BYU football: Cougars to honor Wilson, Bosco and Staley by retiring No. 6

Marc Wilson

Marc Wilson played in Provo from 1975-1979, one of the earliest members of the BYU Football Quarterback Factory.

He first saw action at QB as a sophomore in 1977, backing up Gifford Nielsen. His first start came against Colorado State due to a Nielsen injury, and he proceeded to set a WAC record in that game with seven touchdowns.

Wilson finished the ’77 season with 2,418 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, good for 2nd nationally in TD’s. He led the WAC in passing, and broke 4 conference passing records.

Wilson spent the 1978 season in a QB battle with Jim McMahon, and lost his starting job midway through the season. He won that spot back for the last three games, including the Holiday Bowl against Navy.

The QB battle ended in 1979 when Wilson led the Cougars to an opening-game upset over Texas A&M. BYU raced to an 11-1 season, and the accolades rolled in for Wilson. He was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year, a consensus All-American, the Sammy Baugh Trophy winner, and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.

All told, Wilson broke nine NCAA passing records, and tied two others.

The Oakland Raiders drafted Wilson in 1980, and he played 11 seasons between the Oakland/LA Raiders, the Green Bay Packers, and the New England Patriots. He earned Super Bowl rings in both 1980 and 1983 with the Raiders, and he finished his career with more than 14,000 career passing yards.

He was inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1990, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.