Marshall University Thundering Herd

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1 Marshall University Thundering Herd 2016 Football Game Notes Marshall Thundering Herd (0-0) vs. Morgan State Bears (0-1) Saturday, Sept. 10, p.m. - Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,148) - Huntington, W.Va. TV: bein SPORTS (Matt Martucci-Play-by-Play, Brett Romberg-Analyst, Jordan Daigle-Sideline) Marshall Media Relations Contact Information Jason Corriher (Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations) Work: Cell: corriher@marshall.edu Website: HerdZone.com Corey Dieteman (Associate Media Relations Director) 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 Morgan State-8 Josh Knight, 10 Devontre a Tyler, 54 Michael Selby, 59 Gary Thompson 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 38,227 Year Opened 1991 (as Marshall University Stadium) Surface FieldTurf Conference Conference USA (East Division) President Dr. Jerome Gilbert (Mississippi State, 1977) Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick (Marshall, 1980) Head Coach Doc Holliday (West Virginia, 1979) Record at Marshall Career Record same Marshall s 2015 Record C-USA Record/Finish 6-2 (T-2nd, East) Offense Multiple Defense Multiple Offensive Starters Returning/Lost 7/4 Defensive Starters Returning/Lost 4/7 Letterwinners Returning/Lost 48/15 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) Asst. Head Coach/Linebackers Adam Fuller (Sacred Heart, 1998) Running Backs Pepe Pearson (Ohio State, 1998) Defensive Ends Sean Cronin (Georgetown, Ky., 2003) Tight Ends Dave Dunn (San Diego, 1989) Wide Receivers/Recruiting 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 (2015 NCAA Ranks) Marshall Morgan State Scoring Offense 31.3 (51st) 18.2 (94th)* Scoring Defense 17.8 (10th) 25.4 (60th)* Total Offense (64th) (87th)* Total Defense (35th) (30th)* Rushing Offense (67th) (76th)* Rushing Defense (64th) (75th)* Passing Offense (57th) (71st)* Passing Defense (22nd) (9th)* *FCS rankings 2016 Marshall Football Schedule Date Opponent (TV) Time (ET)/Result Sept. 10 MORGAN STATE (bein SPORTS) 6 p.m. Sept. 17 AKRON (CBS Sports Network) 12 p.m. Sept. 24 LOUISVILLE (CBS Sports Network) 8 p.m. Oct. 1 at Pittsburgh TBA Oct. 8 at North Texas (ASN) 7 p.m. Oct. 15 FLORIDA ATLANTIC (ASN) 7 p.m. Oct. 22 CHARLOTTE (bein SPORTS) 5:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at Southern Miss (ASN) 7 p.m. Nov. 5 at Old Dominion (ASN) 7 p.m. Nov. 12 MIDDLE TENNESSEE (ASN) 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at FIU (ASN) 7 p.m. Nov. 26 WESTERN KENTUCKY (ESPN TBA) TBA Bold - Indicates a C-USA game Home games in CAPS All times are Eastern Time Zone and subject to change.

2 Herd Has Four Named Preseason All-Conference USA Marshall offensive linemen Michael Selby and Clint Van Horn were named preseason All-Conference USA by the league s 13 head coaches, along with tight end Ryan Yurachek and defensive lineman Gary Thompson. Selby and Van Horn were also first-team preseason picks by Athlon, as was Thompson, while Yurachek was named to the publication s second team. Selby has started every game the past two seasons for coach Alex Mirabal s offensive line, amassing 106 knockdowns. He has seen action for 2,016 offensive snaps over the course of his three-year career. Van Horn, who was selected to the Outland Trophy Watch List for the second straight season earlier this month, is a two-time allleague honoree. The Beckley native has started 25 games for the program and was named to C-USA s Commissioner s Honor Roll a year ago. Yurachek has collected several accolades this summer. Last week, he was named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and the AFCA Good Works Team on the heels of his selection to the John Mackey Award Watch List. He had 44 catches for 417 yards and nine touchdowns last year, a total that led all Thundering Herd non-kickers in scoring, and was named to the league s Commissioner s Honor Roll. Thompson was an honorable mention all-conference selection last season after racking up a team-high nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Hamrick Appointed to NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee Marshall Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick has been appointed Conference USA s representative on the NCAA s Division I Football Oversight Committee, replacing former C-USA Senior Associate Commissioner Alfred White. White is now the College Football Playoff s Senior Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships. Hamrick serves on the committee through June 30, 2018, after which he will be