-38 for the national title. Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
04 JAN 2006: Vince Young (10) of the University of Texas rushes for a big gain against the University of Southern California during the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Texas defeated USC 41-38 for the national title. Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images /
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17 Nov 1990: Quarterback Todd Marinovich of the USC Trojans celebrates after the Trojans 45-42 victory over the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Wade /Allsport
17 Nov 1990: Quarterback Todd Marinovich of the USC Trojans celebrates after the Trojans 45-42 victory over the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Wade /Allsport /

10. Robo QB

The Todd Marinovich saga is well-documented among football histories. Here is this kid who happens to be the son of one of the first strength and conditioning coaches in NFL history and the social experiment to turn this kid into a phenomenal football player for the USC Trojans.

Marv Marinovich had played at USC and briefly for the Oakland Raiders before leading the charge in strength and conditioning with Raiders football. He would use his son to see what could happen if he lived and breathed only football. The younger Marinovich would become one of the best passers in high school and earned a scholarship to USC as the southpaw Robo QB.

Marinovich had obvious arm talent, but had to redshirt his true freshman season in 1988. Some guy named Rodney Peete was the Trojans starter, so no fault in that logic. Marinovich had a brilliant redshirt freshman season for the Trojans where he led USC to a Pac-10 Championship and a Rose Bowl victory over the Michigan Wolverines.

However, being free for the first time in college as a fine arts major opened up Marinovich’s eyes to the part lifestyle that would eventually sink his football career before it really got cooking. His redshirt sophomore year in 1990 would be an erratic one and Marinovich would leave school to enter the 1990 NFL Draft.

Marinovich would be drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders at No. 24 in the 1991 NFL Draft. He would bust out of the league within two years. This movie concept isn’t overly reaching, but the storyline is just so fascinating. The lessons to be learned about Marinovich’s life are invaluable. For a few brief moments, he would put it all together for USC football.

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