Marshall University Thundering Herd

Transcription

1 Marshall University Thundering Herd 2015 Football Game Notes Marshall Thundering Herd (2-1) at Kent State Golden Flashes (1-2) Saturday, Sept. 26, :30 p.m. ET - Dix Stadium (25,319) - Kent, Ohio TV: American Sports Network (Dave Armstrong-PBP, Richard Baldinger-Analyst) Marshall Media Relations Contact Information Jason Corriher (Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations) Work: Cell: corriher@marshall.edu Website: HerdZone.com Online Resources HerdZone.com Herdzone.com is Marshall Athletics official website. Roster, biographical information, Marshall s football record book, complete statistics and historical information regarding Thundering Herd football can be found here. Each week game notes, statistics and other media resources can be found here. CollegePressBox.Com Collegepressbox.com is the official media website for Conference USA football. Access and download weekly game notes, quotes, statistics, media guides and more for the conference and each of its 13 member schools throughout the season. Login information will be distributed to accredited media or you can apply for a password by sending an to password@collegepressbox.com. ConferenceUSA.com Weekly conference statistics and an interactive online conference media guide are available at com Game-by-Game Captains Purdue-22 D.J. Hunter, 54 Michael Selby, 78 Clint Van Horn, 94 Jarquez Samuel Ohio-17 Taj Letman, 54 Michael Selby, 71 Sebastian Johansson, 93 Steve Dillon Norfolk State- 3 Davonte Allen, 10 Corey Tindal, 54 Michael Selby, 94 Jarquez Samuel Kent State- 17 Taj Letman, 19 Deandre Reaves, 22 D.J. Hunter, 47 Devon Johnson Marshall University Information Location Huntington, W.Va. Founded 1837 (as Marshall Academy) Enrollment 14,000 Nickname Thundering Herd Colors Green (PMS 356C) and White Stadium Joan C. Edwards Stadium Capacity 38,148 Year Opened 1991 (as Marshall University Stadium) Surface FieldTurf Conference Conference USA (East Division) Interim President Gary White Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick (Marshall, 1980) Head Coach Doc Holliday (West Virginia, 1979) Record at Marshall Career Record same Marshall s 2014 Record C-USA Record/Finish 7-1 (1st, East) Offense Multiple Defense Multiple Offensive Starters Returning/Lost 6/5 Defensive Starters Returning/Lost 7/4 Letterwinners Returning/Lost 67/15 Marshall Football Staff Head Coach Doc Holliday (West Virginia, 1979) Offensive Coord./QBs Bill Legg (West Virginia, 1985) Defensive Coord./Secondary Chuck Heater (Michigan, 1975) Running Backs Chris Barclay (Wake Forest, 2009) Defensive Ends Sean Cronin (Georgetown, Ky., 2003) Linebackers Adam Fuller (Sacred Heart, 1998) Wide Receivers Mike Furrey (Northern Iowa, 2000) Tight Ends/Recruiting Coord. Todd Goebbel (Northern Iowa, 1998) Offensive Line Alex Mirabal (FIU, 1993) Defensive Tackles J.C. Price (Virginia Tech, 1998) Assistant AD for Football Ops Mark Gale (Oklahoma State, 1981) Stat Comparison (NCAA Ranks) Marshall Kent State Scoring Offense 32.0 (59th) 18.3 (120th) Scoring Defense 19.7 (40th) 25.0 (74th) Total Offense (86th) (125th) Total Defense (48th) (3rd) Rushing Offense (72nd) (103rd) Rushing Defense (79th) 66.7 (8th) Passing Offense (86th) (114th) Passing Defense (29th) (8th) 2015 Marshall Football Schedule Date Opponent (TV) Time (ET)/Result Sept. 6 PURDUE (FS1) W, Sept. 12 at Ohio (ASN/ESPN3) L, Sept. 19 NORFOLK STATE (ASN-WVAH) W, 45-7 Sept. 26 at Kent State (ASN/ESPN3) 3:30 p.m. Oct. 3 OLD DOMINION (ASN/WCHS) 3:30 p.m. Oct. 9 SOUTHERN MISS (CBSSN) 7 p.m. Oct. 17 at Florida Atlantic (FOX College Sports) 12 p.m. Oct. 24 NORTH TEXAS (FOX Sports TBA) 3:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at Charlotte (FOX Sports TBA) TBA (12-day window) Nov. 7 at Middle Tennessee (FOX Sports TBA) TBA (12-day window) Nov. 14 FIU (FOX Sports TBA) TBA (12-day window) Nov. 27 at Western Kentucky (FS1) 12 p.m. Bold - Indicates a C-USA game Home games in CAPS All times are Eastern Time Zone and subject to change.

2 Marshall quarterbacks: The first starts (Since 1969, through Sept. 19, 2015 vs. Norfolk State) Marshall has had two first- me Herd starters at quarterback in 2015 in junior transfer Michael Birdsong and true freshman Chase Li on. Both impressively won their first games as Marshall starters. Here s a reverse chronological look at the first-start performances by every Herd quarterback since 1969: Player Date Foe Score C-A-I Yds Pct. TD Rush-Yds-TD Chase Li on 9/19/15 Norfolk State W, Michael Birdsong 9/6/15 Purdue W, A.J. Graham 10/15/11 Rice W, Rakeem Cato Va. L, Mark Cann 8/30/08 Illinois State W, Brian Anderson 9/15/07 New Hampsh L, (-1)-0 Bernie Morris 9/10/05 Kansas State L, Jimmy Skinner 9/1/05 Wm & Mary W, Graham Gochneaur 9/12/03 Toledo L, Stan Hill 11/12/02 Miami (Ohio) W, Byron Le wich 8/31/00 SE Missouri W, Eric Kresser 9/7/96 Howard W, (-7)-0 Chad Pennington anooga W, (-21)-0 Mark Zban 9/16/95 Ga.Southern W, Larry Harris State L, Todd Donnan anooga L, Greg Supsura Tenn L, (-10)-0 Michael Payton 9/1/90 Morehead W, Tony Petersen 9/27/86 Furman L, John Gregory 8/30/86 W.Va. Tech W, Tim Kendrick L, Dan Pa erson Tenn L, Carl Fodor L, Ted Carpenter anooga L, (-11) -0 Tony Konopka (Ohio) L, John Sharre s 10/6/79 Miami (Ohio) L, (-18)-0 Jeff Shaner Illinois L, (-6)-0 Danny Wright anooga L, Bud Nelson 9/27/75 Illinois State W, Larry Berkery L, Bob Wilt L, (-14)-0 Joe Fox L, Bob Esbaugh (Ohio) L, Dave Walsh St. L, (-21)-0 Reggie Oliver L, Bob Harris L, (-10)-0 Ted Shoebridge L, Compiled by Jack Bogaczyk, HerdZone.com Columnist with assistance from Morrow Library archivist Lori Thompson

3 Norfolk State Notes Captains for the game were Jarquez Samuel, Corey Tindal, Davonte Allen and Michael Selby. True freshman quarterback Chase Litton, redshirt senior right tackle Tom Collins, sophomore safety Kendall Gant and redshirt senior wide receiver Deandre Reaves each recorded their first start. The Herd has made 11 consecutive field goals (final seven last season by Justin Haig, four this season by Nick Smith (2 vs. Purdue; 1 at Ohio, 1 vs. Norfolk State); last miss was Haig 23-yarder in first quarter (11:26) at UAB (Legion Field), Nov. 22, Redshirt freshman Emanuel Beal recorded his first catch in the first quarter on a five-yard pass from Chase Litton. Tyler Williams s 65-yard punt in the first quarter set a new season long (previously 60 vs. Purdue). His career high is 66, which he set at Rice as a freshman (Sept. 22, 2012). Redshirt sophomore Tony Pittman s two carries on the first-quarter touchdown drive are his first of the season. Chase Litton recorded his first two touchdown passes to redshirt senior Deandre Reaves (0:04 first quarter, 11:14 second quarter). The TD receptions are the first of Reaves career. With 122 yards against Norfolk State, running back Devon Johnson moved to 12th all-time in career rushing yards with 2,161, passing Steward Butler (2,063) and Orlando Hatchett (2,143). In the second quarter, Tony Pittman s reception for eight yards on a first down was the first of