eligible to be reappointed to an additional fouryear term. The Football Oversight Committee ensures that appropriate oversight of football for both the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) is maintained; enhances the development of the sport and make recommendations related to regular-season and postseason football. The committee prioritizes enhancement of the studentathlete educational experience (academically and athletically), and in doing so, promotes student-athletes personal growth and leadership development. It works in conjunction with appropriate governance entities to provide solutions to issues impacting the health and safety of football student-athletes. It is an honor to be selected to such a prestigious committee, said Hamrick. I look forward to continuing my service to the great game of football and contributing to its betterment in the coming years. The committee also supervises procedures for licensing of postseason bowls and qualifications and/or selection procedures for the FCS Championship. The committee reviews recommendations from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee and processes other issues related to the administration of the FCS Championship. The committee assumes many of the duties of the former NCAA Division I Football Issues Committee and provides direction to the NCAA Football Rules Committee regarding playing rules governing FBS and FCS football. Thundering Herd to Face Gamecocks in 2018 Marshall football will visit the University of South Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick announced. The Thundering Herd will receive a $1.4 million guarantee for the game, the largest in school history. Marshall will host NC State the following Saturday, the backend of a home-and-home series that begins in We re excited to play an SEC school, especially one that is in a fertile recruiting ground for our program and within driving distance for our fans, said Hamrick. We had an opportunity to play a game of this caliber in 2018 and it was too good to pass up. The two schools have met just once, with the Thundering Herd pulling out a road victory on Sept. 19, 1998 via a late interception by 2016 Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Dani Derricott and Billy Malashevich s 37-yard field goal as time expired. Friday s announcement is the latest in the continual upgrade to the program s non-conference schedule under Hamrick. Since his arrival, Marshall has landed home-and-home football series with NC State, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Purdue, Boise State, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Navy and Appalachian State, and rekindled longtime series with regional Mid-American Conference members Ohio, Miami (Ohio), Akron and Kent State. The Gamecocks hired former Florida coach Will Muschamp last December, who went with the Gators. Marshall University Board of Governors Approve Expansion of Joan C. Edwards Stadium Beer Sales The Marshall University Board of Governors approved the expansion of beer sales into the chairback sections on the west side of Joan C. Edwards Stadium. The measure had also been approved by the Big Green Scholarship Foundation Board. Beer will now be available in sections 108, 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118. Since 2005, beer had only been sold in the stadium s Big Green Room and could not be taken outside. Moving forward, Big Green Room purchases will continue and cans of 16-ounce beer may also be purchased from servers in those sections. Athletics will increase security measures in those sections this seasons and Sodexo, the University s concessions vendor, will provide appropriate training to its staff members. Before moving forward with additional selling points, we felt this trial run, of sorts, was necessary, said Marshall Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick. This is a growing trend in college athletics and this approach has been used recently at other schools, including Ohio State, Penn State and Pittsburgh. Marshall will open the season at home against Morgan State on Sept. 10. Curry Gives $200,000 to Marshall Athletics for Facility Project and Scholarship Vinny Curry, a former Thundering Herd All-American defensive end from and a second- round NFL Draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012, has announced that he has donated $200,000 to the Big Green Scholarship Foundation to jumpstart a facility renovation project in the Shewey Building, as well as endowing a scholarship in his mother s name. Curry just signed a lucrative, multiyear contract in the NFL s offseason.

