Lee Marks Named Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Coach
January 07, 2026 | Football
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Lee Marks will join the Oregon State football program as the Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Coach, Head Coach JaMarcus Shephard announced Wednesday.
"Lee Marks is first and foremost a family man, and he will build this family here at Oregon State University," Shephard said. "He is also an elite teacher, an effective communicator and someone who truly cares about the process of helping young people develop into the person they want to be. He is someone who truly sees the big picture of what a program is supposed to look like and feel like. I look forward to him helping me build this program at Oregon State."
Marks spent the past two seasons as assistant coach/running backs at the University of Memphis after spending two years at the University of Washington as the assistant head coach and running backs coach.
"I am incredibly grateful to Coach Shephard for the opportunity to join the Oregon State family," Marks said. "His vision, leadership and relentless commitment to excellence are what drew me here. Oregon State is a place that values people, development and winning with purpose. My family and I are excited to be part of Beaver Nation. I'm fired up to get to work developing our players, establishing a standard of toughness and accountability, and helping elevate this program on and off the field."
The appointment is contingent on the completion of all university hiring processes.
During the 2025 season, Marks led a Memphis rushing attack that averaged 192.5 yards per game with 34 touchdowns, tied for the sixth most in the nation. In Marks' first season at Memphis in 2024, Mario Anderson Jr. rushed for 1,362 yards, the 11th most in the nation, and 18 touchdowns. He was a Doak Walker Award candidate, given to the nation's top running back, and an Honorable Mention All-American.
During the 2023 season at Washington, Marks helped lead the team to a 14-1 record, the first undefeated Pac-12 Conference record in school history, a Pac-12 title, and a berth in the CFP National Championship game. Washington ranked 12th nationally in total offense (462.1) and 13th in scoring offense (36.0) that season.
Marks coached Dillon Johnson who earned Section Team All-Pac-12 honors after rushing for 1,195 yards and 16 touchdowns. Johnson earned an invitation to the NFL Combine, marking three-straight seasons that a running back under the coaching of Marks earned an invite.
In his first year at Washington in 2022, Marks helped guide a Husky offense that led the nation in passing offense (369.8 ypg) and third-down conversions (57 percent), while finishing second nationally in total offense (515.8 ypg). The previous season Washington finished 73rd in pass offense and 114th in total offense.
Washington's top two running backs – Wayne Taulapapa and Cameron Davis – combined to rush for 1,427 yards and 24 rushing TDs, and the team's running backs did not lose a fumble the entire season.
Prior to his time at Washington, Marks spent two seasons at Fresno State University as assistant head coach/run game coordinator/running backs coach in 2020-21. He coached Ronnie Rivers, a first-team All-Mountain West Conference running back in 2020, who finished his career as Fresno State's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns.
In 2021, Marks was part of a Fresno State staff that saw the offense finish first in the Mountain West Conference and 14th in the nation in total offense (464.8 ypg) and second in the conference and 26th nationally in scoring (30.5 ppg).
Following Kalen DeBoer's departure to Washington, Marks was named Fresno State's interim head coach and led the Bulldogs to a win over UTEP in the 2021 New Mexico Bowl.
Marks returned to his alma mater Boise State in 2014 as an assistant strength and conditioning coach before being promoted to running backs coach from 2015-18 and adding the title of director of special teams in 2019.
In 2015, he coached Boise State's Jeremy McNichols who rushed for 1,337 yards and 20 touchdowns. The following year, McNichols rushed for 1,709 yards and 27 scores before being drafted by Tampa Bay.
Marks coached 1,000-yard rushers each of the following three seasons as well, as Alexander Mattison ran for 1,086 in 2017 and 1,415 in 2018. Freshman All-American George Holani kept that streak alive with 1,014 rushing yards in 2019.
During the 2013 season, Marks was an assistant director of strength and conditioning at Arkansas State and helped the team earn a share of the Sun Belt Conference title and a victory in the GoDaddy Bowl
Marks spent one season at South Dakota State in 2012 overseeing the running backs room and coaching future NFL player Zach Zenner, who earned All-America honors after rushing for 2,044 yards and 13 touchdowns, while adding 28 receptions for 197 yards. Zenner topped 100 yards in nine games and rushed for 200-plus yards three times, including a school-record 295 yards in a win over Eastern Illinois.
Marks spent two seasons at the University of Sioux Falls in 2010-11 as a graduate assistant, working with the running backs in an offense that ranked second in the NAIA in total points (577) and 18th in rushing yards (2,254) in 2010.
After playing one season in the Arena Football League for the Boise Burn, Marks spent three seasons at the University of Colorado from 2007-09 as an assistant speed and strength and conditioning coach.
Marks played collegiately at Boise State University and helped lead the Broncos to four bowl games. He had more than 2,400 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns during his career, was named the team's offensive most valuable player in 2005 and earned All-Western Athletic Conference accolades two times.
He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Boise State in 2007 and a master's degree in education from Sioux Falls in 2011.