his career. Devon Johnson s one-yard rushing touchdown at the 4:48 mark in the second quarter was his 23rd career rushing touchdown and his 29th career touchdown. He now sits at 13th all-time in career rushing touchdowns and tied for 12th all-time in touchdowns with Orlando Hatchett ( ). Deandre Reaves had a career-high 82 yards against Norfolk State. His 36- yard touchdown reception is his longest reception of his career. In the third quarter, Devon Johnson reached the 100-yard rushing mark for the 12th time in his career. Since World War II, only Chris Parker (31) and Doug Chapman (20) have more for the Thundering Herd. At the 8:28 mark in the third quarter, redshirt senior Davonte Allen recorded his first touchdown of the season (11 yards). Redshirt freshman running back Keion Davis rush at the 3:56 mark in the third quarter was the first of his career. His one-yard touchdown with 23 seconds remaining in the third quarter was the first of his career. Chase Litton tied the Marshall record for a first-time starter with four touchdown passes, held by Stan Hill (as a sophomore in 2002). His four touchdown passes are the most by a Herd freshman quarterback debut. Redshirt senior safety Taj Letman s interception at the 13:41 mark of the fourth quarter was his third of the season and his third-straight game with a pick. Junior wide receiver Justin Hunt caught his first touchdown of the year, a 25-yarder, at 9:22 in the fourth quarter. True freshman wide receiver Nick Mathews (nine yards) made the first catch of his career at 7:39 of the fourth quarter. The Herd is 16-1 all-time vs. FCS (former Division I-AA opponents) since moving to FBS level in 1997, losing only to New Hampshire, 48-35, in Under Coach Holliday, Marshall is 23-4 when it wins the turnover margin, 9-18 when it loses the turnover margin and 10-4 when are tied in turnover margin. Marshall at home, in its 25th season at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, is (.847) The Herd has made 115 consecutive points-after-touchdown and 271 of the last 272. The Herd shutout Norfolk State in the second half, a first for the Herd since Nov. 8, 2014, at Southern Miss, where Marshall won 63-17, and outscored the Golden Eagles 35-0 in the second half. Three and Outs Marshall has forced a three-and-out by the opposition 20 times on 44 drives this season. The 6.7 per game average is fourth nationally behind Colorado State (8.0), NC State (7.33) and Houston (7.0). The percentage of.455 is sixth behind NC State (22-35, 62.9%), Boston College (18-32, 56.3%), Colorado State (24-47, 51.1%), Oregon State (19-38, 50%) and Houston (14-29, 48.3%). Picked Off! The Herd is currently tied for seventh nationally with six interceptions and, individually, Taj Letman is tied for first nationally with three. Efficiency at its best The Herd has averaged more yards per play than the opposition in 17 of its last 18 games (the 2015 loss to Ohio the only exception). What s up? Doc Marshall Coach Doc Holliday enters his sixth season on the Herd sideline, and the only current Conference USA head coach who was in the Texasbased league when Holliday arrived is Rice s David Bailiff. Holliday, named at Marshall in December 2009, was part of a 23-man FBS coaching-hire class prior to the 2010 season. Of those 23 coaches, only six remain on the job at the schools hiring them in 2010 Holliday, Florida State s Jimbo Fisher, Notre Dame s Brian Kelly, Ruffin McNeill at East Carolina, Virginia s Mike London and Todd Berry of Louisiana-Monroe. Holliday is (.618) in five-plus seasons. The only coaches in his hiring class with better records are Fisher (61-11,.847) and Kelly (48-20,.706). Holliday received a six-year contract extension this past spring, through June 2021, bumping his base and supplemental salary to $755,500. Near the top With back-to-back season of double-digit victories 10-4 and 13-1 Marshall enters 2015 owning one of the best FBS records in that twoplus-season span. Only six FBS teams have a better record since the start of the 2013 season than Marshall s Florida State (30-1), Ohio State (29-3), Michigan State (27-3) are the top three. Oregon and Missouri are next at 26-5 and Northern Illinois, which the Herd downed last December in the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl, is tied with the Herd at Marshall s win over NIU last season was the 14th time that the Thundering Herd has reached the 50+-point plateau under coach Doc Holliday. Jim Donnan ( ) holds the all-time school mark in that department with 15, while Bob Pruett ( ) also reached that mark 14 times and Cam Henderson ( , ) did it on 13 occasions. Herd Finishes Under Holliday Since Doc Holliday became head coach in 2010, the Herd has an excellent record of finishing off its opponents once it takes the lead. Marshall is 31-6 when it scores first, 30-3 when leading after the first quarter, 33-2 when leading at halftime and 32-3 when leading after three quarters. 10+ Since the start of the 2012 season (43 games), MU boasts yard plays, an average of 19.3 per contest. As you might imagine, those numbers have yielded the following: In that same period, offensive coordinator Bill Legg s attack has 26 games of 500 or more yards total offense and 27 games with 40 or more points. Feel The Rush Marshall has outrushed 24 of its last 33 opponents overall and 15 of its last 20 Conference USA opponents, dating back to the 2012 season. Protecting the Home Turf Marshall is nationally known for being one of, if not the, toughest places to play in college football. The program has won percent (144-26) of its home games in Joan C. Edwards Stadium, the third-highest mark in the country. Baylor, who is in just its second season in McLane Stadium, is first at 7-0 and Georgia Southern (Paulson Stadium) has slipped into second (183-33) by a hair over the Herd (84.72 percent). Leaves Fall, Herd Wins The Herd is 21-6 after Oct. 28 in Doc Holliday s four-plus years as head

4 coach, including a 12-1 mark at home. Tyler, too Herd senior Tyler Williams impressed quickly upon his 2012 arrival in the program, winning the punting job as a true freshman walk-on and then setting the school single-season record with a yard average. Now, he has a shot at the career average record. The Fort Wayne, Ind., resident currently has a 43.9-yard average over his three-plus seasons. The school record of 43.4 belongs to Pat Velarde ( ). And only 59 of Williams 155 career punts have been returned, an average of 2.62 per game. In three-plus seasons, Williams has had 45 punts of 50 or more yards, including 11 of 60-plus. He has placed 48 inside the 20, with only 16 touchbacks. His stellar performance in the 2013 Military Bowl was a key to the Herd s victory over Maryland, as Williams pinned the Terps at their own 1, 5, 1 and 8 among his seven kicks. His career-long boot was a 66-yarder at Rice in Williams is the fifth four-year starting punter in Marshall annals, following Bob Esbaugh ( ), Chris Hanson ( ), Curtis Head ( ) and Kase Whitehead ( ). Happy returns Herd kick return man Deandre Reaves