3 Marshall means a lot to me, Curry said. Without the opportunity I was given to receive an education and play football, I would not be in the position I am today. I haven t forgotten that. The people of Huntington are special and have always had my back and my best interests in mind. This financial commitment is a token of my appreciation to ensure we can continue football s winning tradition. With the gift from Curry, Marshall Athletics and the Big Green Scholarship Foundation will officially launch the Vinny Curry Project, a fundraising campaign geared toward all Marshall Football alumni. All of the program s alumni will be given the opportunity to donate $1,000 to have a locker in the current locker room dedicated to them. We have 118 lockers in our current locker room and it is our goal to put a name on every single locker, and I have pledged the first $1,000 to purchase mine, Marshall Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick said. This is an exciting time for Marshall Athletics and Marshall Football, and Vinny s generosity shows what being a true Son of Marshall is all about. This is a tone-setting gift he has given and it shows what kind of person he is and what Marshall meant to him. The matching gifts will go toward an extensive renovation of the locker room along with other football areas in the Shewey Building. In addition to the facility project, a portion of Curry s gift will go toward an endowed scholarship in the name of his late mother, Linda Cissy Jackson. The scholarship will be part of the total pool of Thundering Herd scholarships. If I can send a softball player, basketball player, soccer player -- whomever it may be -- to Marshall from Neptune, N.J., and know that I helped provide them a scholarship, that is crazy to think about, said Curry. My education is important to me and was always important to my mother. If she was still here, I know how proud she would be that I am a college graduate. I came here with not a lot of direction and the academic foundation that Marshall provided gave me a chance to be successful in life. Herd Coach Doc Holliday underscored and appreciated Curry s commitment. Our football program, along with all of our Marshall Athletics programs, are competing at a championship level and when I heard of what Vinny had planned, it just checked another box of how special this place is, Holliday said. I am excited to reach out to our alumni and make sure they know how important it is to get involved and continue helping the young men in our program today. This is a monumental moment for our program and I could not be more proud that such a special individual like Vinny believes in what we are doing. The Vinny Curry project will start immediately, with information brochures mailed out to all Marshall Football Alumni. Electronic versions of the brochure will be available online at HerdZone. com, under the Big Green tab. For more information on how to participate, please call Thundering Herd Places 10 on Athlon s Preseason List Athlon released its Preseason All-Conference USA picks for the 2016 football season and Marshall was honored with 10 selections. Thundering Herd offensive linemen Michael Selby and Clint Van Horn were first-team picks, along with defensive end Gary Thompson and safety Tiquan Lang. Selby leads all active Marshall offensive linemen with 27 starts and is making the move from guard to center in Van Horn, a twotime all-league tackle, was granted a sixth season after missing most of last season due to injury. Thompson was an honorable mention all-conference selection last season after racking up a team-high nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Lang, who was also an honorable mention all-league pick a year ago, had two interception returns for touchdown in Marshall s thrilling victory over Purdue. Both players (Lang-195, Thompson-107) are the Thundering Herd s leading returning tacklers. Tight end Ryan Yurachek and Ryan Bee were picked to the second team, while quarterback Chase Litton was tabbed to the third team. Yurachek had 44 catches for 417 yards and nine touchdowns last year, a total that led all Marshall non-kickers in scoring. Bee was voted to the league s All-Freshman team last season, finishing the year with 59 tackles (15 solo), with 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two pass breakups, three fumbles recovered and 12 QB hurries. Litton grabbed the starting quarterback spot in week three a year ago and threw 23 touchdown passes, a total that tied for first among true freshmen nationally. Wideout Deon-Tay McManus made the fourth team, as did linebacker Shawn Petty and defensive back C.J. Reavis. McManus is Marshall s leading returning receiver with 61 career receptions, 756 yards and seven touchdowns. Petty accumulated 37 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks in just nine games after missing four due to injury. Reavis is a junior college transfer who will see his first action for Marshall in 2016 and stands to be a heavy contributor in the secondary. Dunn Named Tight Ends Coach at Marshall Marshall coach Doc Holliday announced that Catholic University of America head coach Dave Dunn has been named the Thundering Herd tight ends coach. Todd Goebbel, who coached Marshall s tight ends in 2015, will now lead the Herd s wide receiving corps and will retain the Recruiting Coordinator title. Goebbel is returning to the position coach role he held in a previous stint on the Herd staff ( ). Dunn, who took over the NCAA Division III program in January 2006, guided a previous two-win team to a share of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship and a postseason victory in just his third season. It was the program s first playoff victory since capturing the Orange Bowl in Last season, Dunn coached two All-Americans in senior quarterback T.J. Tutone and senior left tackle Jack Durkin, along with junior Lucas Morley, who led Division III with 10.0 receptions per game. The Catholic offense was among the nation s best in 2015, ranking as the No. 12 passing team in the country at yards per contest. Dave brings a wealth of experience to our staff, including the last 11 as a college head coach, said Holliday. We are excited for him and his family to get started here and to be part of the Huntington community. Dunn, 50, is a Detroit native. He has been involved in coaching for the past 26 years, beginning as a defensive line coach at his alma mater, the University of San Diego. He also has coached at Indiana State (outside linebackers), Masuk High School (Conn., head coach), Harvard (defensive line), Christopher Columbus High School (Fla., head coach), Florida Atlantic (running backs/special teams) and Becker (Mass.) College (head coach). At USD, he played nose guard and was a team captain his junior and senior years. He was named All-California and Toreros Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. The school records he established for sacks in a game (4), season (12) and career (19) stood for 18 years. He graduated in 1989 with a degree in business administration.

