Pac-12 Media Day: Gabe Marks shows pride in coming home and representing SoCal

Gabe Marks earned respect as one of the top receivers in the City Section during his days at Venice High School.

He accepted a scholarship to Washington State. Last season, he was All-Pac-12. On Thursday, he was chosen by Coach Mike Leach to attend Pac-12 media day in Hollywood.

Asked to talk about his journey, Marks spoke with emotion.

“I was able to be around some people that wanted to see me do well in life, then pushed me in the right direction,” he said. “I was already wanting to be in the right direction, but they gave me the extra motivation I needed to get where I am now.

“Being here is just cool. I’m not done. I want to look back on this as a little blip of what I’ve done in my life, but up to this point, this is a big moment for me. It shows if you keep grinding, you’ll get rewarded. It’s good to see it pay off.”

For the latest on high school sports, follow @LATSondheimer on Twitter