has set the school record for singleseason return yards in each of the last two years 924 in 2013 and 931 last season. In the loss at Ohio, he also claimed the school s career record. Reaves has 1,999 career kick return yards. The school mark that lasted nearly four decades was Ray Crisp s. who posted 1,966 yards from Reaves has gotten his kick runback yardage in the last two-plus seasons. He didn t have a kick return as a freshman in Extra points Seconds after Tiquan Lang returned an interception 30 yards seven seconds into the win over Purdue, placekicker Nick Smith trotted onto the field for the ensuing extra point. Smith has a PAT streak to continue. Justin Haig made his final 102 extra points last missing Nov. 2, 2013 in a win over Southern Miss (third quarter), and Smith kicked one in last season s victory at FIU. With six in the win over Norfolk State, the Herd streak is 115 when the Herd visits Dix Stadium on Saturday. Marshall had a streak of 156 straight when Haig missed in So, the Herd has converted its last 270-of-271. Hang on! It s easy to see why Herd Coach Doc Holliday talks about ball security so often. His five previous Marshall teams have provided a strong indicator of why turnover margin is so important. Holliday s six Herd teams have a combined record. When Marshall has an edge in turnover margin, it is When the turnover number is equal, Marshall is But when the opponent is more sure-handed, the Herd is Of Marshall s 68 games under Holliday, the Herd has played 33 while producing zero or one turnover. Perfect vs. Texas at Home Interestingly enough, Marshall has never lost to a school from Texas at home. The Thundering Herd is a perfect 11-0 against Texas schools in games played in Huntington. Marshall owns a win over North Texas (1988), two wins over Houston (2008, 2012), three wins over Rice (2007, 2011, 2014), two wins over SMU (2005, 2009), two wins over UTEP (2006, 2010) and one victory over UTSA (2013). The graduates Marshall will play the 2015 season with 13 players already owning their MU undergraduate degrees a record for a Herd football team. MU had five 2015 seniors (athletic eligibility) graduate last December wide receiver Davonte Allen, linebacker D.J. Hunter, safety Taj Letman and tight end Joe Woodrum in management, and offensive guard Sebastian Johansson in sports management/marketing. The roster gained four more graduates in May cornerback Keith Baxter (health science), defensive end Joe Massaquoi (criminal justice), offensive tackle Clint Van Horn (political science) and punter Tyler Williams (marketing). Then, four summer graduates were added in August defensive end Armonze Daniel (management), defensive tackle Steve Dillon (Regents bachelor of arts), kick returner Deandre Reaves (marketing) and linebacker Evan McKelvey (marketing and management). In addition, former offensive lineman Cam Dees gained his finance degree. Dees had to give up football because of multiple knee injuries. Ohio Notes Marshall game captains at Ohio, as selected by Coach Doc Holliday and his staff, were guard Sebastian Johansson and center Michael Selby on offense and tackle Steve Dillon and safety Taj Letman. Selby was a captain for the second straight game. Junior Devontre a Tyler made his first career start at middle linebacker for the Herd. The Herd 2015 roster has only two players who played in the 2011 game at Ohio redshirt seniors Keith Baxter (cornerback) and Evan McKelvey (linebacker). Redshirt freshman right guard Jordan Dowrey made his first career start for the Herd. Herd safety Taj Letman s interception (2:56 first quarter) was his second this season and seventh of his career. It s the Herd s fifth pick in Devon Johnson s 73-yard touchdown run (10:07 second quarter) was the second-longest run of his Herd career. He had a 75-yard yarder (no touchdown) in a 2014 win at UAB. It also was Johnson s 28th touchdown (rush and receive) in his last 19 games. Devon Johnson passed the 100-yard rushing mark in the second quarter with his 73-yard touchdown run. He has 11 games of 100 or more yards rushing in his Herd career, tied for fifth with Ahmad Bradshaw. The top four are Chris Parker (31), Doug Chapman (20) and Ron Darby and Darius Marshall (12) tied for third. With 28 career touchdowns (22 rushing, six receiving), Devon Johnson has tied former teammate and tight end Gator Hoskins for No. 13 on the all-time Marshall career touchdown list. No. 12 is Orlando Hatchett (29 from ). With a 42-yard kick return to start the second half, senior Deandre Reaves reached 1,982 career kick return yards, eclipsing the former Herd record of 1,966 set by Ray Crisp from With 7:30 remaining in the game, Devon Johnson totaled 2,039 rushing yards for his Herd career. He is the 15th back in Herd history to reach 2,000. Herd redshirt senior defensive end Armonze Daniel s first-down sack (late third quarter) was the first of his career. Tyler Williams nine punts in the game are the most in his 42-game Herd career. Purdue Notes Marshall game captains versus Purdue for the 2015 opener, as selected by Coach Doc Holliday and his staff, were tackle Clint Van Horn and center Michael Selby on offense and nose tackle Jarquez Samuel and linebacker D.J. Hunter on defense. Marshall had eight players make their first Herd career starts, including six on the offensive side of the ball. The new starters on offense were quarterback Michael Birdsong, receivers Hyleck Foster and Deon-Tay McManus, tight end Ryan Yurachek, right guard Nate Devers and left tackle Sandley Jean-Felix. The two first-time starters on defense were end Joe Massaquoi and nickel back Antavis Rowe. Birdsong, a transfer from FCS member James Madison, previously had made 14 starts for the Dukes. Junior safety Tiquan Lang s two interceptions returned for touchdowns (first quarter, 14:53; fourth quarter, 1:20) are a first for the Herd. No other player in Marshall history has returned two interceptions for scores in a single game. His two interceptions for touchdowns ties the Marshall season record for a single player. Marshall had two versus Akron in 1997 (by Tim Dempsey and B.J. Summers) and two against East Carolina in 2001 (by Ralph Street and Terence Tarpley). Lang s first pick-six may very well be a record. Nebraska also scored seven seconds into its 1996 meeting with Texas Tech on a fumble return and Marshall Media Relations research following the game did not