4 Dunn and his wife, Danisha, have one son, Jack. Van Horn Granted Sixth Year by the NCAA Marshall senior Clint Van Horn has been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, the school learned Tuesday. The 6-foot-5 Beckley native played just three games due to injury after entering the campaign on the Lombardi and Outland Trophy Watch Lists. I m so happy that I got my sixth year, said Van Horn. I can t wait to be with the team and to play for this university. When I found out, I was at a loss for words. I was bawling. I was pretty excited to say the least. Marshall s starting right tackle played 1,035 offensive snaps in 2014, finishing with a team-best 92 knockdowns in 14 games. The 6-5, 310-pound Van Horn played every snap in the final four games of the nationally ranked Herd s season. He has 22 career starts and is a repeat selection on the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List. He was an all-conference second team selection as a sophomore in Getting Clint back this year is such a tremendous boost for the entire program, said Marshall coach Doc Holliday. He is one of our leaders and truly embodies what it means to be a Marshall studentathlete. Van Horn earned his undergraduate degree in political science this May. Pearson Hired as Marshall Running Backs Coach Pepe Pearson comes to Huntington after one season with the Youngstown State football program as its running backs coach. In 2015, the Penguins had more than 2,000 yards rushing for the sixth consecutive season. Junior Martin Ruiz ended the season ranked sixth in school history in rushing yards (3,153), sixth in attempts (645), eighth in rushing touchdowns (29) and 10th in allpurpose yards (3,956). Backfield mate Jody Webb was also named the Missouri Valley Conference s second team. We are thrilled with the addition of Pepe to our program, said Holliday. He brings with him a wealth of experience. He has played the game at the highest level and will fit in well with the rest of our staff. Prior to joining Coach Bo Pelini s YSU staff Pearson spent 10 seasons at Ohio Dominican. Pearson, who was a standout running back at Ohio State from , coached some of the top Division II running backs during his tenure with the Panthers. During his last four years with the program he managed the special teams units in addition to coaching the running backs. In 2014, Pearson helped the Panthers advance to the third round of the NCAA Division II playoffs as running back Brandon Schoen finished with 1,134 yards. ODU finished the campaign with an 11-2 record losing to Colorado State Pueblo in the Super Region Four final. The 11 wins represented the most for the team since joining Division II in 2010 and the most by a Panthers team since Under Pearson s guidance, Schoen has already become the school s all-time leading rusher heading into his senior year (2015) with 3,327 yards. Pearson s work with Schoen has helped him receive All-GLIAC honors for two consecutive years. In 2013, Pearson witnessed two players surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a season for the first time in school history as he Mark Nichols finished with 1,187 yards rushing and Schoen tallied 1,154 yards rushing. Nichols garnered first-team All-GLIAC honors and Schoen received second team all-conference honors. During the seasons, the Panthers began to re-write the school s rushing records as running back Mike Noffsinger was named a Harlon Hill Trophy semifinalist as one of the best Division II players in the country. Noffsinger set school single-season and career rushing marks for yards and touchdowns as the Panthers finished 2011 with the best rushing offense in program history. Noffsinger toted the ball a school-record 246 times for 1,242 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging yards per game on the ground. He finished with nine 100-yard games this season and set a school-record with 2,714 rushing yards. At Ohio State, he helped lead the Buckeyes to four straight bowl appearances from , including a 1997 Rose Bowl victory. A four-year letterwinner for OSU, Pearson gained 1,484 yards and 17 touchdowns on 299 carries his junior year, and was selected All-Big Ten and team Most Valuable Player (MVP). He finished his career as the Buckeyes fifth all-time leading rusher with 3,121 yards while playing under former head coach John Cooper. After completing his college career, Pearson played for the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also played in NFL Europe, where he won the 2000 World Bowl Championship with the Rhein Fire, scoring the game-winning touchdown. After his decorated playing career came to a close, Pearson was the head coach of the Daytona Beach Hawgs in , formerly of the National Indoor Football League. He next served as the Head Coach and General Manager of the Marion Mayhem, a member of the Continental Indoor Football League from He