The Recruiting Guy

Tatum's mother is his rock

Offensive lineman Marcus Tatum credits his mother for much of his success.

Highly recruited Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland offensive lineman Marcus Tatum, an Arkansas target, appreciates his mother, Kellee and credits her for much of his success.

He and his mother had to overcome losing his father in a motorcycle accident during his third grade year.

“She’s been through everything,” Tatum said. “She’s traveled to all the games and got me everything I needed.”

His mother also took on some of the duties a father would normally do.

“When he passed away I was upset,” Tatum said. “She started playing both roles and she literally did everything. I remember at first I didn’t play football I did Taekwondo and she would hold the bag and I would kick it. She would cook dinner and then right after that she would hold the pad and let me kick it. She’s always been able to do what a father could do, but just do it more.”

Wanting the best for her son, Kellee was willing to pay top dollar for knee braces for the upcoming season.

“I made her buy a grade down because that was just too expensive, but she was willing to buy them,” Tatum said. “She was like this could affect your future and I was like that’s fine. I just got a lower version of it so she didn’t have to pay thousands of dollars.”

With more than 30 scholarship offers to his name, Tatum, 6-6, 260 pounds became overwhelmed by the recruiting process, but his mother stepped in and help calm his nerves.

“Because this (recruiting) has really kind of come on really fast and she was like slow down, slow down, slow down,” Tatum said. “Because I remember when this first started I was just ready to commit off the rip and I was all excited and all these fans were tweeting me and she’s the one that took my phone. She shut it off.”

“She’s just been an inspiration throughout this whole thing.”

Tatum, who has plans to officially visit Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee, limits his time on the phone with college coaches.

“I try not to talk in the phone during the week because they’re now starting to have practice and so am I,” said Tatum, who usually communicates with about seven college coaches a day on Twitter. “On the weekends, it’s a lot easier.”

He talks to about three coaches on the phone during a weekend.

“I decided my high school team got me to where I’m at so I need to focus on them (coaches) during the weekend,” said Tatum, who has a 3.57 grade point average. “If I don’t pay attention to practice I’m thinking who am I going to call after practice. I just feel like I can DM them. That’s easier and then on the weekend I can put a full effort and have a full conversation with them. Then also it’s going to help set up for the school year. I’m not going to have time to talk on the phone and deal with homework.”

Tatum enjoyed watching the recent video of Arkansas offensive line coach Sam Pittman being mic'd up during a practice,

“I really just liked the way he was coaching and how he was just calm, but it seems like his offensive line is so good he never really has to yell,” he said.