5 produce anything faster. Lang joins Shawn Ferguson of Cincinnati in 1998 as the only C-USA players with two interceptions for touchdowns in one game. Lang s picks are the third and fourth of his career, and the first two touchdowns of his career. They are the fifth and sixth interception touchdown returns for the Herd in defensive coordinator Chuck Heater s three Marshall seasons. There were three in 2013 (Raheem Waiters, Gary Thompson, Monterius Lovett), one in 2014 (Corey Tindal) and Lang s two Sunday. Marshall s team total of 117 interception return yards is the third most in school history (164 vs. Weber State 1987 on seven INTs and 141 vs. Akron 1997 on three INTs). Lang had a career high 17 tackles. His previous high was 10 in a 2014 home victory over Ohio University. Marshall s first punt of the season, a 54-yarder by senior Tyler Williams, was the senior s 39th punt of 50 or more yards in his Herd career. The 60-yard punt by Herd senior Tyler Williams (6:46, third quarter) was the 10th of his career to travel 60 or more yards. Senior running back Devon Johnson s first-quarter touchdown reception was his 26th career touchdown (20 rush, six receiving), tying him for 15th on the Herd career list with Mike Barber ( ) and Erik Thomas ( ). Slot receiver Nick Mathews (0:38 left, first quarter), of Haymarket, Va., became the first true freshman to play for Marshall this season. Coach Holliday s team played 10 redshirt freshmen against Purdue. Marshall s four interceptions were the most for the Herd since getting four picks in a victory at Miami (Ohio) in October That game was the Herd s first win in Oxford, Ohio, in 60 years. Only four times in history has Marshall intercepted more than four passes in a game seven against Weber State in 1987 and Appalachian State in 1990, and five against Western Michigan in 1956 and East Tennessee State in Sunday s attendance of 38,791 is the third largest crowd in Joan C. Edwards Stadium history (1991-present; capacity is 38,148). It was the opening game of the 25th season for The Joan. Here s a look at the largest crowds: 41,382 West Virginia 24, Marshall Sept. 10, ,383 West Virginia 48, Marshall Sept. 8, ,791 Marshall 41, Purdue Sept. 6, ,914 Kansas State 21, Marshall Sept. 10, ,424 Virginia Tech 30, Marshall Sept. 24, 2011 Bowling for wins With a 9-3 all-time record in bowls, Marshall ranks at the top of major college teams in postseason percentage success (.750), among schools that have played in at least 10 bowl games. Utah is next at 14-5 (.737), followed by Miami (Ohio) at 7-3 (.700). Marshall has won nine of its last 10 bowl appearances, including four in a row, three of those under Coach Doc Holliday. The Herd s current four-game postseason win streak also shares the FBS lead with Michigan State, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette. Watch out The 2015 Herd has three players on six of the preseason watch lists for major national awards, led by running back Devon Johnson. A look at the Herd on those watch lists: Walter Camp Award RB Devon Johnson Maxwell Award RB Devon Johnson Doak Walker Award RB Devon Johnson Rimington Trophy C Michael Selby Outland Trophy OT Clint Van Horn Rotary Lombardi Award LB D.J. Hunter, OT Clint Van Horn Tops again Marshall placed a league-best six players on the 2015 All-Conference USA Preseason Football Team announced July 14. The 34-player team was selected by the league s 13 football coaches. The six selections for Coach Doc Holliday s team included running back Devon Johnson and right tackle Clint Van Horn on offense, nose tackle Jarquez Samuel and strongside linebacker D.J. Hunter on defense, and punter Tyler Williams and long snapper Matt Cincotta on special teams. All six are 2015 seniors. Johnson, Van Horn, Williams and Cincotta were among the Herd s league-record 10 All-C-USA first team selections for the 2014 season last December. Following the Herd s six selections were five for FIU and four each for Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech. Men of Steele Marshall produced a Conference USA-record 10 all-conference first team selection in 2014, and if magazine publisher Phil Steele s 2015 preseason forecast is any barometer, the Herd could be stacking up more honors after this season. Steele named Herd senior Deandre Reaves to his All-America third team at kick returner. Joining Reaves on Steele s All-C-USA first team are running back Devon Johnson, offensive tackle Clint Van Horn, linebacker D.J. Hunter, safety Taj Letman and punter Tyler Williams. Second team picks by Steele were offensive guard Sebastian Johansson and cornerback Corey Tindal, with center Michael Selby, wide receiver Deon-Tay McManus, defensive end Gary Thompson and linebacker Evan McKelvey on the third team. Safety A.J. Leggett was named to the fourth team. The 14 overall selections and six first team picks led all C-USA schools. More titles The Sporting News 2015 preseason magazine anointed the Herd in several special categories among Conference USA teams, including Doc Holliday as the best recruiting coach and Joan C. Edwards Stadium as the best C-USA football game venue. Herd players singled out were senior Davonte Allen as the fastest wide receiver, running back Devon Johnson as having the best instincts and wide receiver Raylen Elzy as a top impact freshman. Lindy s preseason guide named Van Horn as one of the league s top 10 players and the best pass blocker in C-USA. Johnson was picked as the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. Big additions Marshall s program its entire athletic program, in fact had two big additions this summer, when the final two facilities funded by the Vision Campaign for Athletics opened as part of the Chris Cline Athletic Complex. In early June, the Buck Harless Student-Athletic Academic Center opened, giving Herd athletes a welcome place to do their studies outside the classroom and the campus libraries. The Harless Center s 14,150 square feet include 98 computer work stations, private tutoring room, a 34-seat classroom and 75-seat auditorium, among other amenities. In mid-july, the Marshall University Sports Medicine Institute opened its doors for Herd athletes as well as the general public. It s a cooperative effort among MU Athletics, Cabell Huntington Hospital s SMART Center (Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapies), Marshall Orthopaedics and a hospital-run franchise of Stack Velocity Sports Performance. The 20,000-square-foot sports Medicine Institute and Harless Center are adjacent to the MU athletics Hall of Fame room and the Herd s indoor practice facility that houses the 300-meter Jeff Small Track. BOGACZYK: Hamrick, Holliday Sign Long-Term Extensions: Marshall University strengthened its stability and continuity in athletics on Wednesday, as the Thundering Herd signed Athletic Director Mike Hamrick and football Coach Doc Holliday to long-term contract extensions. Hamrick, who returned to his alma mater as AD in July 2009, hired Holliday in December of that year. Together, the two West Virginia natives -- Hamrick from Clendenin and Holliday from Hurricane -- have lifted Herd fortunes through new and enhanced facilities and record-breaking success on the football field. The contracts of both men extend until June 30, Hamrick s six-year extension is for $300,000 annually, a $30,000 raise. Holliday s six-year deal is for a total package of $755, up from