led his team to the 2009 conference championship with a record of 9-3. A 1998 graduate of The Ohio State University majoring in Sociology, Pearson was a four-year starter and high school All-America honoree at Euclid High School. He has two sons, London and Roman, and a daughter, Mychal. Pearson is engaged to Semoine Hudson. Recent Success Coach John Doc Holliday, who has returned Marshall University football to the national picture, has guided the Thundering Herd to three consecutive seasons of 10 or more victories. That run ( , 33-8 record) stands alone among the 61 Group of Five conference programs. Only Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Florida State have longer current streaks of 10-win seasons than the Herd. Marshall has won five consecutive bowls the current long streak in the FBS with four of those triumphs coming under Holliday in the last five seasons. Marshall s three straight 10-win seasons also are a first in the 20-season history of Conference USA football. His 2015 Herd finished 10-3 with a win over Connecticut in the St. Petersburg Bowl. His 2014 and 15 teams with a combined mark of 23-4 have the best record among the Group of Five programs in the two-year College Football Playoff era. In Holliday s six MU seasons with a record he has built the Herd into a perennial Conference USA contender. His teams have sported 23 All-C-USA first team selections, 17 second-teamers, 32 honorable mention picks and 16 All-Freshman team selections. He

5 has had nine players selected for C-USA s top individual player-ofthe-year awards. His last three teams have produced a 20-4 C-USA record. Special Teams Top the Chart The Herd led the nation in special teams efficiency, according to ESPN.com, with a rating of 74.2 in Team efficiencies are based on the point contributions of each unit to the team s scoring margin, on a per-play basis. The values are adjusted for strength of schedule and down-weighted for garbage time (based on win probability). The scale goes from 0 to 100; higher numbers are better and the average is roughly 50 for all categories. Herd Football Gets 16 All-Conference USA Selections Three Marshall seniors left guard Sebastian Johansson, linebacker Evan McKelvey and kick returner Deandre Reaves were among 16 Thundering Herd selections for 2015 All-Conference USA and C-USA All-Freshman honors announced Tuesday by the league. In voting by the 13 C-USA football coaches, the league selects first and second teams and honorable mention all-conference picks, to go with the All-Freshman squad. Reaves also picked up punt returner honors on the second team, where he was joined by four Herd teammates junior center Michael Selby, senior defensive tackle Jarquez Samuel, senior punter Tyler Williams and senior long snapper Matt Cincotta. Sophomore tight end Ryan Yurachek was named an honorable mention selection, as was senior wide receiver Davonte Allen, junior defensive end Gary Thompson, senior linebacker D.J. Hunter, junior cornerback Corey Tindal and safeties Taj Letman and Tiquan Lang a senior and junior, respectively. Defensive end Ryan Bee was an All-Freshman selection. The conference s seven major awards will be announced Wednesday. They are Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Special Teams Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Coach of the Year. Cincotta and Williams were also all-conference selections a year ago, while Hunter garnered honorable mention acclaim. Tindal -- the C-USA co-freshman of the year in has been an honorable mention all-league selection for three consecutive years and McKelvey was an honorable mention pick in 2013 before missing most of 2014 with his second major knee injury. Marshall (9-3) is set to face Connecticut (6-6) in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 26 at 11 a.m. ET. With a win, the Thundering Herd would become the only Group of Five program to register double-digit wins in each of the last three seasons. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Radio. 50+ Marshall s 52-0 win over FIU was the 15th time that the Thundering Herd has reached the 50+-point plateau under coach Doc Holliday, tying Jim Donnan ( ) for the all-time school mark. Bob Pruett ( ) reached that mark 14 times and Cam Henderson ( , ) did it on 13 occasions. Sack Battle The Thundering Herd has had more (or as many) sacks as the competition in nine-straight contests, the longest streak for the program since an 11-game stretch that spanned the last game of 2009 and the first 10 of the 2010 season. The Top The Herd s Chase Litton tied for the lead (UCLA s Josh Rosen) among FBS true freshman quarterbacks in touchdown passes with 23, in 11 games. The only rookie passer with more is redshirt freshman Brent Stockstill of Middle Tennessee, who has 30 TD passes in 13 games. Turning Up The Heat Marshall defensive coordinator Chuck Heater and his troops were