Marquis Hamilton wraps up solid career at Iowa State
Edmond North product a senior receiver at Iowa State

By John Helsley, Staff Writer Comments 0
Published: November 5, 2009

STILLWATER — Things could have gone much smoother for Marquis Hamilton since leaving Edmond North.

Iowa State’s Marquis Hamilton, right, catches a touchdown pass in front of North Dakota State’s Richard Bowman earlier this season. AP photo

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OSU at Iowa State

→When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday

→Where: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa

→TV: KOCO-5 (Cox 8)

→Radio: KXXY-FM 96.1

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11/05/2009 Orange Appeal Former Edmond North standout Marquis Hamilton might have played at Oklahoma State, if the Cowboys had only recruited him. Instead, he landed at...

Now an Iowa State senior, the wide receiver has played for three head coaches, learned just as many offensive schemes and endured much losing with the Cyclones.

And yet, there’s a sincere satisfaction for Hamilton in what this final season in Ames is delivering. The Cyclones ended an 11-game conference losing streak against Baylor, won at Nebraska for the first time since the ’70s and now stand just one win shy of becoming bowl eligible with Oklahoma State headed their way on Saturday.

"We’re at five wins,” Hamilton said. "We need six to be bowl eligible. We’ve got three games to do that.

"And this is the one we’re focusing on right now.”

The Cyclones drew the focus of the nation when they stunned Nebraska, 9-7, two weekends ago for ISU’s first win in Lincoln since 1977. Yes, the Huskers coughed up eight turnovers, but ISU overcame its own adversity, playing without its starting quarterback and tailback and dealing with widespread illness.

"It was a tremendous accomplishment,” Hamilton said. "To go into Lincoln, that’s not an easy place to play, and pull the upset and make history, it was great for this program and this team.

"It was very thrilling for us. But we kind of want to move past that and continue our season.”

An All-State pick at Edmond North, Hamilton couldn’t help but grow up following Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

"I did, because it was obviously all that I heard about growing up in Oklahoma,” he said. "I knew all along that I wanted to play in the Big 12 Conference.

"Iowa State was my only Big 12 offer.”

It was a good offer, too, with the Cyclones going to four bowls in the five years preceding his arrival, then again in 2005, when Hamilton redshirted as a freshman. But ISU’s fortunes dove in 2006, resulting in a 4-8 overall record and a 1-7 mark in the Big 12, bringing a forced resignation from coach Dan McCarney. Gene Chizik stepped in, going a combined 5-19 in two seasons, before bolting for Auburn.

That meant more change, in the form of a first-time head coach, Paul Rhoads.

Through it all, Hamilton has been solid for the Cyclones.

His 113 career receptions and 1,408 receiving yards rank No. 10 all-time at ISU. He leads the team this season with 36 receptions, 505 yards and three touchdowns. In the skid-stopping win over Baylor, Hamilton posted a career-high nine catches, seven of which secured first downs.

Off the field, this week he was recognized as a Big 12 Fall Community Champion, an honor awarded to one athlete from each league school, requiring at least a 3.0 grade point average and involvement in the community.

"Marquis has been active in our community, has worked hard in the classroom and been great for us on the field,” Rhoads said. "He is one of those guys who you just know will be a success when he leaves Iowa State.”

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