2010 Marshall Thundering Herd Additional Info

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

2010 Marshall Thundering Herd Additional Information​

Coaching Staff

Head Coach:
​

Official School Bio -Doc Holliday

Assistant Coaches:
Official School Bios - Assistant Coaches
Sean Cronin - Assistant Coach/Defensive Line
Bill Legg - Offensive Coordinator/Line
Tony Petersen - Assistant Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator/QBs
Frank Piraino - Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Football
Chris Rippon - Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
JaJuan Seider - Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Zach Smith - Wide Receivers
Fred Tate - Assistant Coach/Safeties
Mike Cassity - Secondary
Mark Gale - Asst. AD for Football Operations
Phil Ratliff - Tight Ends
​

Recruiting

2011 Verbal Commitments
Name Pos Ht Wt Hometown - Scout/Rivals rating

Scout.com - #86 overall class - 7-2*, 2-N/R - 1.78* average
Rivals.com - No team rankings available - 2-3*, 4-2*, 3-N/R - 1.89* average

Keith Baxter S 5-11 180 Homestead, FL - 2*/3*
Cortez Carter FB 6-0 215 Bealeton, VA - 2*/2*
Blake Frohnapfel QB 6-5 210 Stafford, VA - 2*/2*
Sebastian Johannson OG 6-5 315 Raceland, KY - 2*/N-R
Luther Maddy DT 6-2 275 Delray Beach, FL - N-R/2*
Tommy Shuler WR 5-9 182 Miami, FL - N-R/3*
Anthony Spano OC 6-3 275 Naples, FL - 2*/N-R
Dontae West CB 5-10 170 Hialeah, FL - 2*/N-R
Corie Wilson S 5-10 170 Miami, FL - 2*/2*

2010 Recruiting Class

Scout.com - #79 overall class - 1-4*, 4-3*, 20-2*, 2-N/R - 2.15* average
Rivals.com - #71 overall class - 2-4*, 8-3*, 16-2*, 1-N/R - 2.41* average

Trevor Black OLB 6-4 200 Charlotte, NC - 2*/3*
[strike]Antwon Chisolm WR 5-8 170 Belle Glade, FL - 2*/3*[/strike]
Zachary Dunston CB 6-1.5 190 Virginia Beach, VA - 2*/3*
Demetrius Evans WR 6-0 180 Belle Glade, FL - 2*/2*
[strike]Michael Fleuizard DT 6-1 285 Palm Beach Gardens, FL - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]Stefone Grace WR 6-5 190 Cincinnati, OH 2*/2*[/strike]
Justin Haig K 5-10 170 Delray Beach, FL - 2*/2*
Chris Head TE 6-4 198 Jackson, GA - 2*/2*
Harold Hoskins S 6-2 208 Gainesville, FL - 2*/2*
Joe Johnson S 5-11 175 New Smyrna Beach, FL - 2*/3*
Jermaine Kelson WR 5-9 165 Miami, FL - 2*/2*
Grady Kerr DT 6-2 260 New Smyrna Beach, FL - N-R/N-R
Jazz King WR 5-10.5 175 Duncan, SC - 2*/3*
Josh Lovell TE 6-5.5 260 Christchurch, VA - 3*/3*
Ra'Shawde Myers DE 6-3 215 Cocoa, FL - 2*/2*
[strike]Fred Pickett WR 5-9 155 Pahokee, FL - 3*/3*[/strike]
James Power TE 6-2 221 Myrtle Beach, SC - 2*/2*
[strike]Randy Richards OC 6-4 310 Visalia, CA - 2*/2* - JUCO[/strike]
Darryl Roberts CB 5-10 150 Lakeland, FL - 2*/2*
Brian Robinson S 5-10 190 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - 3*/4*
TJ Ross S 5-11 194 Durham, NC - 2*/2*
AJ Scott DE 6-5 272 Staunton, VA - 2*/2*
Garrett Scott OG 6-4 270 Douglas, GA - 2*/2*
Brandon Sparrow DT 6-4 250 Bedford, VA - 2*/2*
Malcolm Strong DE 6-4 230 Stone Mountain, GA - N-R/2*
Eddie Sullivan QB 6-1 185 Boca Raton, FL - 3*/3*
Travon Van RB 5-10 190 New Berlin, NY - 4*/4*

2009 Recruiting Class

Scout.com - #92 overall class - 1-3*, 23-2* - 2.04* average
Rivals.com - #97 overall class - 7-3*, 17-2* - 2.29* average

