Memphis native Chris Marve was one of the best linebackers in Vanderbilt football history. He makes our list of top 100 VU athletes we've covered, checking in at 36.
Honors and awards: 2008 first-team Freshman All-American (The Sporting News, Rivals)
2008 Freshman All-Southeastern Conference
2009 second-team All-SEC (coaches)
2010 second-team All-SEC (coaches)
2011 second-team All-SEC (coaches, AP)
In the VU record book: Career tackles: ninth (397)
Career tackles for loss: seventh (29.5)
Before VU: Marve starred at Memphis's White Station High School, where he was a first-team all-state player and the Tennessee 5A Mr. Football Lineman of the year as a senior. Team went 12-2 and reached state semifinals. Had 178 career tackles (133 solo), four sacks and eight forced fumbles as a senior and won region MVP. Had 120 solo tackles as a senior.
Freshman (2008): After a redshirt season, Marve started 12 of 13 games, the missing game being Georgia, when VU started in nickel. Led the SEC with four forced fumbles. Added three quarterback hurries. Had at least five tackles in 12 games. Had 10 vs. Boston College in the Music City Bowl. Had 11 tackles against Ole Miss and forced a fumble at the VU 1 in the closing minutes, perhaps the key play in a road upset. Also made another open-field tackle at the VU 1. Had 16 total tackles against Duke, along with 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Had two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and nine tackles against Tennessee.
Sophomore (2009): Started all 12 games. Won the team's Captain's Award and was also its Most Valuable Linebacker. His 10.1 tackles per game led the league and his total tackle number was second-highest. Had double-digit tackles seven times. Had 18 tackles vs. Georgia Tech, 11 solo. Had sack and a pair of forced fumbles in win over Western Carolina. Had 11 tackles vs. both LSU and Tennessee, and a forced fumble in that LSU game.
Junior (2010): Started 11 of 12 games, missing the Eastern Michigan game with a leg injury. Had 11 tackles vs. Northwestern. Had 10 tackles in win over Ole Miss. Had 11 tackles vs. Connecticut, including 1 1/2 for loss. Earned team Defensive Player of the Week for 10 tackles vs. Arkansas. Had two sacks and 10 tackles vs. Florida.
Senior (2011): Started all 13 games for a 6-7 bowl team and led the team in solo and total tackles. Had 12 tackles (six solo) with two for loss in season-opening win over Elon. Had 11 tackles (seven solo) in win over Army. Had nine tackles (six solo) and his lone career interception vs. South Carolina. Had seven tackles (five solo) and a pair of pass break-ups in a win over Connecticut.
Post-VU: Marve wasn't drafted and didn't pursue a professional career. Admitted to business school and law school, Marve instead taught public school for two years before instead approaching Vanderbilt about going into coaching. Marve worked his way into becoming VU's inside linebackers coach, then, left for the same position at Mississippi State, before finally becoming linebackers' coach and run-game coordinator at Florida State.
Final thoughts, and why I ranked him where I did: Marve's senior year--my memory is that the wear and tear of football had taken its toll and he wasn't quite the same player--but even then, he was a second-team all-league pick.
Other than that, he was a terror on the field almost his whole career. The forced fumble in the Ole Miss game his freshman year was huge and was a sign of what was to come. He was remarkably consistent from game to game, was an incredibly mature player and a leader, too. He's one of the leading tacklers in program history, on the leaderboard in stops for loss, and, if VU kept career records for forced fumbles, he'd be at or near the top of that list, too.
Few players have had the kind of four-year consistency and production that Marve had, which makes it easy to justify a spot inside the top 40.
