Former Pitt assistant Marion joins Texas staff, immediately offers WPIAL stars Gallagher and Martin

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, January 8, 2022 | 12:48 AM

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Brennan Marion has been on the Texas football staff for less than two weeks and he already has tossed a lasso at WPIAL recruiting territory.

Marion, a Greensburg Salem alum who coached wide receivers at Pitt this season before taking the same job with the Longhorns, extended scholarship offers to a pair of prized WPIAL prospects in Laurel Highlands junior Rodney Gallagher and Belle Vernon sophomore Quinton Martin.

Texas took a number and will now wait and hope like a bunch of other programs.

Power Five schools are flocking to Gallagher and Martin.

Gallagher, who played quarterback and defensive back for the Mustangs this season, recently announced he would focus his recruiting on football over basketball, giving more college programs incentive to chase him down.

Gallagher (5-foot-11, 160 pounds) has offers from 14 FBS schools, including Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan, and Notre Dame.

Martin now has nine high-level offers, with Texas joining Pitt, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Penn State, Syracuse, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, and Maryland.

A running back and defensive back, Martin (6-3, 195) rushed for 902 yards and 12 touchdowns, and caught 10 receptions for 164 yards and two scores for WPIAL Class 4A runner-up Belle Vernon, which will play in Class 3A next season.

Gallagher led Laurel Highlands to its first playoff win in team history, passing for 1,365 yards and 12 touchdowns, and rushing for 1,130 yards and 20 scores.

Both athletes also excel in basketball. They play for top-ranked teams.

Laurel Highlands basketball is 8-0 and ranked No. 1 in WPIAL Class 5A. Gallagher leads the Mustangs in scoring.

Martin, meanwhile, is averaging a double-double for Belle Vernon (10-0), the No. 1 team in 4A.

Belle Vernon is scheduled to visit Laurel Highlands on Jan. 19 in a nonsection game.

Texas also is after Brashear junior linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson. The Longhorns offered the 6-3, 220-pounder in October, before Marion’s arrival.

Robinson, who has numerous Power Five offers, lists Texas as one of his top 10 favorites.

Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State and Notre Dame also made the cut.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Laurel Highlands