HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall University Athletic Director Mike Hamrick said the only complaints he’s hearing, following the Thundering Herd’s 31-20 win over Maryland in the 2013 Military Bowl, is that Marshall fans stood for the entire game.
With the Military Bowl win in Annapolis, Md. last Friday, Marshall finished the season 10-4 as the Conference USA East Division Champion and Hamrick said he’s happy with both the Herd’s performance and the potential for the future.
“The company line is ‘better days are ahead’ and I truly believe they are,” said Hamrick on Monday’s MetroNews “Talkline,” just days after the Thundering Herd beat a Maryland team that’s leaving the ACC for the Big Ten Conference.
“That says a lot about our coaches, about our university, about what we’re trying to do here at Marshall,” Hamrick said. “I give all the credit in the world to Coach (Doc) Holliday and his outstanding coaching staff.”
Holliday, a Hurricane native, signed a five-year contract when he was hired as head football coach at Marshall University in 2009. At the time, he was associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at West Virginia University.
Up until this year, Holliday’s best season with Marshall was the 7-6 season in 2011 that ended with a win in the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl.
At that time, Holliday’s contract was extended and Hamrick said the deal, which pays Holliday about $600,000 each year plus incentives, will be revisited in the coming weeks to make sure Holliday stays at Marshall “for a long time.”
Hamrick said he thinks the Marshall football program is in great shape for the coming years.
“We’ve got a great quarterback. We’ve got great talent. We’re a young team. Coach Holliday has absolutely built this team from the bottom up, from scratch, and it’s loaded with talent,” he said.