HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The widow of late Marshall University University President Stephen Kopp will receive a token from the Herd’s 52-23 win over Northern Illinois University in Tuesday’s inaugural Boca Raton Bowl in the New Year.
“We lost a great friend in Dr. Kopp. Our players loved that guy and they played with some heavy hearts and they were wanting to win that football game for his family and be able to take that game ball back to his wife, Jane, and present it to her,” said Doc Holliday, Marshall University head football coach.
The presentation will be made during a public memorial service for Kopp, who died from a heart attack on Dec. 17, on Jan. 13 at Marshall’s Cam Henderson Center in Huntington. A private family service for Kopp, 63, was held earlier this month. He had served as Marshall’s president since 2005.
Holliday, 57, who was named Marshall’s head football coach in 2009, is preparing to sign a contract extension in the New Year. The extension will reportedly include a bump in salary and an increase in years, though neither Holliday nor Marshall University Athletic Director Mike Hamrick are talking about the details of what is the agreement in principle.
“I trust Mike like a brother and it will happen,” Holliday said on MetroNews “Talkline.” “We’ll get together in January and put this thing together.”
Earlier this week, the Charleston Daily Mail reported officials with the University of Pittsburgh had sought permission from Marshall to interview Holliday for a coaching position with the Panthers.
As of now, Holliday said he has no plans to leave Marshall University. “I’m happy where I am. I’m happier, right now, coaching football than I’ve ever been,” he said at the close of a 13-1 season for the Thundering Herd capped off with the Boca Raton Bowl win.
“I’m just happy to be here and happy to win that game and win that conference championship and see those kids go out with a smile on their faces.”