6 $600, with additional dollars available through incentives tied to conference championships, bowls and season ticket sales. The university had announced on Dec. 30 that there were agreements in principle for six-year extensions and enhanced compensation for Hamrick and Holliday. The formal contracts were revealed today. The renewal of the contracts of Mike Hamrick and Coach Holiday is a clear indication of their commitment to Marshall s success and growth in Division I athletics, MU Interim President Gary White said. We are delighted we were able to successfully negotiate continuations that will keep Marshall moving forward. Mike and Doc have stepped up and done their part, and we re looking to our great fans and supporters of Marshall athletics to help us continue our momentum and success. Holliday s previous contract, signed in July 2014, paid the coach $600,000. Last season, he guided the Herd to its first Conference USA championship, with a 13-1 record and Boca Raton Bowl rout over Mid- American Conference champ Northern Illinois. Marshall finished Nos. 22/23 in the national polls. That performance came on the heels of a 10-4 record, C-USA East Division title and Military Bowl win over Maryland in Doc has made Marshall football relevant again for the first time in a long time, with the success he has had in the last two seasons, Hamrick said. The recent past , two big bowl wins -- has been great and the promise of the future is great. He runs an excellent program, with a commitment to doing things right on and off the field. We have the premier program in Conference USA and one of the best in the nation, as the final rankings showed. That s a credit to Coach Holliday and his staff, and I m looking forward to us having big success for a long, long time. Holliday, who turns 58 on April 21, brings a coaching record into 2015, his sixth season guiding the Herd. His teams are 3-0 in bowls and have won 14 of the last 15 games at Edwards Stadium. The extension puts Holliday among the top three in football coaching salaries in Conference USA. I m as happy as I ve ever been coaching football in my career, right here now at Marshall University, Holliday said. I just appreciate the commitment, starting with (late MU President) Dr. (Stephen) Kopp, who s sadly no longer with us. He gave me the opportunity, along with Mike Hamrick, and they made the commitment to winning championships here. With the great facilities we have now and the opportunity to have and keep the staff I have now, it s just a great, great situation to work in. Gary White, our interim president, has been very supportive, and I m just really proud to be the coach here at Marshall. Mike and I have made a long-term commitment to Marshall and our community in the Tri-State area. I d hope we can continue to build as we have, with an increase in support from our community. I hope we can build our fan base. We play an exciting brand of football, and I hope we ll see more fans in the seats in coming seasons at Edwards Stadium. Holliday s new contract includes a base salary from the university of $175,000. He also is guaranteed $330,500 annually for appearances on his weekly radio and TV shows and $200,000 (beginning this July) for annual appearances at Big Green Scholarship Foundation fundraising functions. The contract has a maximum of $100,000 tied to success in C-USA and bowls, plus an incentive tied to MU football season ticket sales. Holliday s buyout is $725, up from $600, unless he moves to the head coaching position at state rival West Virginia, his alma mater. In that case, the buyout increases to $3 million. If Marshall terminates the contract, the MU buyout is $755,500 for each remaining year of the deal. Hamrick came to Marshall after AD stints at Arkansas-Little Rock, East Carolina and UNLV. He will be entering his seventh year as the Herd athletic chief this summer, and with his leadership Marshall has made more than $42 million in athletic facility construction and enhancement. The former Herd linebacker has spearheaded the ongoing Vision Campaign, which has raised in excess of $28 million in private funding for the centerpiece of the campaign, the Chris Cline Athletic Complex. The 101,000-square foot Cline Complex includes an indoor facility that houses a full-length football field and the 300-meter Jeff Small Track; the Buck Harless Student-Academic Program home (scheduled to open this summer); the Marshall University Sports Medicine Institute; and the first Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame. The Vision Campaign also allowed the Herd to build Hoops Family Field at Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex, a 1,006-seat facility that is one of the finest in the nation and is used not only by Marshall but other community organizations. Hamrick also has enhanced Herd football schedules, scheduling homeand-home series with Purdue, Louisville, NC State, Pitt, East Carolina and Navy. He also has renewed rivalries with former MAC foes Ohio and Miami (Ohio). Hamrick s years at Marshall also have included a commitment to NCAA compliance and academic success, which is displayed through the NCAA s Academic Progress Rate (APR), graduation rates and C-USA academic awards for student-athletes. I m very humbled and appreciative that my alma mater, Marshall University, would give me the opportunity to continue in a job that I love, said Hamrick, 57. I appreciate the support I ve received over the years from Dr. Kopp, who was a great president for us, and now from Gary White and our Board of Governors. Our intent is to continue to move forward and continue to build on our recent success. The university has made a long-term commitment to Coach Holliday and to me with these contracts, and we are committed to Marshall. Our fan base and our community want a successful athletic program, which is what we want. We re going to be here, and we need more of you to be here, too. Goebbel Named Marshall Tight Ends Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Marshall football coach Doc Holliday announced Wednesday that Todd Goebbel will return to the Thundering Herd staff as the team s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. Goebbel returns to the program after five seasons as the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator at Ohio Dominican University. We are happy to welcome Todd back to Marshall, Holliday said. He has tremendous experience on the offensive side of the ball and in recruiting. He certainly knows what it means to be a part of this program and the Huntington community. Goebbel spent five seasons ( ) as the Thundering Herd s receivers coach. During that time, Marshall saw steady improvement among its receiving corps and in special teams, which Goebbel coached for his first three years. Under his tutelage, Darius Passmore was named secondteam All-Conference USA in 2009, Emmanuel Spann earned All-CUSA honors as a kick returner in 2006 and Chubb Small ranked among the C-USA leaders in the department in In 2014, Goebbel led Dominican to an 11-2 mark, an NCAA Regional Final appearance and a No. 4 finish in both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and D2Football.com poll. He also directed quarterback Mark Miller, who finished seventh in the Harlon Hill Trophy voting, an award that is presented annually to the best player in NCAA Division II. Goebbel s offense averaged 35.6 points and yards per game, led the country in completion percentage (67.9) and was second nationally in red zone offense (90.9%). In 2013, ODU finished 10-1 and was Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) champions. Goebbel led an offense that was also top 10 nationally and part of a team that made a second-round appearance in the Division II playoffs. Goebbel directed a high-octane Panther offense in 2012, as ODU finished amongst the nation s best in scoring offense. The Panthers averaged 40.8 points per game, good for 12th in the country, and ranked 13th nationally in rushing yards (244.9 per game). Ohio Dominican also ranked 27th in total offense, racking up yards per game, and the Panthers had the eighth-ranked offense in passing efficiency (161.0) while allowing just six sacks all season, the fifth-best mark in the country. Under Goebbel s tutelage, ODU has enjoyed its most prolific rushing attack in school history. Running back Mike Noffsinger set the school

