Billy Marek

Billy Marek
Wisconsin Badgers
PositionRunning back
Personal information
Born:c. 1954 (age 70)
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career history
College
Career highlights and awards

Billy Marek (born c. 1954) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1972 to 1975.

In his high school football career at St. Rita of Cascia High School in Illinois, Marek was named the MVP (most valuable player) of the 1972 Chicago Prep Bowl,[1] a game in which St. Rita defeated Morgan Park High School.[2]

Playing for the Wisconsin Badgers football team from 1972 to 1975, Marek gained more than 1,200 rushing yards for three consecutive years from 1973 to 1975.[3][4][5] He concluded his college football career with 740 yards and 13 touchdowns in the final three games of the 1974 season, including a Wisconsin Badgers football record 304 rushing yards against Minnesota. Of course this didn't actually 'conclude his career' since he played the whole next season yet.[6] He also set Wisconsin career records with 3,709 rushing yards and 277 points scored, led the country with 114 points in 1974, and was named the State of Wisconsin's "Sports Personality of the Year" in 1974.[7] He was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Hall of Fame in 1994.[7]

Marek did not have a substantial professional career but did briefly play for the Chicago Fire of the minor league American Football Association in 1981.

  1. ^ Schnay, Jerry (November 29, 1973). "Who will be Prep Bowl MVP?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "CCL Football A Tradition of Excellence". chicagocatholicleague.com. Chicago Catholic League. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  3. ^ "Billy Marek Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 1, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  4. ^ "Billy Marek". University of Wisconsin. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  5. ^ Ed Pavlick. "Billy Marek of Wisconsin" (PDF). College Football Historical Society Newsletter.
  6. ^ "Marek led last victory at Iowa". The Milwaukee Journal. November 1, 1984.
  7. ^ a b "Billy Marek (1994)". University of Wisconsin. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2015.