Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Q&A: Jo'quavious Marks
November 25, 2020 | Football, HailStateBEAT
Getting to know freshman running back Jo'quavious Marks
STARKVILLE - Each week during the 2020 football season, HailState.com will catch up with one football student-athlete to talk about football, personal favorites and everything that makes them unique. This week, we catch up with freshman running back Jo'quavious Marks.
Q: Why did you choose Mississippi State?
JM: I chose Mississippi State because it is a family here. On the other side, it's a really good school for my major. My major is kinesiology with a concentration on sports medicine.
Q: Why did you choose your major?
JM: I chose my major because I still want to be around football after I am done playing football. I see how the training staff is helping me out right now and I want to be able help players out once my career is over in football.
Q: What is your nickname? How did you get your nickname?
JM: My nickname is Woody. My grandmother gave it to me, because I loved the movie Toy Story. Every Halloween, I always wore that costume. I always wanted to wear it to school, too.
Q: What was it like growing up in Atlanta, Georgia?
JM: It was pretty fun. Atlanta is a big city with a lot of traffic and a lot of stuff to do. [When I had some free time] We went to Six Flags, went downtown to the big Ferris wheel or to go to the water park.
Q: Who is your biggest motivation?
JM: My biggest motivation is my mom. My mom, she is a is a competitive person and she works very hard. So, she motivates me to work hard and be a good influence.
Q: If you could play any other position in a different sport, what would it be and why?
JM: I would play baseball and I would be a catcher. I played catcher when I was younger, and I really liked it.
Q: When was the last time you played baseball?
JM: Probably in middle school. I really like baseball.
Q: What was it like making your collegiate debut against LSU?
JM: I was pretty happy [to be able to play in that game]. It was pretty good getting the first win of my college career with my parents in the stands. It was pretty big beating the reigning national champion.
Q: What drives you to get up and practice as hard as you can every day?
JM: It is really just going out there and seeing my brothers work. I have to work just as hard, so we can reach the goals that we have set.
Q: Video games or Netflix?
JM: Video games. I like to play NBA2K with Tyrus Wheat.
Q: Who is better?
JM: I am the best.
Q: If you owned an NFL franchise and could pick any active player to play for you, who would you choose and why?
JM: I would choose [Atlanta Falcons wide receiver] Julio Jones. He is a big-time receiver. He is a dominant wide receiver that takes pride in route running and blocking. He is also a great teammate and a great leader.
Q: Who was your sports idol growing up and why?
JM: My sports idol growing up was Ezekiel Elliot. He is just a phenomenal running back who I look at to kind of model my game after. Watching him play football motivates you to want to run like him and be a complete back.
Q: Why did you choose Mississippi State?
JM: I chose Mississippi State because it is a family here. On the other side, it's a really good school for my major. My major is kinesiology with a concentration on sports medicine.
Q: Why did you choose your major?
JM: I chose my major because I still want to be around football after I am done playing football. I see how the training staff is helping me out right now and I want to be able help players out once my career is over in football.
Q: What is your nickname? How did you get your nickname?
JM: My nickname is Woody. My grandmother gave it to me, because I loved the movie Toy Story. Every Halloween, I always wore that costume. I always wanted to wear it to school, too.
Q: What was it like growing up in Atlanta, Georgia?
JM: It was pretty fun. Atlanta is a big city with a lot of traffic and a lot of stuff to do. [When I had some free time] We went to Six Flags, went downtown to the big Ferris wheel or to go to the water park.
Q: Who is your biggest motivation?
JM: My biggest motivation is my mom. My mom, she is a is a competitive person and she works very hard. So, she motivates me to work hard and be a good influence.
Q: If you could play any other position in a different sport, what would it be and why?
JM: I would play baseball and I would be a catcher. I played catcher when I was younger, and I really liked it.
Q: When was the last time you played baseball?
JM: Probably in middle school. I really like baseball.
Q: What was it like making your collegiate debut against LSU?
JM: I was pretty happy [to be able to play in that game]. It was pretty good getting the first win of my college career with my parents in the stands. It was pretty big beating the reigning national champion.
Q: What drives you to get up and practice as hard as you can every day?
JM: It is really just going out there and seeing my brothers work. I have to work just as hard, so we can reach the goals that we have set.
Q: Video games or Netflix?
JM: Video games. I like to play NBA2K with Tyrus Wheat.
Q: Who is better?
JM: I am the best.
Q: If you owned an NFL franchise and could pick any active player to play for you, who would you choose and why?
JM: I would choose [Atlanta Falcons wide receiver] Julio Jones. He is a big-time receiver. He is a dominant wide receiver that takes pride in route running and blocking. He is also a great teammate and a great leader.
Q: Who was your sports idol growing up and why?
JM: My sports idol growing up was Ezekiel Elliot. He is just a phenomenal running back who I look at to kind of model my game after. Watching him play football motivates you to want to run like him and be a complete back.
![Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke (9) punts during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Fmsstate.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F1%2F1%2FUSATSI_27828199.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
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