7 single-season and career rushing records and was honored as a Hill Trophy candidate in Jeremy Fudge emerged as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the conference, leading all GLIAC quarterbacks in rushing while also completing over 60 percent of his passes. The Panthers finished 2011 as the third-best offense in the GLIAC, averaging 31.9 points per game, and were also the third-best rushing offense in the conference and 27th in the nation at yards per game. In his three seasons directing the offense, Goebbel has had 10 players earn All-GLIAC accolades. Prior to joining the Marshall football coaching staff, Goebbel served as Ohio State s defensive quality control coach for one season. In that role, he coached the specialists and assisted with special teams, assisted with film breakdown of the opponents, scouting and self-evaluation of the Buckeye defense. Goebbel helped take the Buckeyes to an 8-4 record that included a win over Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl. Goebbel, a native of Delaware, Ohio, attended Kent State University and was a three-year starting quarterback for the Golden Flashes, winning MVP honors as a sophomore in 1996 while being selected as captain as a junior in Following the 1997 season, Goebbel transferred to Northern Iowa, where he was the starting quarterback in 1998 and earned Gateway Conference Newcomer of the Year honors. He graduated from Northern Iowa in 1998 and briefly played for the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League. He holds a bachelor s degree in Physical Education from Northern Iowa and a master s degree in Educational Leadership from Quincy University. In 1999, Goebbel coached tight ends at the College of Wooster and the following season was named the quarterback and wide receiver coach at Tiffin University. He coached at Tiffin for two years before moving on to Quincy University, where he served as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. During those two seasons as offensive coordinator, Quincy was ranked 13th and 10th nationally in total offense. Goebbel and his wife Sara have two sons, Tyler and Drew. Former Herd Star Michael Payton to Enter College Football Hall of Fame: Former Marshall football quarterback Michael Payton was one of 17 players named as part of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame class by the National Football Foundation Friday morning. The 1992 recipient of the Walter Payton Award as the best player in NCAA Division I-AA, Payton led Marshall to its first national championship. Payton becomes Marshall s sixth College Football Hall of Fame inductee, joining halfback Harry Cy Young (inducted in 1958), halfback Jackie Hunt (2004), wide receiver Mike Barber (2005), Coach Jim Donnan (2009) and wide receiver Troy Brown (2010). Young is recognized as playing football for Marshall and Washington & Lee. A consensus first team All-American as a senior, Payton led the Herd to a 12-3 record and the 1992 Division I-AA national championship after defeating Youngstown State, which was coached by fellow 2015 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Jim Tressel. In 1991, Payton was the Walter Payton Award runner-up after leading the nation in passing efficiency (181.3) and taking Marshall to the national championship game. Payton was twice named Southern Conference Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year, and he led the Herd to the 1992 conference title. For more than 20 years, Payton held the Division I-AA record for most passing yards in a half, and he currently ranks in the top four in almost every statistical passing category in Marshall history. A two-time first team all-conference selection and a team captain in 1992, he finished his career with 689 completions for 9,411 yards and 69 touchdowns. Inducted into the Marshall University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999, Payton played for coaches George Chaump and Donnan and was teammates with Brown during his career in Huntington, W.Va. He was named West Virginia Athlete of the Year and Man of the Year in 1991 and I m still on the ballot, said Payton in an October 2012 interview with HerdZone.com s Jack Bogaczyk. Just getting that far, to me is a great thing, and people have told me to be patient. Troy is in there, Coach Donnan is in there. People say I have the stats. We won a championship. I won the Walter Payton Award, which was great. I think it s all there. You just have to be patient. When you re a father (son, Donovan, is 11), you have to be patient, Payton said, laughing, That, and when you re coaching youth football. After spending part of 1993 with the Dallas Cowboys, Payton played two seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League before finishing his career with the Florida Bobcats of the Arena Football League in The Harrisburg, Pa., native is active in DARE and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Payton is currently a senior staff counselor at Alternative Rehabilitation Communities in Pennsylvania, and he serves as a personal trainer and life coach. CAREER STARTS OFFENSE TIGHT ENDS QUARTERBACKS RUNNING BACKS OFFENSIVE LINE WIDE RECEIVERS #85 Ryan Yurachek (3) #11 M. Birdsong (2) #8 Remi Watson (5) #71 Sebastian Johansson (28) #3 Davonte Allen (17) #14 Chase Litton (1) #47 Devon Johnson (15) #78 Clint Van Horn (24) #4 Deon-Tay McManus (3) #54 Michael Selby (17) #2 Hyleck Foster (2) #67 Sandley Jean-Felix (3) #19 Deandre Reaves (1) #76 Nate Devers (1) #58 Jordan Dowrey (2) #68 Tom Collins (1) DEFENSE DEFENSIVE LINE DEFENSIVE BACKS SAFETIES LINEBACKERS #94 Jarquez Samuel (21) #10 Corey Tindal (29) #17 Taj Letman (30) #22 D.J. Hunter (31) #93 Steve Dillon (5) #5 Keith Baxter (16) #21 Tiquan Lang (13) #31 Evan McKelvey (15) #59 Gary Thompson (3) #7 Antavis Rowe (1) #1 A.J. Leggett (11) #51 Devontre a Tyler (2) #13 Armonze Daniel (5) #14 Kendall Gant (1) #73 Joe Massaquoi (1) THUNDERING HERD SPECIALISTS LONG SNAPPER #88 Matt Cincotta (43) KICKER #48 Nick Smith (3) PUNTER #38 Tyler Williams (43) HOLDER #38 Tyler Williams (17)

