by Ira Green
Cedric Gagne-Marcoux.
The French name sounds like it should belong to a hockey superstar. Fortunately for UCF, the senior center fell in love with American football and not Canada's national pastime: hockey.
"When I was a kid, like three-years old, my dad would put me in front of the football game to shut me up," said Gagne-Marcoux. "He never understood why, but that always shut me up and I would just pay attention."
Born in Canada, a hockey powerhouse, Gagne-Marcoux has no regrets about choosing football instead of hockey. In Canada, he often played in icy weather and 12 to 18 inches of snow. After moving south, he was able to adapt to the humid conditions in Florida. Despite the difference in climate, Gagne-Marcoux has shone bright like the Florida sun, especially in a state full of football talent.
He was named to the 2006 Preseason All-Conference USA team and the watch list for the Lombardi Award. He is also on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, the award for the most outstanding collegiate offensive center in the nation. Gagne-Marcoux is ranked as the 11th best center in the nation by The Sporting News. After accumulating the accolades, it would have been easy for Gagne-Marcoux to become brash and conceited. According to him, he did get too arrogant as UCF began its preseason camp in August.
"I came into camp a little too confident and coach O'Leary got on me and sent me with the two's (second string) for a few days," said Gagne-Marcoux. "I called my dad and he said, `that's good for you. If you ever get a big head, I will deal with you and it's not going to be pretty; the secret to being a good person is to be humble.' My dad is like that too, a very respectful man. When I told him what happened and I was complaining, he told me I deserved it."
Unlike many spotlight-grabbing athletes, Gagne-Marcoux feels the credit must be given to the rest of his offensive line.
"I got L.J. Anderson, Kyle Smith, Josh Sitton and Patrick Brown. I got some great players. So many times I'm going to do something wrong, but they are going to fix it and make me look good," said Gagne-Marcoux. "I would say the preseason awards are a line honor and I really give the credit to them."
Gagne-Marcoux credits much of his success to UCF offensive line coach Joe Gilbert.
"For me to be a good player, I need someone to kick my butt all the time and coach Gilbert does it," said Gagne-Marcoux. "Sometimes I get mad and aggravated, but I'm so thankful. I think I was meant to meet a person like that in my life and he really has stayed behind me through tough times. He's a great person. I can't put it in enough words to thank him."
Gilbert's teaching is not the sole reason for the offensive line's success. With a combined 93 career starts, the UCF offensive line is the most experienced in the nation. Gagne-Marcoux alone has taken snaps at center in 24-consecutive games. The line's experience and comfort in one another has translated into a unique chemistry.
"Once school starts, we're busy, but in the summer and during camp you never see a lineman by himself. I care about those kids like my little brothers," said Gagne-Marcoux. "The other day we had a barbeque at my house and I had them all over. When we went to Hawaii, we took a lot of pictures together. My family is far away, so they're like the closest thing I have to family. It's caring for another that keeps us together."
Despite the team effort on the line, Gagne-Marcoux stood out like a superstar last year in the eyes of the Canadian Football League. On April 20, 2006, Gagne-Marcoux was selected as the eighth overall pick in the CFL Draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
As a result of the draft, Gagne-Marcoux had the opportunity to play professionally this season. Doing so would mean forgoing his senior year with the Golden Knights and ending his education. Leaving for Hamilton would also break a promise that he made to his parents.
Taught by his father to stick by his word, Gagne-Marcoux pledged to his parents, Andre and Betty, that he would obtain his college degree. After redshirting his freshman year, the center told them he would complete his studies, earn a degree and use the extra year of academics for graduate school. Without the structure of head coach George O'Leary, the educational aspect may not have been so easy.
"Coach O'Leary made me understand that you get what you work for," said Gagne-Marcoux. "Without O'Leary, I don't think I would have been able to stay on track. He asks a lot out of us and I'm really glad. In the future, that is going to help me a lot."
Many seniors are looked to for guidance and leadership. They are usually the public voices of the team. However, Gagne-Marcoux only speaks when he needs to get a message across or to lend a hand to a fellow teammate. He is not someone who needs to be the focal point of the team.
"I don't want to be the guy who stands out," said Gagne-Marcoux. "I say what I have to say. I'm mostly the guy that when someone has a problem, they come and talk to me. I'll do whatever I can to help them."
Gilbert sees his starting center as an extension of the coach on the field.
"He controls a lot of our stuff on the field from the inside out with our calls," said Gilbert. "Cedric does a great job watching film and studying the game. He really prepares himself going into games and is really a leader on the field, telling guys where to go."
It was not always easy for the native Canadian to get his point across. Growing up in Sherbrooke, Quebec, he only spoke French. It was not until Gagne-Marcoux moved to Florida to attend UCF that he had to adapt and learn English to communicate. Even now, there is still a lingering French accent when he speaks.
"When I get mad, the accent comes out big time. They (the team) won't know a word because I'm so mad," said Gagne-Marcoux. "Last year, I got on my chair and I got up in the locker room because I was excited and everyone was like `huh?' They crack jokes about me all the time. That's one of the things I'm going to miss when I leave here."
Gagne-Marcoux graduated in the spring of 2006 with a degree in marketing. One of only three players on the team in graduate school, he has stayed true to his word and is pursuing his master's degree. As a fifth-year senior, he understands the importance of education and has worked extremely hard, especially breaking the language barrier, that he has surprised himself.
"I obtained my degree with good grades and a good GPA," said Gagne-Marcoux. "I made the Dean's List for athletics almost every semester. That's pretty good because when I first came here, I couldn't speak English."
Gagne-Marcoux has learned more than just English at UCF. He has developed into one of the top offensive linemen in the country and has already earned his college degree.
Hockey's loss is the Golden Knights' gain.