Marques Aiken DE 6-4 230 Lauderdale Lakes, FL - 2*/2*
[strike]Cartavious Baldwin S 6-1 185 Belle Glade, FL - 2*/2*[/strike]
Zakee Bashir OLB 6-2 212 Columbus, OH - 2*/2*
Trevor Black OLB 6-4 200 Charlotte, NC - 2*/2* - PREP - see 2010
Wayne Bonner WR 6-4 210 Midgeville, GA - 2*/3* - JUCO
Andre Booker RB 5-10 175 Sarasota, FL - 2*/2*
Donald Brown QB 6-0 175 Frostproof, FL - 2*/2*
CJ Crawford WR 6-2 200 Huntington, WV - 2*/3*
Aaron Dobson WR 6-3 185 South Charleston, WV - 2*/2*
Troy Evans RB 5-9 210 Oakland, CA - 3*/3* - JUCO
Quanthony Fletcher LB 6-4 240 Miami, FL - 2*/3*
AJ Graham QB 6-4 195 Tallahassee, FL - 2*/3*
Colton Griffis DT 6-6 300 Sunbury, OH - 2*/2*
Jordan Jeffries OT 6-7 300 Oswego, IL - 2*/2*
[strike] Jacob Laudenslayer QB 6-3 225 Ukiah, CA - 2*/3* - JUCO[/strike]
Monterius Lovett CB 5-10 152 Tallahassee, FL - 2*/2*
Darrell Martin OG 6-4 305 Lithonia, GA - 2*/2*
Matt Pickett LB 6-2 206 Charlotte, NC - 2*/2*
Michael Rhynes WR 6-5 205 Charlotte, NC - 2*/2*
James Rouse DE 6-6 207 Harrisonburg, VA - 2*/2*
Alex Schooler DE 6-5.5 250 Wichita, KS - 2*/2*
Press Taylor QB 6-1 200 Norman, OK - 2*/3* - JUCO
Corey Tenney TE 6-7 270 New Castle, VA - 2*/2*
Phil Walker OLB 6-1 208 Weston, FL - 2*/2*

2008 Recruiting Class

Scout.com - #81 overall class - 2-4*, 6-3*, 13-2*, 1-N/R - 2.41* average
Rivals.com - #69 overall class - 0-4*, 8-3*, 13-2*, 1-N/R - 2.32* average

Devin Arrington LB 6-2 205 Chesapeake, VA - 2*/2*
[strike]Brandon Burns S 6-4 215 Poplarville, MS - 3*/2* - JUCO[/strike]
[strike]Darryn Davis OG 6-5 300 Lithonia, GA - 2*/2*[/strike]
Tyson Gale 6-3 230 Alva, OK - 2*/2*
[strike]Maurice Graham TE 6-5 285 Visalia, CA - 2*/3* - JUCO[/strike]
Jamie Hatten TE 6-5 233 Hendersonville, NC - 2*/2*
[strike]Leshawn Henderson CB 6-1 180 Okeechobee, FL - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike] Cory McCutchen WR 6-4 178 Stone Mountain, GA - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike] Josh Miller CB 5-9 185 Visalia, CA - 3*/2* - JUCO[/strike]
[strike] OJ Murdock WR 6-0 185 Poplarville, MS - 4*/3* - JUCO[/strike]
[strike] Andre Portis OLB 6-3 240 San Mateo, CA - 3*/2*- JUCO[/strike]
Landis Provancha OL 6-4 299 El Cajon, CA - N-R/N-R - JUCO
[strike]Jimmy Rogers OT 6-4 330 Moorhead, MS - 4*/3* - JUCO[/strike]
Ahmed Shakoor CB 5-11 189 Stone Mountain, GA - 2*/3*
[strike]Jordan Taylor RB 6-1 205 South Bend, IN - 2*/2*[/strike]
Zach Tenuta TE 6-3 230 Marietta, GA - 2*/2*
Demetrius Thomas RB 6-1 200 Theodora, AL - 2*/2*
Charles Walker WR 5-10 185 Oakland, CA - 3*/3* - JUCO
Martin Ward RB 5-9 188 Jonesboro, GA - 3*/3*
Kase Whitehead P 5-10 180 Maryville, TN - 2*/2*
[strike]Jamal Wilson WR 5-11 176 Chesapeake, VA - 2*/3*[/strike]
John Youboty DE 6-4 250 Klein, TX - 3*/3*

2007 Recruiting Class

Scout.com - #71 overall class - 4-3*, 16-2*, 4-N/R - 2.00* average
Rivals.com - #66 overall class - 8-3*, 15-2*, 1-N/R - 2.29* average

