CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It was a sea of green at the Embassy Suites Thursday night as Marshall football fans in the Charleston area attended the annual “Paint the Capital Green” pep rally event at the Embassy Suites.
“The Charleston area and this whole Kanawha Valley has been awful good to us. The turnout here tonight is great and that’s an example of what this football team means to this community and to our fan base,” said head coach Doc Holliday.
Marshall finished 13-1 last season, won the Conference USA championship game and the Boca Raton Bowl over Northern Illinois. A wild 67-66 home loss the last week of the regular season to Western Kentucky was all that separated the Herd from an unbeaten season. Holliday said that’s in the past.
“That’s last year. We’re concerned about this year right now,” Holliday said. “There’s no doubt our kids came out last year with a lot of confidence. We got a lot of players back. We just can’t forget what got us to where we were a year ago and that’s going to work every day and getting better.”
Fifth-year senior right tackle Clint Van Horn, who earned All C-USA honors last season, echoed his coach’s words.
“Every year is a new beginning. I always say the year before never really carries over, except for what you’ve learned,” Van Horn said. “I take that with me to the new year. Regarding leadership, I think that’s where the five-year process has helped me the most. Learning how to grow up.”
Van Horn, who has legitimate NFL aspirations as one of the most talented offensive linemen in the nation, said his final year at Marshall would be bittersweet because “you always hate to see a good thing end.” Van Horn was listed on NFL.com’s watch list for the Outland Trophy, awarded annually to college football’s best interior lineman.
Marshall will open with Purdue in a historic home game for the program.
“It’s the first time in history our school is having a Big Ten team (come to Huntington),” Holliday said. “I know we’re excited and our players are excited about it. We get an opportunity on a national stage to showcase our program, our fan base and what our community is all about.”
Players, coaches, fans, the pep band and the cheerleaders were on hand Thursday for the annual rally in advance of the much anticipated football season after last year’s success.
The kickoff for the rare Sunday opening game against Purdue will be Sept. 6 at 3 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.