There are two sides to the story of Randy Moss.

He has been rejected by one of the nation’s top football programs and sent packing by another. He has pleaded guilty to two counts of battery, violated his probation by smoking marijuana and done time in the Kanawha County, W. Va., jail.

On the other side, there is the star wide receiver for Marshall University, who is setting school, conference and national records. He is an amazing physical specimen _ 6 feet 5, 210 pounds of muscle and speed. He can bench press 275 pounds, run the 40-yard dash in 4.25 seconds and almost certainly is going to turn professional and instantly become a multimillionaire after this season, just his second in college football. He won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top wide receiver.

He also has thought about competing as a sprinter in the Olympics in 2000.

Moss has become somewhat of a legend, locally and nationally. In Huntington, W.Va., bright green Marshall jerseys bearing Moss’s No. 88 are one of the hottest commodities in town. From around the nation, more than 50,000 people have visited Moss’ home page on the Internet, created by Marshall officials in hopes of gaining recognition for their star athlete. The move seems to have paid off: Moss is one of four finalists for the Heisman Trophy, although his chances of winning are very slim.

“It’s not going to be me,” Moss said. “If I was at a bigger school doing what I’m doing, there is no question about me winning the Heisman or at least being under very strong consideration. But being at a little university, that factors into what I’ve done, I guess.”

All Moss has done is set a record for touchdown catches in a season at the Division I-A level (25) and tie the Division I-AA record (28) first set by Jerry Rice. (After winning the Division I-AA championship last season, Marshall moved up to I-A this season and won the Mid-American Conference championship.)

Moss has caught a touchdown pass in all 27 college games in which he has played. This season, he has 90 receptions for 1,647 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Moss, and many of those around him, hope that all those athletic accolades help erase concerns about his past.

One of the most storied high school athletes in West Virginia history, Moss could have gone to the college of his choosing. He picked Notre Dame, but never made it to South Bend. An ugly, racially motivated fight during his senior year of high school left one white student with a torn spleen while Moss _ who had recently turned 18 _ faced a felony charge.

Moss eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of battery, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and one year of probation. Lou Holtz, then Notre Dame’s coach, rescinded his scholarship offer. Instead, Moss went to Florida State, under the condition that he sit out his freshman year.

Though he did not play in games, Moss practiced with the Seminoles and it became evident he could star right away. Coach Bobby Bowden began comparing him to former Florida State standout Deion Sanders.

However, during the following summer, Moss admitted smoking marijuana, a violation of his probation, and was sent back to jail. Bowden kicked Moss off the team.

One month before the start of the 1996 season, Moss accepted a scholarship to play for Marshall. Now, even Huntington Mayor Jean Dean is in Moss’ corner.

“I guess it was sort of a wait-and-see to see if he was as good as they said he is,” said Dean, a devout Marshall follower. “It turned out that he was better.”