Mark Higgs
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| Running back | |||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: April 11, 1966 | |||||||||
| Place of birth: Owensboro, Kentucky | |||||||||
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Career information | |||||||||
| College: Kentucky | |||||||||
| NFL Draft: 1988 / Round: 8 / Pick: 205 | |||||||||
| Debuted in 1988 for the Dallas Cowboys | |||||||||
| Last played in 1995 for the Arizona Cardinals | |||||||||
Career history
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Career NFL statistics as of 1995 | |||||||||
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Mark Deyon Higgs (born April 11, 1966 in Owensboro, Kentucky) is a former American football running back in the National Football League who led the Miami Dolphins in rushing from 1991-1993. He is the brother of National Basketball Association point guard Kenny Higgs.
Youth and college career
Though Higgs was constantly discouraged from playing football due to his size[1] (5'7", 195 lbs), he went on to surpass many of the rushing records at Owensboro (Senior) High School. Recruited to the University of Kentucky, Higgs earned the best average per rushing attempt (5.43), and became UK's third all-time rusher,[2] earning Higgs a spot in the University of Kentucky's Hall of Fame in 2005.[3]
NFL career
Higgs was drafted in the eighth round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, where he only played five games before departing to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 1989 season. He joined the Dolphins as a free agent prior to the 1990 season. Prior to the beginning of the 1991 season, Higgs was named the starter, replacing an injured Sammie Smith. Higgs remained the starter, even after Smith returned from his injury.
During the 1993 NFL season, Higgs was replaced as the team's starting running back by Terry Kirby. Higgs had led the team in rushing for the three consecutive seasons with totals of 905, 915 and 693 yards, a consecutive feat that had only been matched in the past by Larry Csonka.[4] After leaving the Dolphins, Higgs spent his last two years with the Arizona Cardinals. He retired following the 1995 season after a hit resulted in a back injury that kept him out of the season for 13 weeks.[1]
Career highlights
Owensboro (Senior) High School, 1980-1983,[5][6]
- All-time leading rusher, (6,721)
- Yards rushing - season (2,858 in 1983)
- Most rushing touchdowns, career (75)
- Total touchdowns - career (75)
Higgs is one of three family members to hold top scoring records at Owensboro High School. Higgs is the younger brother of retired Cleveland Cavaliers/Denver Nuggets guard Kenny Higgs, who is the all-time leading scorer of the Red Devils' basketball team (1,833).[7] His cousin Dwight Higgs, a former Euroleague basketball guard and three time Division II All-American[8] (Kentucky Wesleyan), holds the OHS record for most points scored in a single season (887),[9] and is the #7 overall scorer. Dwight's younger brother Bobby is also a top 20 career scorer at Owensboro High, ranking at #15.
University of Kentucky, 1984-1987[2]
- #1 Best Average Per Rushing Attempt, Career (5.43)
- #3 Most Rushing Yards, Career (2,892)
- #9 Most All-Purpose Yardage (Career), 3,387
- Inducted into the University of Kentucky Hall of Fame in 2005
Miami Dolphins
- Leading rusher, 1991-1993[10]
- #9 NFL leading rusher, 1992 (915)
- #8 Most 100-yard rushing Games (8)
- Longest blocked punt return for a TD (19 yards) [11]
- Only the second Dolphins player (out of three total) to lead in rushing for three consecutive seasons (after with Larry Czonka and before Karim Abdul- Jabbar[4]
Life after football
Higgs began his own business, M and T Transportation, Inc, in 1998.[1] He joined the Miami Dolphins Alumni Association’s advisory board in 2002,[1] and is a frequent visitor to the Dolphins' radio show.[12] In 2007, he became the running backs coach for Miami Central High School.[10]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Alumni Spotlight: Mark Higgs - NEWS: Top Story Presented by WACHOVIA - MiamiDolphins.com
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Layout 1
- ↑ Keeping the Tradition Alive: Kentucky Wildcats - SportsGamer Forums
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Miami Dolphins Will Be Grand Marshall Of Edison Festival Of Light Parade - NEWS: Top Story Presented by WACHOVIA - MiamiDolphins.com
- ↑ Notable Kentucky African Americans - Higgs, Mark
- ↑ http://www.khsaa.org/records/football/statefootballindividualrecords.pdf
- ↑ Notable Kentucky African Americans - Higgs, Kenny
- ↑ N A B C - National Association of Basketball Coaches - Awards
- ↑ Dwight Higgs: ZoomInfo Business People Information
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Northwestern, Central face off Saturday - 23 October 2007 - MiamiHerald.com
- ↑ RECORDS: Dolphins Individual Records - Blocked Kicks - MiamiDolphins.com
- ↑ MULTIMEDIA: All-Access Internet Radio - MiamiDolphins.com
External links
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