Daquan Bembry CB 5-9 175 Hawkinsville, GA - 2*/3*
Josh Bruhin OG 6-4 300 Powell, TN - 2*/2*
Brandon Bullock DT 6-3 305 Absecon, NJ - N-R/2*
Mark Cann QB 6-4 210 Landrum, SC - 2*/3*
George Carpenter FB 5-10 200 Lancaster, OH 2*/2*
[strike]Micah Carter OT 6-5 330 Beckley, WV - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike] Jo-Jo Cox 5-9 213 Fork Union, VA - N-R/3*[/strike]
[strike] Brandon Curry OT 6-6 310 Lauderdale Lakes, FL - 3*/3*[/strike]
Vinny Curry DE 6-2 223 Cincinnati, OH - 2*/2*
[strike]TJ Drakeford CB 5-11 190 Charlotte, NC - N-R/2*[/strike]
Terrell Edwards RB 6-2 210 Mobile, AL - 3*/3*
[strike]Montel Glasco DT 6-3 285 Scranton, PA - 2*/2* - JUCO[/strike]
[strike]Sergio Glenn OT 6-6 324 Winston-Salem, NC - 2*/2*[/strike]
Kellen Harris LB 6-2 205 Sharon, PA - 2*/2*
[strike]Corey Hart S 6-2 203 Loachapoka, AL - 2*/2*[/strike]
Delvin Johnson DT 6-4 265 Woodruff, SC - 2*/2*
Johnny Jones DT 6-6 240 Clewiston, FL - 2*/2*
[strike]Darius Marshall RB 5-9.5 183 Milledgeville, GA - 2*/3*[/strike]
[strike] Shane Moore DT 6-2 285 McLeansville, NC - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike] Franchez Pitts S 6-3 195 Loachapoka, AL - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]Chris Smith QB 6-3 215 South Point, OH - 3*/3*[/strike]
Ryan Tillman OT 6-4 260 Chatham, VA - 2*/2*
DJ Wingate S 6-0 195 Daytona Beach, FL - N-R/N-R
Charles Wood OT 6-4 275 Gainesville, GA - 3*/3*

2006 Recruiting Class


Scout.com - #72 overall class - 2-4*, 2-3*, 21-2*, 3-N/R - 2.11* average
Rivals.com - #66 overall class - 0-4*, 4-3*, 24-2*, 0-N/R - 2.14* average

Brian Anderson QB 6-4 185 Louisville, KY - 2*/3*
[strike]Anthony Binswanger K 6-0 175 Pleasant Valley, CA - 3*/2*[/strike]
Antwan Booker LB 6-1 240 Auburndale, FL - 2*/2*
Brandon Campbell OL 6-5 305 Ft. Washington, MD - 2*/2*
Courtney Edmundson WR 6-1 175 Titusville, FL - N-R/2*
[strike]Josh Evans DT 6-3 315 Fayetteville, WV - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]Ashton Hall CB 5-10 183 Kingsland, GA - 3*/2*[/strike]
Mario Harvey LB 5-11 240 Chatham, VA - 2*/3*
Michael Janac DT 6-4 250 Nashville, TN - 2*/2*
[strike]Aaron Johnson S 5-11 190 San Francisco, CA - 2*/2* - JUCO[/strike]
[strike]Josh Johnson LB 6-2 240 Milledgeville, GA - 4*/3* - JUCO[/strike]
[strike]DeMorris Kilow RB 6-2 202 Ozark, AL - 2*/2*[/strike]
Howard King LB 6-2 193 Daytona Beach, FL - 2*/2*
[strike]Darius Lewis RB 5-11 220 Ironton, OH - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]Josh Long DE 6-5 242 Ft. Myers, FL - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]Bryant Milligan WR 6-2 190 Cleveland, OH - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]Darius Passmore WR 6-1 175 Visalia, CA - 4*/2* - JUCO[/strike]
Kevin Perry CB 5-10 162 Madison, AL - N-R/2*
[strike]David Redick TE 6-4 235 Roanoka, VA - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]DeNathian Robinson CB 5-10 157 Hampton, VA - 2*/2*[/strike]
Chad Schofield OL 6-3 322 Strongsville, OH - 2*/2*
[strike]Cody Slate TE 6-4 220 Chatham, VA - 2*/3*[/strike]
Tavaris Thompson WR 6-2 175 Lauderdale Lakes, FL - 2*/2*
[strike]Josh Tillman DE 6-3 245 Dayton, OH - 2*/2*[/strike]
Erik Vint OL 6-4 275 Ridgeway, VA - 2*/2*
[strike]Aaron Ward QB 6-3 175 Hampton, VA - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]Kirby Watson RB 5-6 191 Daytona Beach, FL - 2*/2*[/strike]
[strike]Ryland Wilson DT 6-3 255 Natchez, MS - N-R/2* - JUCO[/strike]