8 Marshall vs. Ranked Opponents Since moving to Division I-A (FBS) in 1997, the Herd has enjoyed a pair of landmark victories against nationally-ranked opponents. The following is the Marshall Thundering Herd s game-by-game results against NCAA FBS opponents ranked in the Associated Press (since 1936), UPI ( ), CNN ( ), ESPN/USA Today ( ) or USA Today (since 2005) Top 25 polls since Date Opponent Result 9/11/76 Miami (Ohio) W, #20 (Associated Press) 8/31/95 NC State L, #25 (CNN) 12/27/99 BYU (Motor City Bowl) W, 21-3 #25 (ESPN) 9/9/00 Michigan State L, #24/23 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/1/01 Florida L, #1 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/12/02 Virginia Tech L, #7 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/6/03 Tennessee L, #11 (Associated Press/#12 (ESPN) 9/20/03 Kansas State W, #6 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/11/04 Ohio State L, #9 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/18/04 Georgia L, 3-13 #3 (Associated Press/ESPN) 10/7/05 Virginia Tech L, #3 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/2/06 West Virginia L, #5 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/23/06 Tennessee L, 7-33 #15 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/8/07 West Virginia L, #3 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/6/08 Wisconsin L, #11 (Associated Press) 9/12/09 Virginia Tech L, #14/#15 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/2/10 Ohio State L, 7-45 #2 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/10/10 West Virginia L, OT #22/#23 (Associated Press/ESPN) 9/4/11 West Virginia L, #24 (Associated Press/USA Today) 9/24/11 Virginia Tech L, #13/#11 (Associated Press/USA Today) 10/22/11 Houston L, #21/20 (Associated Press/USA Today) 9/1/12 West Virginia L, #11/11 (Associated Press/USA Today) Marshall Football on National TV Marshall football games began appearing on local television as far back as the 1950s, however the Thundering Herd made its national television debut in the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA National Championship game against Northeast Louisiana. Marshall has appeared on national television (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, ESPN3, CSTV, Fox, CBS, ABC, American Sports Network) 107 times posting a record of The following is a list of Herd national television appearances with results: 12/19/87... NE Louisiana (ESPN)... L, /21/91... YSU (CBS)... L, /19/92... YSU (CBS)...W, /18/93... YSU (ESPN)...L, /16/95... Montana (ESPN)... L, /21/96... Montana (ESPN)...W, /5/97... Toledo (ESPN2)...W, /26/97... Ole Miss (ESPN2)... L, /4/98... Toledo (ESPN2)...W, /23/98... Louisville (ESPN2)...W, /14/99... Toledo (ESPN)...W, /26/99... Ohio (Fox)... W, /3/99... Western Michigan (ESPN2)...W, /27/99... BYU (ESPN2)... W, /9/00... Michigan St. (ESPN)... L, /5/00... Western Michigan (ESPN)... L, /2/00... Western Michigan(ABC)...W, /27/00... Cincinnati (ESPN2)...W, /1/01... Florida (ESPN2)... L, /30/01... Toledo (ESPN)... L, /19/01... East Carolina (ESPN2)...W, /12/02... Virginia Tech (ESPN)... L, /20/02... UCF (ESPN2)...W, /12/02... Miami (ESPN)...W, /30/02... Ball State (ESPN2)...W, /7/02... Toledo (ESPN2)...W, /18/02... Louisville (ESPN2)...W, /6/03... Tennessee (ESPN2)... L, /12/03... Toledo (ESPN)... L, /13/03... Kansas State (Fox Sports Net)...W, /12/03... Miami (ESPN2)...L, /19/03... UCF (ESPN2)... W, /11/04... Ohio State (ABC)... L, /29/04... Miami (ESPN2)...W, /5/04... Akron (ESPN2)... L, /23/04... Cincinnati (ESPN)... L, /10/05... Kansas State (ESPN2)... L, /1/05... SMU (CSTV)...W, (OT) 10/8/05... Virginia Tech (ESPN2)... L, /15/05... UAB (CSTV on i)...w, /22/05... UTEP (CSTV on i)...l, /29/05... Tulane (CSTV)...W, /8/05... Southern Miss (ESPN2)...L, (OT) 11/26/05... Memphis (CSTV)...L, /16/06... Kansas State (FSN)...L, /4/06... UCF (ESPN2)... L, /4/06... Tulane (CSTV)...W, /25/06... Southern Miss (CSTV)...L, /1/07... Miami (Fla.) (ESPNU)...L, /8/07... West Virginia (ESPN2)... L, /2/07... Memphis (ESPN2)... L, /21/07... Southern Miss (ESPN)... L, /27/07... Rice (CSTV)...W, /3/08... Cincinnati (ESPN)... L, /28/08... Houston (ESPN2)...W, /8/ East Carolina (CBSSN)...L, (OT) 11/22/ Rice (CBSSN)... L, /24/ East Carolina (CBSSN)... L, /1/ UCF (ESPN)... L, /26/ Ohio (ESPN)...W, /2/ Ohio State (Big Ten)...L, /10/ West Virginia (ESPN)...L, (OT) 10/2/ Southern Miss (CBSSN)... L, /13/ UCF (ESPN)... L, /27/ Tulane (CBSSN)...W, /4/ West Virginia (ESPN)... L, /10/ Southern Miss (CSS)...W, /17/ Ohio (ESPN3)...L, /24/ Virginia Tech (CBSSN)... L, /12/ Tulsa (Fox Sports Net)... L, /17/ Memphis (Fox Sports Net)...W, /26/ East Carolina (CBSSN)...W, (OT) 12/20/ FIU (ESPN)...W, /1/ West Virginia (FX)... L, /8/ Western Carolina (FCS)...W, /29/ Purdue (Big Ten)... L, /6/ Tulsa (CBSSN)... L, /20/ Southern Miss (CBSSN)...W, /27/ UCF (CBSSN)... L, /23/ East Carolina (CBSSN)...L, (2OT) 8/31/ Miami (Ohio) (CBSSN)...W, /14/ Ohio (ESPNews)... L, /21/ Virginia Tech (ESPNU)...L, (3OT) 10/12/ Florida Atlantic (FCS)...W, /24/ Middle Tennessee (FS1)... L, /2/ Southern Miss (CBSSN)...W, /14/ Tulsa (FS1)...W, /23/ Florida International (FCS)...W, /29/ East Carolina (CBSSN)...W, /7/ Rice (ESPN2)... L, /27/ Maryland (ESPN)...W, /31/ Miami (Ohio) (ESPN3)...W, /6/ Rhode Island (American Sports Network)... W, /13/ Ohio (CBSSN)...W, /20/ Akron (ESPN3)...W, /4/ Old Dominion (Fox Sports Net)...W, /11/ Middle Tennessee (Fox Sports Net)...W, /18/ FIU (American Sports Network)...W, /25/ Florida Atlantic (FS1)...W, /8/ Southern Miss (American Sports Network)...W, /15/ Rice (FOX Sports Net)...W, /22/ UAB (American Sports Network)...W, /28/ WKU (FS1)...L, (OT) 12/6/ Louisiana Tech (FS1)...W, /23/ Northern Illinois (ESPN)...W, /6/ Purdue (FS1)...W, /12/ Ohio (American Sports Network)... L, /19/ Norfolk State (American Sports Network)... W, 45-7

9 2015 Season Superlatives Overall Record Current Streak... W-1 C-USA Record Division Record Non-Conference Record Home Record Current Home Streak... W-3 Road Record Current Road Streak... L-1 Day Games Night Games Natural Grass Artificial Turf MU wins Coin Toss MU loses Coin Toss MU leads after 1st Quarter MU trails after 1st Quarter MU leads at Halftime MU trails at Halftime MU leads after 3rd Quarter MU trails after 3rd Quarter In September In October In November In December vs. Top 25 teams vs. unranked teams With 100-yard rusher vs. 100-yard rusher With 300-yard passer vs. 300-yard passer When MU scores first When Opp. scores first On American Sports Network On ESPN On CBS Sports Network On Fox Sports Net On Fox College Sports On Fox Sports Conference USA Standings Conf. Overall EAST DIVISION W L W L Middle Tennessee WKU FIU Marshall Old Dominion Florida Atlantic Charlotte WEST DIVISION W L W L Rice Southern Miss UTEP UTSA Louisiana Tech North Texas UPCOMING CONFERENCE USA SCHEDULE (all times ET) Saturday, Sept. 26 Southern Miss at Nebraska, 12 p.m. ET (ESPNews) FIU at Louisiana Tech, 2:30 p.m. ET (Fox College