Ken Margerum
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Margerum is a retired American football
player. Margerum has coached in several capacities at the college level, as head football coach at Menlo College (CA), wide receivers coach at Stanford University and University of Hawaii, and through the 2009 season as an assistant coach for the San Jose State Spartans. Ken also served as offensive coordinator
for the Scottish Claymores
in NFL Europe
. He is not currently on staff with any college or professional teams, opting to spend the 2010 season as a private coach.
wide receiver
at Stanford in 1979 and 1980, Margerum was known for his acrobatic catches and sure hands. At Stanford, Margerum was a favorite target of John Elway
. He went on to a seven-year National Football League
career. He held the Pac-10 record for career touchdowns with 32 until 2006 when Dwayne Jarrett
broke it and held the Stanford record for receiving yards (2,430) until that mark was broken in 1999 by Troy Walters
.
As a coach at the University of Hawaii
, he mentored such players as Ricky Daley, Jason Mane, Jason Vaughn and Gerald Lacey.
On April 30, 2009, The National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame
announced that Margerum was one of 16 players and two coaches selected to the 2009 Class of the College Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place in New York City
on December 8, 2009. Margerum is the 24th former Stanford player or coach to have been honored with admission to the Hall.
in the 1981 NFL Draft
and earned first team All-Rookie
honors that year. He was a member of the Bears victorious Super Bowl XX
team. Margerum served primarily as a third-down receiver and special teams player for the Bears that year, after successfully recuperating from a torn ACL suffered the prior season. Sports Illustrated
published a small article (with photo) on Margerum, detailing his use of unorthodox activities - wind surfing and mountain biking
- as he rehabbed his knee. During his time with the Bears, critics of Margerum, including then Offensive Coordinator
Greg Landry
, suggested he often "left his feet" after catching the ball and had limited run-after-the catch ability after returning from his knee injury. Margerum was also closely associated with his friend and fellow Bears teammate Jim McMahon
. After a regular season touchdown from McMahon to Margerum, the two players celebrated by oddly wiggling and shaking their arms at one another while butting heads. Margerum was also known to wear "floppy" black high top cleats as a means to deceive defensive backs into thinking he was slow. After five years with the Bears, Margerum finished up the 1986
and 1987
seasons with the San Francisco 49ers
. He later went to camp with the Green Bay Packers
, but did not play in any regular season games for the club.
in Fountain Valley, California
where one of his schoolmates included Michelle Pfeiffer
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. Margerum has coached in several capacities at the college level, as head football coach at Menlo College (CA), wide receivers coach at Stanford University and University of Hawaii, and through the 2009 season as an assistant coach for the San Jose State Spartans. Ken also served as offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
in NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
. He is not currently on staff with any college or professional teams, opting to spend the 2010 season as a private coach.
College career
A consensus All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
at Stanford in 1979 and 1980, Margerum was known for his acrobatic catches and sure hands. At Stanford, Margerum was a favorite target of John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
. He went on to a seven-year National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
career. He held the Pac-10 record for career touchdowns with 32 until 2006 when Dwayne Jarrett
Dwayne Jarrett
Dwayne Jarrett is an American football wide receiver formerly of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California.-Early years:Jarrett attended New Brunswick...
broke it and held the Stanford record for receiving yards (2,430) until that mark was broken in 1999 by Troy Walters
Troy Walters
Troy McHenry Walters is a retired American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League. He was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft out of Stanford University by the Minnesota Vikings. He has also played for the...
.
As a coach at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
, he mentored such players as Ricky Daley, Jason Mane, Jason Vaughn and Gerald Lacey.
On April 30, 2009, The National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
announced that Margerum was one of 16 players and two coaches selected to the 2009 Class of the College Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on December 8, 2009. Margerum is the 24th former Stanford player or coach to have been honored with admission to the Hall.
Pro career
Margerum was a third round draft choice of the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1981 NFL Draft
1981 NFL Draft
The 1981 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981...
and earned first team All-Rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
honors that year. He was a member of the Bears victorious Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
team. Margerum served primarily as a third-down receiver and special teams player for the Bears that year, after successfully recuperating from a torn ACL suffered the prior season. Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
published a small article (with photo) on Margerum, detailing his use of unorthodox activities - wind surfing and mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
- as he rehabbed his knee. During his time with the Bears, critics of Margerum, including then Offensive Coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Greg Landry
Greg Landry
Gregory Paul Landry is a former American football player and coach who played quarterback in the National Football League from 1968 to 1981 and again in 1984...
, suggested he often "left his feet" after catching the ball and had limited run-after-the catch ability after returning from his knee injury. Margerum was also closely associated with his friend and fellow Bears teammate Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
. After a regular season touchdown from McMahon to Margerum, the two players celebrated by oddly wiggling and shaking their arms at one another while butting heads. Margerum was also known to wear "floppy" black high top cleats as a means to deceive defensive backs into thinking he was slow. After five years with the Bears, Margerum finished up the 1986
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
and 1987
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
seasons with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. He later went to camp with the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, but did not play in any regular season games for the club.
High school career
Margerum went to Fountain Valley High SchoolFountain Valley High School
Fountain Valley High School is a public high school located in Fountain Valley, California. It was established in 1966 and is a part of the Huntington Beach Union High School District...
in Fountain Valley, California
Fountain Valley, California
Fountain Valley is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 55,313 at the 2010 census. A classic bedroom community, Fountain Valley is a middle-class residential area.- History :...
where one of his schoolmates included Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Marie Pfeiffer is an American actress. She made her film debut in 1980 in The Hollywood Knights, but first garnered mainstream attention with her performance in Brian De Palma's Scarface . Pfeiffer has won numerous awards for her work...
.
External links
- http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/MargKe00.htm