Unrated players assigned 1* for purpose of calculating class average

​

Behind the Numbers

At the start of a new season, with no numbers to look at (or behind), it is tempting to place too much emphasis on numbers from the previous season. It is much more instructive to look at the numbers from several seasons. That is the method that will be used for at least the first few games of this season.
​

Even though the Thundering Herd have a new coach this year (Doc Holliday), the numbers compiled by the previous regime are still relevant. All of Coach Holliday's players were brought in by the previous staff, led by former OSU assistant Marc Snyder. To the extent that the players are of roughly the same quality (mostly 2-stars coming out of high school), the numbers that have been compiled in the past can provide a general indication of what the program can expect. There certainly isn't much to go on with respect to their new coach; this is his first head coaching gig.

Differential Statistical Analysis (DSA)

Those familiar with DSA: Feel free to skip to the next sub-section.

DSA is a way of looking behind the numbers by taking the quality of the opposition into consideration in an objective, albeit limited way. By first eliminating every game against FCS (formerly known as Division I-AA) competition and then comparing every FBS team's output to the average output allowed (or gained) by their opposition, a more complete picture is obtained of each team's performance.

For offense, the yardage gained and points scored are compared to the yards and points allowed, on average, by the opponents' defenses. For example, last year Ohio State scored 7 points for every 6 points that their opponents allowed, on average. Their Differential Scoring Offense (DSO) was thus: 7/6 = 1.167. Defense works pretty much the same way; a team's average points or yards allowed is divided by the points or yards that their opponents gained when they played everyone else. Last year, Ohio State allowed only 46.5% as many points as their opponents scored, on average, against everyone else they played. So OSU's Differential Scoring Defense (DSD) was 0.465.

Offense

DSA numbers have been tabulated for every Division I-A (FBS) team going back to 2001, the beginning of the Tressel era. By comparing the schools' offenses over that entire span, a picture emerges showing Ohio State to be clearly superior. Even so, this picture is probably far too charitable to the Thundering Herd, as will be shown later.

Tressel Era Scoring
​

Team___________SO_____DSO_
Ohio State____28.61___1.19
Marshall______25.14___0.94

Where:

SO = Scoring Offense, and
DSO = Differential Scoring Offense
​

​

There are at least 4 reasons why the above numbers understate Ohio State's offensive superiority:

1. Buckeye Improvement: Ohio State has improved dramatically on offense over the years, and figures to have one of their best Tressel era offenses in 2010. While 2009's DSO of 1.167 (ranked 34th nationally) was the worst of the last 5 years, it was better than the DSO posted by any of Tressel's first 4 Buckeye squads.
2. Competition: While Ohio State's last 5 years were significantly better than the previous 4; the opposite is true for Marshall. Some may attribute this to the recently departed coaching staff, who have been in place during that time; but it should be observed that this coincides with Marshall's jump from the MAC to Conference USA. Since joining C-USA, Marshall has not come within 10 spots of the lowest DSO rank that Ohio State has recorded in the Tressel era (61st in 2001).
3. Byron Leftwich: Without the hefty lefty, Marshall's BEST DSO performance of the last 7 years is not as good as Ohio State's WORST. The stats of the Leftwich era, while boosting the numbers posted above, are not relevant to next Thursday's contest.
4. Coaching Change: Both teams recorded their worst offensive performance of the past 9 years for years in which their was a regime change. In 2001, the Buckeyes installed a new coaching staff and a new offense and went on to have their only year of the Tressel era for which they averaged fewer points than their opponents typically surrendered (DSO of 0.98). Marshall's worst year was 2005, when Buckeye defensive coordinator Marc Snyder took over and installed a new offense. The same phenomenon can be observed all over every level of football every year, and unfortunately for Marshall, it applies to them this year. Even if the new regime has a better scheme, every member of the offense has zero experience with it entering the game against Ohio State.

While the numbers by themselves suggest that it is reasonable to expect that Ohio State will be better than Marshall offensively, a peek behind the numbers throws the comparison into sharp relief. Buckeye fans can rest assured that there will be a very big gap between the best offense on the field on Thursday night and the Thundering Herd.