Sports) Rice at Baylor, 3 p.m. (Fox Sports Regional Networks) Appalachian State at ODU, 3:30 p.m. (ASN) Marshall at Kent State, 3:30 p.m. (ASN) Miami (Ohio) at WKU, 3:30 p.m. (CBSSN) North Texas at Iowa, 3:30 p.m. (ESPNU) Middle Tennessee at Illinois, 4 p.m. (ESPNews) Colorado State at UTSA, 7 p.m. (CBSSN) Florida Atlantic at Charlotte, 7 p.m. (ASN) Incarnate Word at UTEP, 8 p.m. THE LAST MEETING... Marshall Downs Kent State, (Oct. 16, 2004) KENT, Ohio - Behind two touchdowns from freshman Ahmad Bradshaw, the Thundering Herd scored 20 unanswered points to down the Kent State Golden Flashes to improve to 3-0 in the Mid-American Conference. Marshall (3-3, 3-0 MAC) got off to a slow start in the first half and trailed the Golden Flashes 17-7 heading into halftime, but used a strong defensive effort led by senior Jamus Martin with three sacks to shutout Kent in the second half. The Herd remains the only unbeaten team in MAC East play, while the Flashes fall to 1-6, 0-4 in the MAC. We challenged our guys at halftime and they stepped up and met that challenge and made some plays in the second half, Marshall head coach Bob Pruett said. The Herd got a break early in the second half when the Golden Flashes were flagged for an illegal kicking penalty for attempting to punt the ball from the ground. As a result, Herd received the ball on the Kent State three yardline and punched it in two plays later on Bradshaw s first touchdown from one yard out to cut the lead to Marshall then picked up the lead two possessions later on a 75-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Stan Hill to Bradshaw to put the Herd up with 6:35 remaining in the third quarter. Ian O Connor tacked on two field goals of 26, and 24 yards under intense windy conditions to set the final score at Defensively, the Herd shut out Joshua Cribbs in the second half and received strong efforts from a host of players. Senior lineman Reggie Hayes led the way with eight tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss. Defensive ends, Jamus Martin and Johnathan Goddard both recorded seven tackles, with Goddard continuing his stellar play with 1.5 sacks for a loss of 15 yards and 2.5 total tackles for a loss of 16 yards. Martin added two sacks of his own and 2.5 tackles for a total loss of 18 yards. Marshall s secondary finished the night with three interceptions. Willie Smith, Roberto Terrell, and Chris Royal all managed to intercept Cribbs. Offensively, MU freshman running back Ahmad Bradshaw finished the day with three catches for 92 yards and a score. He also carried the ball seven times for 11 yards and a touchdown. Senior Earl Charles rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries. Marshall s Hill finished 9-of-23 passing for 143 yards, a touchdown, and one interception. Senior Graham Gochneaur, who sparked the Herd s first scoring drive after entering the game on Marshall s third possession, finished 6-of-12 for 55 yards and a score. Kent s Cribbs finished the night 13-of-34 for 122 yards, three interceptions, and one touchdown. He rushed the ball sixteen times for 37 yards.

10 Doc Holliday Head Coach - Sixth Season (42-26 overall, C-USA) In five seasons, Marshall Coach John Doc Holliday has brought Thundering Herd football back into the national picture. His 2014 Herd (13-1) won the school s first Conference USA Championship with a thrilling comeback, title-game win over Louisiana Tech. MU headed to the Boca Raton Bowl, where it routed Mid-American Conference champion Northern Illinois, The Herd finished the season in the major polls No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches poll and No. 23 in the Associated Press media poll. The Herd coach was named the 2014 Conference USA Coach of the Year in voting by his peers. Holliday received a six-year contract extension (through July 2021) for $755,500 annually on April 8. He takes a record into the 2015 season, and the Herd has won 19 of its last 21 games overall and 14 of the last 15 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. The 2014 title season followed a successful 2013, as Marshall went 10-4, won the C-USA East Division crown and downed ACC member Maryland in the Military Bowl -- the Terps last game before heading to the Big Ten. In December 2014, Holliday was named the 15th annual Gazett Sportsman of the Year by Charleston Newspapers. In April 2015, the Herd coach was honored as the 2014 Lowell Cade Sportsperson of the Year by The Herald-Dispatch (Huntington). Holliday, named as Herd coach on Dec. 17, 2009 in his first collegiate head coaching job, is widely regarded as one of the top recruiters in the nation. He has more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, including previous stops at Florida, North Carolina State and West Virginia, his alma mater. Marshall displayed balance on offense and a strong defense throughout the 2014 season and boasted 10 all-conference first team selections as voted by C-USA coaches, as star players like quarterback Rakeem Cato, center Chris Jasperse, defensive tackle James Rouse and cornerback Darryl Roberts were team leaders. In 2013, Holliday took the Herd where it hadn t been in its previous eight years in Conference USA nine regular-season victories, seven league wins and a berth in the C-USA title game, mostly on the strength of an unblemished 6-0 mark at home for the first time since The Herd s win over Maryland was one of only two bowl victories by teams from non-aq BCS conference teams over BCS league schools in the 2013 postseason. Marshall also boasted the best (scoring) defensive turnaround in the nation (19.9 fewer points allowed per game). In five seasons, Holliday s program has had 33 All-Conference USA selections (first and second team, and honorable mention), including 17 this season. During his time in Huntington, Holliday s teams have consistently improved as the season stretches into the winter months. The Herd is 21-6 under Holliday after Oct. 29, including an eye-popping 12-1 mark in the friendly confines of Joan C. Edwards Stadium. In 2011, the Herd went 7-6 against the 16th-toughest schedule in the nation, a slate that was ranked second among non-bcs schools. Two of those victories came against eventual C-USA champion Southern Miss and Big East co-champ Louisville, the latter coming on the road for the program s first non-conference road win since the early 2000s. Marshall also won five Conference USA games, the most for the program since it had joined the league in During his coaching career, Holliday has coached in 23 bowl games, three national championship games and coached 12 players that have gone on to the National Football League. He has also coached five All- Americans. A native of Hurricane, W.Va., Holliday was a three-year letter-winner at linebacker at West Virginia ( ) and has earned bachelor s (1979) and master s (1981) degrees from WVU. He won a state high school wrestling title at 175 pounds (all divisions) in 1975 at Hurricane. Holliday and his wife, Diana, have four children -- Meghan, Cade, Chase and Cody.