High School Football Preview: Marcus Neuman, One To Watch

This spring, the Alonso Ravens said goodbye to one of their best defenders in the school’s short history.

Anthony Chickillo accepted his scholarship offer to The University of Miami, and left a gaping hole in the Alonso Raven defense.

Chickillo amassed 113 solo tackles, 80 assists and 30.5 sacks in his two years of varsity football.

This year, senior Marcus Neuman will step into that leading role and endeavor to post similar numbers.

It should not be a problem.

Neuman already has forged his identity as a team leader.

“He is our guy on the defensive side,” said Head Coach Brian Emanuel.

Neuman is no stranger to posting big numbers on defense. Had he been on another team his sophomore and junior years, he would have likely been the team leader on defense. Playing alongside Chickillo for two years held Marcus to second fiddle; although not by much.

In 2009, Marcus’ sophomore year and Chickillo’s junior year, Marcus actually posted more solo tackles than Chickillo; 51 tackles to Chickillo’s 42. Chickillo finished first on the team with 12.5 sacks, but Marcus was second on the team with six. Last season, Chickillo posted 71 solo tackles to Marcus’ 70 and while Chickillo ran away with 18 sacks, Marcus still posted six of them. With Chickillo moving on to Division I football in Miami, Marcus becomes the fulcrum of the defense.

He’s more than up to the challenge.

“I got bigger, stronger and faster in the off-season. I’m ready to step up to the challenge this year,” Neuman said.

Marcus will have a target on his chest this year, until another playmaker emerges on defense.

“We looked at the tape from the spring game and he was doubled virtually every play,” Emanuel said.

Marcus will no doubt see a lot of double-teams this year, but if he can get some help from his teammates, he should be able to post big numbers while creating opportunities for others.

It’s something he’s done all his life.

Marcus started in TBYFL at the ripe age of seven. From the very beginning, he played linebacker. Chickillo played on the same youth football team. They grew up butting heads.

“My second year in TBYFL I was playing with the Westchase Colts and I lined up across from Chickillo while we were doing Oklahoma drills," Marcus said. "I stuffed him cold and the coach knew I was cut to be a linebacker."

Oklahoma drills are where one player has the ball and simply tries to run around or over another player. At eight years old, Marcus was already developing as a tenacious linebacker.

He came by his skill honestly.

Marcus' dad played high school football and coached both Marcus and his two older brothers’ youth football teams. Both of Marcus' brothers played for the UCF Knights.

There's no doubt that Marcus, whose number is 53, will be one to watch this year.