Defense

If there is a "very big" gap between the Ohio State offense and the Marshall offense, then the Grand Canyon has nothing on the difference between the Buckeye stop troops and their Thundering Herd counterparts. Marshall was so enamored of Ohio State's defense that they absconded with the Buckeye defensive coordinator (OK, maybe they didn't "abscond", but they did take him to be their Head Coach). In spite of this, the Buckeyes' worst Differential Scoring Defense (DSD) of the Tressel era (0.743, ranked 23rd in 2001) was significantly better than the best DSD posted by Marshall during that time (0.862, ranked 38th in 2003). Since Marshall left the MAC to join C-USA, the difference has soared. What follows is a comparison of the worst Buckeye defensive stats going back to 2005 with the best of Marshall's numbers during that time.

Where:

SD = Scoring Defense
DSD = Differential Scoring Defense
TD = Total Defense
DTD = Differential Total Defense
RD = Rushing Defense
PE = Pass Efficiency (defense)
DPE = Differential Pass Efficiency (defense)
and rk = national rank
​

The above shows that Ohio State's WORST defensive numbers of the last 5 seasons were better than Marshall's BEST in EVERY major defensive category; score, yards, rushing, pass efficiency. So even if one assumes that Ohio State will have their worst defense since 2004, and Marshall will have their best; it is still unlikely that the Thundering Herd's defense will compare to the Buckeyes'. When one considers the lack of any rational basis for such an assumption, the only question that remains is how Terrelle Pryor and the Ohio State offense will adjust to playing a defense that is less talented than the scout team they go against in practice.

Conclusion

Thursday night marks the head coaching debut for Doc Holliday. While history and statistics (to say nothing of common sense) tell us that the Marshall performance will not be up to their usual at the advent of a regime change; there are numerous reasons to believe that the 2010 Buckeyes will be one of the better teams fielded during the Tressel era. While said era has seen more than its share of close games against over-matched non-conference opponents (especially in September); the numbers show why Las Vegas made Ohio State a 4 touchdown favorite. If the Buckeyes fail to cover on Thursday night, it won't be by much.

​

The Lighter Side

When Ohio State signed the young men who are now juniors and redshirt sophomores it was 2010 that was targeted as being "the year." This anticipation was further fueled by a 2010 Rose Bowl victory over the Oregon Ducks. And now, finally, after a long off season, we have made it to the ride.
​

Speaking of the offseason, the summer of 2010 provided a great deal of change to the college football landscape. USC entered the 2010 off season as the west coast giant and media darling like always. Nothing stood in their way. While the NCAA was examining their program, after 5 years it seemed like they weren't really that serious. Even while Pete Carroll decided to return to the pro ranks, USC's arrogance was perfectly embodied by then AD Mike Garrett. Thumbing his nose at his accusers, Garrett replaced Carroll with the boy blunder, a walking secondary violation, Lane Kiffin. In music, the story is that a young Robert Johnson made a deal with the devil which accounted for his ability. In football, there can be no mistake, Kiffin must have also sold his soul as there is really no other way to explain how he countinues to fall up during a subpar career in terms of performance. In any case, while Kiffin remains USC was hammered with strong penalties, Garrrett was sent packing, and USC itself has been removed from the spotlight almost entirely. It'll be interesting to see what the talking heads talk about once they get past blathering on about the SEC.

But, that wasn't it on the sanctions front. Michigan faces penalties as well. It's humorous to us Buckeye fans because it's Michigan. But, think about it for a moment without using your scarlet and grey lenses. Here is a team which violated the rules by "requiring" it's players to practice more than the alloted time allows. Think about that - Michigan was practicing MORE than they should and the result of these extra reps? A speedy fall straight into the Big Ten basement. While Buckeye fans made predictions that Rich Rod was not the right man for the job, that he'd turn Michigan in to a Big East program, that he'd bring off the field embarassment to the "Harvard of the West," Michigan fans had little choice but to hope for the best. And, here we are, on the brink of 2010 and Michigan looks like a Big East team, running a gimmicky offense and a gimmicky defense with a "new school" fan base that shares a MAC team mentality out here on the interwebs. No one can be sure what Bill Martin was doing, but God bless that magnificent SOB. God bless him.

Speaking of the Big Ten - this offseason saw the addition of Nebraska to the Conference ranks. While Nebraska does not officially join until next season, they are a welcome addition as the 12th member to the conference. The Big Ten's overtures towards expansion caused a shake-up all over the land, weakening a Big Twelve conference which - as has now been revealed - has been little more than Texas' equivalent to what Poland, East Germany and Czechoslovakia were to the U.S.S.R. While the Big XII hangs together with a mishmash of errant screws, rolls and rolls of duck tape, and the occasional nail there is little hope it'll survive the next wave. In any event, this season will be the last time College Football looks this way. Soon enough, the MWC will have an auto bid to the BCS, the Big XII will either cease to be, or be nothing more than what the MWC was. The Big East will either expand to 83 teams, or drop out of football altogether, while Notre Dame will finally end its ridiculous marriage to independence and join a conference, probably the Big Ten. Enjoy this season, as it is the last of its kind.