Marks and his wife, Kim, have one son, Liam, and one daughter, Logan.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
"Lee Marks is first and foremost a family man, and he will build this family here at Oregon State University," Shephard said. "He is also an elite teacher, an effective communicator and someone who truly cares about the process of helping young people develop into the person they want to be. He is someone who truly sees the big picture of what a program is supposed to look like and feel like. I look forward to him helping me build this program at Oregon State."
Marks spent the past two seasons as assistant coach/running backs at the University of Memphis after spending two years at the University of Washington as the assistant head coach and running backs coach.
"I am incredibly grateful to Coach Shephard for the opportunity to join the Oregon State family," Marks said. "His vision, leadership and relentless commitment to excellence are what drew me here. Oregon State is a place that values people, development and winning with purpose. My family and I are excited to be part of Beaver Nation. I'm fired up to get to work developing our players, establishing a standard of toughness and accountability, and helping elevate this program on and off the field."
The appointment is contingent on the completion of all university hiring processes.
During the 2025 season, Marks led a Memphis rushing attack that averaged 192.5 yards per game with 34 touchdowns, tied for the sixth most in the nation. In Marks' first season at Memphis in 2024, Mario Anderson Jr. rushed for 1,362 yards, the 11th most in the nation, and 18 touchdowns. He was a Doak Walker Award candidate, given to the nation's top running back, and an Honorable Mention All-American.
During the 2023 season at Washington, Marks helped lead the team to a 14-1 record, the first undefeated Pac-12 Conference record in school history, a Pac-12 title, and a berth in the CFP National Championship game. Washington ranked 12th nationally in total offense (462.1) and 13th in scoring offense (36.0) that season.
Marks coached Dillon Johnson who earned Section Team All-Pac-12 honors after rushing for 1,195 yards and 16 touchdowns. Johnson earned an invitation to the NFL Combine, marking three-straight seasons that a running back under the coaching of Marks earned an invite.
In his first year at Washington in 2022, Marks helped guide a Husky offense that led the nation in passing offense (369.8 ypg) and third-down conversions (57 percent), while finishing second nationally in total offense (515.8 ypg). The previous season Washington finished 73rd in pass offense and 114th in total offense.
Washington's top two running backs – Wayne Taulapapa and Cameron Davis – combined to rush for 1,427 yards and 24 rushing TDs, and the team's running backs did not lose a fumble the entire season.
Prior to his time at Washington, Marks spent two seasons at Fresno State University as assistant head coach/run game coordinator/running backs coach in 2020-21. He coached Ronnie Rivers, a first-team All-Mountain West Conference running back in 2020, who finished his career as Fresno State's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns.
In 2021, Marks was part of a Fresno State staff that saw the offense finish first in the Mountain West Conference and 14th in the nation in total offense (464.8 ypg) and second in the conference and 26th nationally in scoring (30.5 ppg).
Following Kalen DeBoer's departure to Washington, Marks was named Fresno State's interim head coach and led the Bulldogs to a win over UTEP in the 2021 New Mexico Bowl.
Marks returned to his alma mater Boise State in 2014 as an assistant strength and conditioning coach before being promoted to running backs coach from 2015-18 and adding the title of director of special teams in 2019.
In 2015, he coached Boise State's Jeremy McNichols who rushed for 1,337 yards and 20 touchdowns. The following year, McNichols rushed for 1,709 yards and 27 scores before being drafted by Tampa Bay.
Marks coached 1,000-yard rushers each of the following three seasons as well, as Alexander Mattison ran for 1,086 in 2017 and 1,415 in 2018. Freshman All-American George Holani kept that streak alive with 1,014 rushing yards in 2019.
During the 2013 season, Marks was an assistant director of strength and conditioning at Arkansas State and helped the team earn a share of the Sun Belt Conference title and a victory in the GoDaddy Bowl
Marks spent one season at South Dakota State in 2012 overseeing the running backs room and coaching future NFL player Zach Zenner, who earned All-America honors after rushing for 2,044 yards and 13 touchdowns, while adding 28 receptions for 197 yards. Zenner topped 100 yards in nine games and rushed for 200-plus yards three times, including a school-record 295 yards in a win over Eastern Illinois.
Marks spent two seasons at the University of Sioux Falls in 2010-11 as a graduate assistant, working with the running backs in an offense that ranked second in the NAIA in total points (577) and 18th in rushing yards (2,254) in 2010.
After playing one season in the Arena Football League for the Boise Burn, Marks spent three seasons at the University of Colorado from 2007-09 as an assistant speed and strength and conditioning coach.
Marks played collegiately at Boise State University and helped lead the Broncos to four bowl games. He had more than 2,400 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns during his career, was named the team's offensive most valuable player in 2005 and earned All-Western Athletic Conference accolades two times.
He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Boise State in 2007 and a master's degree in education from Sioux Falls in 2011.
Marks and his wife, Kim, have one son, Liam, and one daughter, Logan.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
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