among the elite in several national statistical categories. The Herd was in the top 20 in the following: T-2nd: Fourth-down stops (16) T-2nd: Yards/Pass Attempt Allowed (5.5) 3rd: Pass breakups (72) 4th: Pass efficiency defense (100.68) T-4th: Passes defended (87) T-5th: Completion Percentage Allowed (49.8) T-6th: Fumbles Forced (17) 8th: Red Zone Defense (.732) 8th: Kickoff Return Defense (16.93) T-8th: Fumbles Recovered (13) T-8th: 3-and-outs (5.0/game) T-9th: Turnovers Gained (28) 10th: Scoring Defense (17.8) 20th: Red Zone Touchdown Percentage Allowed (.488) Topping the League (Team) Marshall led Conference USA in: Scoring Defense (17.8 points/game) Total Defense (360.8 yards/game) Pass Defense (192.6 yards/game) Pass Defense Efficiency (100.6) Kickoff Return Average (27.6 yards/game) Kickoff Coverage (41.8 net average) Touchbacks (45) PAT Percentage (1.000, 49-49) Opp. 3rd Down Conversion Percentage (34.3) Opp. 4th Down Conversion Percentage (36.0) Leaves Fall, Herd Wins The Herd is 24-8 after Oct. 28 in Doc Holliday s six years as head coach, including a 13-1 mark at home. The Best...and... Among Group of Five programs Marshall has the best winning percentage in the seasons. A look at the top G5 teams during that span: Marshall (23-4,.852) Boise State (21-6,.778) Houston (21-6,.778) Toledo (19-6,.760) Memphis (19-7,.731)...Nearly the Best With back-to-back-to-back seasons of double-digit victories 10 in 2013, 13 in 2014 and 10 in Marshall enters 2016 owning one of the best FBS totals in that three-plus-season span. Currently, only five FBS teams have more victories since the start of the 2013 season. Ohio State-38 Alabama-37 Florida State-37 Michigan State-36 Clemson-35 Marshall-33 Oregon-33 Baylor-32 Next Man Up Coach Holliday talks frequently about the program s Next Man Up

6 philosophy as it relates to reserves playing well in place of injured starters. It was a season-long situation for Holliday s team, which continued to endure through depth. The Herd had 35 players start on offense or defense in of those on the offensive side. Efficiency at its best The Herd has averaged more yards per play than the opposition in 24 of its last 28 games (Ohio, Kent State, Middle Tennessee and WKU in 2015). What s up? Doc Marshall Coach Doc Holliday enters his seventh season on the Herd sideline, and the only current Conference USA head coach who was in the Texas-based 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 three remain on the job at the schools hiring them in 2010 Holliday, Florida State s Jimbo Fisher and Notre Dame s Brian Kelly. Holliday is (.636) in six seasons. Holliday received a six-year contract extension this past spring, through June 2021, bumping his base and supplemental salary to $755,500. 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 37-7 when it scores first, 36-4 when leading after the first quarter, 40-2 when leading at halftime and 39-3 when leading after three quarters. 10+ Since the start of the 2012 season (53 games), MU boasts yard plays, an average of 18.2 per contest. As you might imagine, those numbers have yielded the following: In that same period, offensive coordinator Bill Legg s attack has 29 games of 500 or more yards total offense and 28 games with 40 or more points. Protecting the Home Turf Marshall is nationally known for being the toughest place to play in college football. The program has won 85.1 percent (148-26) of its home games in Joan C. Edwards Stadium, the highest mark in the country for programs playing in their current stadium. Marshall has won 20 of its last 21 home games, dating to an Oct. 27, 2012 loss to UCF (last two home games in 2012, 6-0 in 2013, 6-1 in 2014, 6-0 this season). 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 one in the bowl win over UConn, the Herd streak is 152. Marshall had a streak of 156 straight when Haig missed in Hang on! It s easy to see why Herd Coach Doc Holliday talks about ball security so often. His six previous Marshall teams have provided a strong indicator of why turnover margin is so important. Holliday s 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 78 games under Holliday, the Herd has played 39 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 12-0 against Texas schools in games played in Huntington. Marshall owns two wins over North Texas (1988, 2015), 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). Holliday Perfect vs. (and in) south Florida It s no secret that Doc Holliday has made recruiting the south Florida area a hallmark of his career. The Thundering Herd s head coach has left his mark ON the field where that area is concerned as well as he is now 7-0 versus FAU and FIU. He swept the two schools the last three seasons and added an additional win over FIU in the 2011 Beef O Brady s Bowl. His win over UConn in the 2015 St. Petersburg Bowl ran his record to 8-0 against, and in, south Florida.