So, what about this week's opponent, Marshall? Well, it's hard to mess with Marshall too much. I mean, they are the only team in college football who has ever actually faced "Adversity." Sure, coaches and players talk about overcoming adversity all the time, but let's face it, none of them are really overcoming adversity. Misfortune, maybe. Tough times, sure. But adversity? Adversity is synonomous with words like catastrophe, disaster, trouble, misery. While in a relative way losing your #1 QB might be considered "catastrophic", it's certainly not like losing all but four players to a plane crash. Yet, despite the horrific events of 1970, Marshall is here, still playing. Yep, it's hard to rip on a team which has overcome actual adversity.

But, they're still in for an ass-whoopin.

Go Bucks, we all hope that you're kissing a crystal football come January! The ride has begun. The first hill is in sight. Here we go......
​

Traditions & Opponent Perspective

November 14, 1970 - As most college football fans know, on this date 37 members of the Marshall football team died in a plane crash that killed all 75 passengers on board. The tragedy and the subsequent inspiring re-birth of Marshall football has been the subject of at least two films; a 2000 documentary called "Ashes to Glory," "We Are Marshall" which starred Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox. In order to compete during the 1971 season Marshall appealed to the NCAA requesting that its incoming freshman be eligible to play. The NCAA had denied a request by West Virginia's head coach Bobby Bowden in 1970 that WVU be allowed to wear the Marshall uniform and compete on their behalf. In any event, the NCAA granted Marshall's eligibility request and the "Young Thundering Herd" won their second contest of the season, a September 25, 1971 home game over Xavier 15-13. The game ended in dramatic fashion - trailing Xavier and with time for one play, Marshall completed a screen pass. Quarterback Reggie Oliver rolled right drawing the defense his way, before throwing back left to fullback Terry Gardner, Gardener caught the pass 13 yards short of the goal line and with no time on the clock, aided by a block from junior tackle Jack Crabtree, a member of the 1970 team not on the plane because of an injury, Garder reached the endzone securing the cathartic win. A plaque stands in honor of those lost in the crash at both the College Football Hall of Fame and on the west facade of the football stadium.

But how did the program become known as The Thundering Herd?

The Thundering Herd is American folklore ... as old as the buffalo that roam the western plains. The Herd once provided nearly every substance needed for human survival, including food, clothing, tools and weapons. The Herd still provides Marshall University's athletic teams with their nickname.

"Thundering Herd" has long been recognized by sports enthusiasts as one of the great, distinctive nicknames in college athletics. But on several occasions throughout Marshall's history other nicknames have been suggested and, on occasion, been hung on the school.

The first nickname of record is Indians, a moniker bestowed upon the pre-1900 athletic teams. By about 1910, sparked by the color of team uniforms, Big Green began to be used in reference to Marshall athletics. Criticized by some from its inception as being boring, Big Green was soon ripe for replacement.

When Huntington Herald-Dispatch sportswriter Duke Ridgley referred to a late-1920s squad as a Thundering Herd, after a then-current movie based on the 1925 Zane Gray novel of the same name, it caught on quickly. Both Thundering Herd and Big Green have been used in reference to Marshall ever since.

It didn't take long, however, for Thundering Herd to draw criticism as well. Some folks thought it inappropriate since it came with connotations of the western plains and didn't represent West Virginia or founding father John Marshall. One suggested nickname, which never caught on, would have honored John Marshall by calling the school's teams the Judges.

Huntington Advertiser sportswriter Dug Freutel in 1933 started referring to Marshall teams as the Boogercats (referring to Scotland's Bogie Cats, a "fleet, elusive, courageous" animal) and some other scribes followed in using that nickname. Freutel complained that Thundering Herd made one think of "cows stampeding down a country road," but many people thought Boogercats stirred up worse images than that.

The Boogercat controversy sparked the Marshall alumni association to hold a special meeting, in which a vote was taken to refer to the school teams as the Thundering Herd for the time being - but that a study should be undertaken to find a mascot that had a connection with the school or West Virginia.

Despite Freutel's attempts to keep Boogercat alive for the next couple of years, Thundering Herd and Big Green remained the commonly used nicknames. In 1958 the Marshall student body, without input from the faculty, administration or alumni, decided that two nicknames wouldn't do and held a vote to settle the issue. Along with Thundering Herd and Big Green, one group of students bought a turkey as a suggested mascot and promoted the name Green Gobblers.

