Associated Press
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ó Scanning the practice field at Carolina’s training camp it’s hard to miss the towering Marcus Monk.
The 6-foot-5 receiver may have a tough time making the Panthers because of major knee surgery, but no one else on the roster can say they scored 12 points against No. 1 NBA draft pick Blake Griffin.
Not so many months removed from getting Griffin in foul trouble and helping Arkansas hand Oklahoma its first loss of the season, Monk is back on the football field ó pursuing an obstacle-cluttered path to the NFL.
“It’s been crazy,” Monk said Friday.
Monk’s once promising football career ó he caught 50 passes and set an Arkansas record with 11 touchdowns as a junior ó was derailed when he underwent microfracture knee surgery.
After playing in only seven games as a senior, Monk was taken in the seventh round of the 2008 draft by Chicago. He was cut in training camp, then lasted only a week on the New York Giants’ practice squad.
“I could tell it wasn’t as strong,” Monk said of his right knee. “Once the Giants released me, I thought I had to concentrate on making my knee right.”
So the Lepanto, Ark., native returned home. Working out near Arkansas’ campus when he ran into basketball coach John Pelphrey ó the two knew each other because Monk played briefly for the Razorbacks hoops team as a freshman.
“Coach was like, ‘We really don’t have any senior leadership. Can you play basketball?”‘ Monk said. “I was like, ‘I can hoop.’ So he said he’d put me on scholarship and pay for my school. I had already graduated, so I took some finance classes.”
Monk played sparingly, using basketball mostly to help with his fitness. Then on Dec. 30, with Arkansas facing then-No. 4 Oklahoma and the highly touted Griffin, the Razorbacks’ big men got into foul trouble.
Pelphrey turned to Monk with a request: guard Griffin.
“We were short at the (power forward) position. I really don’t play there, but I told him I can guard him,” Monk said. “I won’t completely stop him, but I wasn’t scared.”
Monk scored eight points in the second half, two coming on free throws after he drew Griffin’s fourth foul. It helped stop the Sooners’ comeback and Arkansas won 96-88. Griffin finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, but fouled out.
“Marcus Monk ó my goodness,” Pelphrey said after that game. “That was one of the best performances that I’ve ever seen.”
That would be Monk’s basketball high point. There were concerns later about his eligibility because of his late enrollment in the fall and he left the team to focus completely on getting back to football.
Monk felt his knee getting stronger and ran routes in front of scouts at Arkansas’ pro day. The Panthers called, and he signed shortly after this year’s draft.
“Marcus has worked hard,” coach John Fox said. “He had a good offseason with us. He is a big target, he’s 6-5. Until we get into games, I’ve not watched a lot of these guys play in games, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Monk said his right knee is strong, but he still had it wrapped in ice after Friday morning’s practice. Unlike Griffin, guaranteed millions of dollars as the top pick of the Los Angeles Clippers, Monk faces long odds to make the Panthers at the crowded receiver position.
Monk has spent much of camp quizzing starting receivers Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad.
“I love to learn so I’m asking questions all the time so I can get an advantage,” Monk said.
He’s fielded a few questions from teammates, too. Many want to know if he really bested Griffin in the paint.
“Some guys asked me about it,” Monk said, “but I’m not close to being on his level.”