7 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 has appeared on national television (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, ESPN3, CSTV, Fox, CBS, ABC, American Sports Network) 117 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/ESPN3)... L, /19/ Norfolk State (American Sports Network)... W, /26/ Kent State (American Sports Network/ESPN3)...W, (2OT) 10/3/ Old Dominion (American Sports Network)... W, /9/ Southern Miss (CBS Sports Network)...W, /17/ Florida Atlantic (FOX College Sports)...W, /24/ North Texas (FOX Sports Net)...W, /31/ Charlotte (FOX Sports Net)...W, /7/ Middle Tennessee (FOX Sports Net)... L, (3OT) 11/14/ FIU (FOX Sports Net)... W, /27/ WKU (FOX Sports 1)... L, /26/ UConn (ESPN)...W, 16-10

8 2015 Season Superlatives Overall Record Current Streak... W-1 C-USA Record Division Record Non-Conference Record Home Record Current Home Streak... W-7 Road Record Current Road Streak... L-2 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 LAST MEETING (N/A) This is the first meeting between the two schools Conference USA Standings Conf. Overall EAST DIVISION W L W L WKU Florida Atlantic Middle Tennessee Old Dominion Marshall Charlotte FIU WEST DIVISION W L W L Southern Miss UTEP UTSA Louisiana Tech North Texas Rice UPCOMING GAMES FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 Maryland at FIU (CBSSN), 8 p.m. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 Rice at Army (CBSSN), 12 p.m. Old Dominion at App. St. (ASN), 3:30 p.m. WKU at (1) Alabama (ESPN 2), 3:30 p.m. Middle Tennessee at Vanderbilt (SEC Net), 4 p.m. UTSA at Colorado State (MW Net/Campus Ins), 5 p.m. Elon at Charlotte (CUSA TV), 6 p.m. Florida Atlantic at Miami (Fla.) (ESPN3), 6 p.m. Morgan State at Marshall (bein), 6 p.m. South Carolina St. at LA Tech (CUSA TV), 7 p.m. Bethune-Cookman at North Texas (CUSA TV), 7 p.m. Savannah State at Southern Miss, 7 p.m. UTEP at Texas (LHN), 7 p.m.

9 Doc Holliday Head Coach - Seventh Season (50-28 overall, C-USA) Coach John Doc Holliday, who has returned Marshall University football to the national picture, has guided the Thundering Herd to three consecutive seasons of 10 or more victories. That run ( , 33-8 record) stands alone among the 61 Group of Five conference programs. Only Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Florida State have longer current streaks of 10-win seasons than the Herd. Marshall has won five consecutive bowls the current long streak in the FBS with four of those triumphs coming under Holliday in the last five seasons. Marshall s three straight 10-win seasons also are a first in the 20-season history of Conference USA football. His 2015 Herd finished 10-3 with a win over Connecticut in the St. Petersburg Bowl. His 2014 and 15 teams with a combined mark of 23-4 have the best record among the Group of Five programs in the two-year College Football Playoff era. In Holliday s six MU seasons with a record he has built the Herd into a perennial Conference USA contender. His teams have sported 23 All-C-USA first team selections, 17 second-teamers, 32 honorable mention picks and 16 All-Freshman team selections. He has had nine players selected for C-USA s top individual player-of-the-year awards. His last three teams have produced a 20-4 C-USA record. Holliday s 2014 Herd (13-1) grabbed the school s first C-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. It was Marshall s first appearance in the final polls since The Herd coach was named the 2014 Conference USA Coach of the Year in voting by his peers and Marshall boasted a C-USArecord 10 all-conference first team selections. Holliday received a six-year contract extension (through July 2021) for $755,500 annually on April 8, 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 (Huntington) Herald-Dispatch. And in concert with Herd Athletic Director Mike Hamrick, Holliday has helped bring about upgrades in the Marshall nonconference schedule, with home-and-homes against Louisville, Pitt, North Carolina State, Purdue, Navy, Boise State, Cincinnati, Appalachian State, East Carolina, Akron and Ohio. 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. Since he has become a head coach, he has added a reputation for finding and hiring assistant coaches who have made a strong impact on his program. He has more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, including previous stops at Florida, North Carolina State and West Virginia, his alma mater. During his time in Huntington, Holliday s teams have consistently improved as the season stretches into the winter months. The Herd is 24-8 under Holliday after Oct. 29 on the calendar, including an eye-popping 14-1 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 25 bowl games, three national championship games and coached 15 players who have gone on to the NFL. He also has coached five All-Americans. A native of Hurricane, W.Va., Holliday was born April 21, He was a three-year letter winner as a linebacker at West Virginia ( ) and has earned bachelor s (1979) and master s (1981) degrees from WVU. He won a West Virginia state wrestling title at 175 pounds (all divisions) in 1975 at Hurricane High. Holliday and his wife, Diana, have four children -- Meghan, Cade, Chase and Cody.