The students voted on Big Green as the nickname, but the media continued to use Thundering Herd to refer to the teams.

In the fall of 1964 Marshall president Stewart Smith appointed a faculty-student committee to suggest a more permanent nickname, feeling that Big Green denoted no action and was not appropriately symbolic. The nine-member committee narrowed its field to Big Green, Thundering Herd and Rams, which had been suggested by Huntington businessman Leonard Samworth, a past president of the alumni association.

On January 5, 1965, over 85 percent of the Marshall students picked Thundering Herd above the others and chose the buffalo as the official mascot and green and white as the official school colors. The athletic fundraising organization took on the name Big Green, and Rams was left by the wayside along with Judges, Indians and, of course, Boogercats. The Big Green Scholarshiop Foundation still provides support for Marshall's student-athletes.

There are also the following items that are part of Marshall's football traditions.

Mascot - Marco the Buffalo - Sporting a Marshall jersey, "Marco" has had many looks since his birth in 1954, with his most recent form making its debut in November, 2008. He has also shared the mascot spotlight from time to time. In the late 60s and early 70s, Marco and a real Buffalo appeared regularly at games. This practice discontinued, however, when keeping the real Buffalo under control became more difficult. Marco had a female counterpart in 1973, but after a few years "Marsha" was set out to pasture. In 1990, Marco won the "National Mascot Championship."

Marching Thunder - The Marshall University Marching Band - Regardless of ones major, membership in the Marching Thunder is open to all university students. Band members recieve a stipend for the work and service to the university as will as one academic credit for each semester they are enrolled in the band. A fixture at Marshall sporting events, the band has also been the halftime entertainment at several pro football games in recent seasons.

Fight Song - "Sons of Marshall" - Penned in 1935 by Marshall College alumnus Ralph A. Williams (1907). Sons of Marshall is as follows:

We are the sons of Marshall
Sons of the great John Marshall
Year after year we go to Marshall U.
Cheering for our team and gaining knowledge, too
Proudly we wear our colors
Love and loyalty we share
Sure from far and near
You'll always hear
The wearing of the green
For it's the Green and White of Marshall U.

"Fight On"

Show me a Scotchman
Who doesn't love a thistle
Show me an Englishman
Who doesn't love a rose
Show me a true-heart
A son of dear old Marshall
Who doesn't love to win, Hey!
M-A-R-S-H-A-L-L
Fight, Fight for dear old Marshall U.

Alma Mater - written in 1906 by James R. Haworth, the Marshall Alma Mater is:

Marshall gracious Alma Mater,
We thy name revere;
May each noble son and daughter
Cherish thine honor dear.
May thy lamp be ever bright
Guiding us to truth and light;
As a beacon o'er dark water
This is for thee our prayer.
May the years be kind to Marshall;
May she grow in fame;
May her children fail her never
True to her beacon flame
May her spirit brave and strong
Honor right and conquer wrong;
This the burden of our song
Ever her truth proclaim.

In an interesting note, prior to 1966 when the practice was deemed to be "hazing," a Freshman who could not recite the Alma Mater on command would be made to sing it under the direction of an upperclassman in front of the Shawkey Student Union.

"We Are Marshall" Chant - Despite the name of the film, "We are.... MARSHALL" was not used as a cheer in 1970 or 1971. According to coach Jack Lengyel, the now famous chant appeared some time later and ties together the team and the whole Huntington, WV community.

Thunder Clap - One clap per point, Marshall fans can be seen clapping their hands over their heads in unison following every Marshall score.

Student Section - The Marshal Maniacs

Thunder Walk - A practice also seen at Ohio State, Marshall players and coaches have a team walk prior to home football games.

Rivalry Games:

West Virginia - Friends of Coal Bowl. Marshall first played WVU in 1911, but it wasn't only recently, in 2006, that the schools have agreed to making the game an annual afair. In 8 all time games, Marshall has yet to beat the Mountaineers.

