Aaron Marsh, a standout wide receiver at Eastern Kentucky University who went on to play two seasons for the Boston Patriots, died Aug. 7. According to his obituary on Legacy.com, Marsh died in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Before his brief stint in the American Football League in the two years prior to its merger with the NFL, Marsh made a name for himself as an All-American with the Colonels.
He was inducted into the Eastern Kentucky Hall of Fame in 2006, and the school's All-Century team in 2009. "In 1967, my first day at EKU practice field, as a walk-on freshman I saw this guy running around the practice field track," former EKU fullback Butch Evans wrote on Facebook. "I thought this is the most athletic guy that I had ever seen.
He proved it that year with a Grantland Rice Bowl victory as a running back when he played the entire season as a split receiver. "I got to see him a couple of years ago at a Rice Bowl Reunion at EKU and am so grateful that I did. He remains a great memory in my life.
RIP my Colonel Brother." More news: Steelers Wide Receiver, ‘Immaculate Reception’ Target, Dies at 76 Marsh blazed a trail as one of the first Black student-athletes at Eastern Kentucky, where he played from 1964-67. Initially a tailback, Marsh moved to wide receiver for his final two seasons under coach Roy Kidd. The transition helped propel him into the professional ranks.
Forty years after his final year on campus, Marsh still held EKU single-game records for pass receiving yardage (316) and receptions (19), single-season record for punt return yardage (456) and most receptions (73), and was the Colonels' fourth all-time leading receiver in career yardage (2,246) and fourth in career receptions (147). More news: Former Chiefs, Raiders, Ravens Coach Dies The Pats selected Marsh in the third round of the 1968 AFL Draft. As a rookie, he caught 19 passes for 331 yards and four touchdowns.
In 1969, he caught eight passes for 108 yards. Marsh also spent time on special teams and finished his AFL career with 210 yards on 10 returns over his two seasons with Boston (the franchise rebranded as the New England Patriots prior to the 1971 season). Marsh’s football career extended beyond his playing days.
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