10 2016 Marshall Football Fall Roster 1 Chase Litton QB SO Tampa, Fla. (Wharton) 1 C.J. Reavis S JR Chester, Va. (East Mississippi CC) 2 Hyleck Foster RB JR Gaffney, S.C. (Gaffney) 2 Terry Richardson DB RS SR Detroit, Mich. (Michigan) 3 Chris Jackson DB FR Tallahassee, Fla. (FAMU HS) 3 Willie Johnson WR FR Fort Myers, Fla. (South Fort Myers) 4 Cody Carter DB RS SR Barboursville, W.Va. (U. of Charleston) 4 Deon-Tay McManus WR RS JR Baltimore, Md. (Atlanta Sports Academy) 4 Juwon Young LB JR Albany, Ga. (Miami) 5 Donquell Green WR RS SO Waynesboro, Ga. (Burke County) 5 Corey Neely S SR Rock Hill, S.C. (Georgia Military College) 6 Emanuel Byrd TE SR Albany, Ga. (Georgia Military College) 6 Doyle Grimes LB RS FR Miami, Fla. (South Dade) 7 Michael Clark WR RS SO St. Petersburg, Fla. (Lakewood) 8 Tyre Brady WR JR Homestead, Fla. (South Dade) 8 Josh Knight WR SR Fort Pierce, Fla. (Fort Pierce Central) 9 Justin Hunt WR SR Memphis, Tenn. (Whitehaven) 9 Shawn Petty LB RS SR Greenbelt, Md. (U. of Maryland) 10 Brandon Rodgers WR FR Prichard, Ala. (Vigor) 10 Devontre a Tyler LB SR Arcadia, Fla. (Iowa Central CC) 11 Rodney Allen DB RS JR Dallas, Texas (Lincoln) 11 Xavier Gaines QB FR Frostproof, Fla. (Lake Wales) 12 Garet Morrell QB FR Leesburg, Ga. (Lee County) 13 Jackson White QB FR Gainesville, Fla. (Buchholz) 14 Kendall Gant S JR Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson) 15 Raylen Elzy WR SO Lithonia, Ga. (Georgia Sports Prep Academy) 16 Kaare Vedvik P/K RS JR Stavanger, Norway (McPherson (Kan.)) 17 Grayson Pontius P/K SO Biloxi, Ms. (East Mississippi CC) 17 Ty Tyler DL RS FR Punta Gorda, Fla. (Charlotte) 18 Dontrell Johnson DB JR Pahokee, Fla. (Ellsworth CC) 19 Deshaun Phillips QB FR Spring Lake, N.C. (Overhills) 20 Jaylon McClain-Sapp DB FR Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast) 21 Anthony Anderson RB RS SO Eden Prairie, Mn. (Iowa Western C.C.) 22 Jestin Morrow DB FR Hilton Head, S.C. (Hilton Head) 23 Tony Pittman RB RS JR Hampton, Va. (Phoebus) 24 Keion Davis RB RS SO Fairburn, Ga. (Langston Hughes) 24 Michael Johnson DB RS JR Miami, Fla. (Booker T. Washington) 25 Kaleb Harris TE RS SO Creston, Ohio (Norwayne) 26 Jeremiah Maddox S FR Hilton Head, S.C. (Hilton Head) 27 Deiondre Coleman DB RS FR Louisville, Ky. (Male) 27 Aaron Plantt TE RS JR Hallandale, Fla. (Hallandale) 28 D Andre Wilson DB RS JR Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Myrtle Beach) 29 Malik Gant S RS FR Washington, D.C. (Woodson) 30 Simino Walden WR FR Hialeah, Fla. (Hialeah) 31 Omari Cobb LB FR Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Treasure Coast) 32 Delvin Weems RB RS FR Tucker, Ga. (Tucker) 33 Marquis Couch LB RS FR Miami, Fla. (Miami Central) 34 Brennon Tibbs WR FR Canton, Ohio (Glen Oak) 35 Frankie Hernandez LB RS SO Clearwater, Fla. (Largo) 36 Davon Durant LB RS JR Greenwood, S.C. (Butler CC/Arizona State) 37 Chase Hancock LB RS SO Daniels, W.Va. (Woodrow Wilson) 38 Eli Gates LB RS SO Martinsburg, W.Va. (Hedgesville) 39 Amoreto Curraj K RS JR Tampa, Fla. (Leto) 40 Blaine Thompson LB RS JR Mt. Pleasant, S.C. (Wando) 41 Tramell Carey DB RS FR Mechanicsville, Va. (Atlee) 42 George Davis S RS FR Fort Myers, Fla. (Fort Myers) 43 Robert LeFevre K FR Hilliard, Ohio (Hilliard Davidson) 44 Blake Keller DL RS JR Bradenton, Fla. (U. Central Florida) 45 Brandon Drayton S FR Largo, Fla. (Largo) 46 Terence Ricks RB JR Chesapeake, Va. (Dean College) 47 Joseph Early RB FR Williamstown, N.J. (Williamstown) 47 Marquis Hamilton DB FR Washington, D.C. (Ballou) 48 Nick Smith K/P RS JR Plain City, Ohio (Alder) 49 Noah Hoxie LB SO Corryton, Tn. (Air Force) 49 Nazeeh Johnson DB FR Martinsburg, W.Va. (Millbrook)