Ohio - Battle for the Bell - Marshall competes against Ohio for the right to possess a traveling bell trophy as the prize for the victor. The game was delt a bit of a blow when Marshall left the MAC conference for Conference USA in 2005, but the two schools met for the first time since 2004 in the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, won by Marshall 21-17. The schools have scheduled such that the rivalry will once again be a regular season contest beginning in 2010. Ohio Leads the all time series, but Marshall has won 11 of the last 13.
​

Historical Data

Marshall University Thundering Herd (Huntington, West Virginia) Founded in 1837

Football 1st Season: 1895
​

Stadium: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (Huntington, WV)
Constructed: 1991 (Renamed in 2004)
Seating Capacity: 38,016
Playing Surface: Field Turf
Conference: Conference USA (since 2005), they were in the MAC when they visited the 'Shoe in 2004.
Colors: Green & White
Mascot: Thundering Herd is the team's nickname, the latest version of Marco the Buffalo debuted in November, 2008.
College Classification: D-IA (or equivalent) since 1997
Conference Championships: 3 WVIA Titles, 1925, 1928, 1931; 1 BIAA Title 1937; 3 Southern Conference, 1988, 1994, 1996; 5 MAC, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002.
Consensus All-Americans: 1
College Hall-of-Famers: 4 players and 1 coach, including WR Troy Brown, who was a 2010 inductee
Pro Hall-of-Famers: 1 (Frank Gatski - also played at Auburn)
Award Winners: 1 Sammy Baugh, 1 Biletnikoff, 1 Payton, 1 Draddy (now the William V. Campbell Trophy)
National Championships: No D-IA Titles, D-IAA Champions in 1992, 1996
Number of AP/Coaches final rankings: AP-2 years, Coaches-3 years; the highest final ranking was #10 in both polls in 1999
​

Records

All Time: 524-501-47 (.511)
​

Bowl Games: 6-2-0 (.750) Most recently a 21-17 win over Ohio in the 2009 Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl
All Time vs the Big Ten: 0-3-0 (.000) versus teams with conference membership at time of game (doesn't include 0-2 against Penn St.)
All Time vs the Ohio State Buckeyes: 0-1-0 (.000) Most recently a 24-21 loss to the Buckeyes in 2004 in Columbus.
Coach's Record: Doc Holliday, 2010, 0-0-0 (.000) First season as Head Coach

2010 Season: 0-0-0 (.000)

Sep 02 at Ohio State 7:30 pm
Sep 10 West Virginia 7:00 pm
Sep 18 at Bowling Green 7:00 pm
Sep 25 Ohio 7:00 pm
Oct 02 at Southern Miss 8:00 pm
Oct 13 UCF 8:00 pm
Oct 23 at East Carolina 4:15 pm
Oct 30 UTEP 3:00 pm
Nov 06 at UAB 4:15 pm
Nov 13 Memphis 3:00 pm
Nov 20 at Southern Methodist 3:00 pm
Nov 27 Tulane 12:00 pm

2011 Schedule
TBA

​

Links

Official Sites:
​

Official School Site - Marshall University
Official Alumni Site - Marshall University - Alumni
Student Newspaper - The Parthenon
Official Athletic Site - Athletics at Marshall University
Official Conference Site - Conference USA

Message Boards & Team Pages:
Message Boards - HerdNation (Rivals)
Message Boards - The Herd Grapevine (Independent)
Message Boards - Inside the Herd (Scout)
Message Boards - HerdFans (Independent)
Blog - SBNation
Blog - Marshall Collegefootballfansite.com
Team Page - NCAA
Team Page - ESPN
Team Page - USA Today
Team Page - Fox Sports
Team Page - Sporting News
Team Page - CBS Sportsline
Team Page - CNN/SI
Team Page - Rivals
Team Page - Covers

Local News Sources:
The Huntington Herald-Dispatch - Local News
WSAZ - Local News

Team Previews and Breakdowns:
2010 Preseason Prospectus (PDF) - The HerdZone
2010 Depth Chart (PDF) - The HerdZone
2010 Roster - The HerdZone
2010 Media Guide (PDF) - The HerdZone
2009 Season Stats (PDF) - The HerdZone
Coach Holliday Show site - The HerdZone
2009 Football Media Center - The HerdZone
2009 Weekly Game Notes (PDF) - The HerdZone
News Releases - The HerdZone
Archives - The HerdZone
Marshal Thundering Herd Football Preview - CFN
2010 Marshall Thundering Herd News - CNN/SI

Conference USA Previews and Breakdowns:
Ohio State - Marshall Preview (PDF) - ConferenceUSA.com
2010 Conference USA Media Guide (PDF) - ConferenceUSA.com
2010 Media Day Blog - ConferenceUSA.com
2010 Conference USA Bowl Tie-ins - ConferenceUSA.com
​

Note: Statistical data was complied using a variety of sources, including:
Stssen (Chris Stassen) - Data
College Football Data Warehouse - Data
American College Football-RSFC (Dave Wilson) - Data
D1A Football (Formerly WALJ 10 College Football) - Data
National Champs.net - Data
Hickok Sports - Data

Link to 2010 Marshall Thundering Herd Game Preview​