Jerry Malone, who led Marlin’s football program to some of its greatest success in the early part of the century, died Monday in Marshall, Texas, after a lengthy battle with illness. He was 73.
In Marlin, they knew him as the Big Dog. He was more than a coach, he was a father figure to hundreds of Bulldog players who came through the halls of Marlin High School.
“I don’t know anybody who related to the kids in Marlin like he did,” said Chuck Vincent, who was defensive coordinator under Malone for nine years at Marlin. “They allowed him to coach them hard, and he loved them hard. And they loved him right back. He just had a special way of dealing with those kids.”
Rusty Nail was Marlin’s offensive coordinator from 2003 to 2005, helping the team reach the Class 3A Division II state championship game in ’03. He said that Malone was a mentor to him in teaching him how to interact with his players.
“The passion he had for the kids was incredible,” said Nail, who won two state titles as Mart’s head coach and is now the athletic director at Madisonville. “I feel like he was misunderstood. He always competed with such fire, he was so animated on the sidelines. But what opposing coaches or reporters might not have seen was how much he cared. … The majority of our kids were economically disadvantaged, and he did so much for them for so many years in Marlin.”
On the field, Malone maximized Marlin’s potential, recording a 130-58 record in 16 seasons, ending in 2008. In addition to the state trip in 2003, he also guided the Bulldogs to the Class 3A Division II state semifinals in 2000 and a 2A Division I regional final in 2006.
Malone’s teams exhibited a fearlessness that became a hallmark of the program. They played anyone, anywhere, and weren’t afraid to take chances on the field.
“He wasn’t intimidated by anyone or anything. There were times we’d go for it on 4th-and-long from our own 2-yard line,” Nail said, laughing.
Added Vincent, “Oh, he feared nothing. We always had one of the toughest schedules in the state – we’d play the Ennises, the Midways, anybody who would play us. He respected everyone, but feared no one.”
Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, family and friends are planning a Celebration of Life service for Malone sometime in late summer or early fall. They plan to announce the date at a later time.
However, many of his former players, assistant coaches and friends are already remembering Malone’s impact on their lives.
“His old players have been posting all kinds of things on Facebook – ‘He was there for me when my Dad passed away’ or ‘He taught me how to overcome adversity that you deal with in life,’” Vincent said. “The outpouring of support has just been crazy.”
— WACOTRIB
— WACOTRIB
