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He's A Humble Sapp

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By TONY FABRIZIO

afabrizio@tampatrib.com

Published: December 29, 2008

TAMPA - He's humble, friendly and deeply religious.

He says "yes, sir" repeatedly during an interview.

And Marvin Sapp is related to, uh, you know who?

Yes, South Carolina's senior linebacker is the second cousin of Warren Sapp, the former Bucs defensive tackle who was as well known for his bluster as for his play.

Marvin Sapp doesn't claim the famed "qbkilla," although he doesn't put it that way. He says they've never been close and rarely speak.

"The Sapps are a big family," he explained. "I'm really a lot closer with my first cousin, Patrick, who played quarterback at Clemson."

Marvin Sapp, out of Jacksonville Sandalwood High, is the No. 3 tackler on a defense that ranked No. 1 in the nation midway through the year before getting roughed up by Florida and Clemson.

He usually doesn't start, but that's only because Carolina plays a 4-2-5 alignment that deploys a third safety with first- and second-team All-SEC linebackers Eric Norwood and Jasper Brinkley.

But Sapp will start Thursday's Outback Bowl against Iowa because the Gamecocks are playing a conventional 4-3 scheme. That's partly to get more muscle on Shonn Greene, the Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's top running back, and partly because strong safety Emanuel Cook is ineligible.

With backup safety Akeem Auguste also out with a hamstring injury, the Gamecocks will rely more than usual on Sapp, a player, who by all accounts, is liked and respected by his teammates.

"Marvin's a great guy," Brinkley said. "I think of him as the preacher. Any time I've got a problem, I go to him and ask him about it. He's the kind of guy you want to be around."

"He's a good kid," said cornerback and former Middleton High standout Stoney Woodson. "He's into the Lord real heavy, so that's all itself right there, you know?

Sapp (5-foot-11, 229 pounds) doesn't get much mention as an NFL prospect. He has played in 45 games, starting 15, and he led the team in tackles this year against Florida, although Carolina got walloped 56-6.

Ellis Johnson, the Gamecocks' first-year defensive coordinator, notes that he coached Patrick Sapp at Clemson and once met Warren Sapp in Tampa. He says Marvin is more like Patrick in temperament but has the competitive fire of both.

"Marvin's just a great character young man," Johnson said. "He has had a spotty career his first three years, and, really, nobody was putting him on my radar screen when I came in. But I think he's one of the more versatile linebackers I've coached in a long time. He's a smart kid who played two positions as the year went on, and he's a good leader in his own way. He's not a real vocal, loud kid, but he's a very good leader by example."

Which is the way Warren used to do it, right?

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