HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – As Charlotte head coach Brad Lambert continues to build his young football program, he pointed out to his players the standard which they should strive for will be on the other side of the field Saturday afternoon.
“Oh, I think no question, you look down at what they have done over the years with bowl games and championships and what they have done since Coach (Holliday) has been there, about three bowl games and two conference championship games,” Lambert said. “They know how to win and they have done a nice job with establishing everything about their football program and it’s really important to that state and that community and that university. They are an upper level group of five, no question.”
There’s good reason for Lambert to use Marshall as the standard for his program to reach. He was in Huntington as Marshall started its rise to prominence. Lambert was with the Herd as an assistant coach as entered into is most prolific era, serving as secondary and defensive ends coach at Marshall under Jim Donnan from 1990 to 1995. He then followed Donnan to the University of Georgia. Lambert understands Marshall’s football program and how important the it is to the Marshall community.
“I think that when you coach there, that’s the one thing that always stands out to you. You realize that they lost their whole team and what a tragedy that was. And when you coach there, you are around people every day that were affected by that plane crash and lost mom in that crash, dad in that crash, brother, sisters. So there is a constant reminder there all the time but it’s something that you always think about when you think about with that school.”
Coaches will never admit that they’ve circled a game on the calendar, always emphasizing the next game on the schedule is the most important game, but Saturday’s match up with the Herd is one that he has been eyeing for a while.
“When we made that decision to go to Conference USA, I knew they were in the league and knew they were the team that is the standard in this league, too. I’ve been looking forward to this one because I know that they will play at a high level.”
It’s a game a lot of people have been looking forward to, even some of Lambert’s for Marshall players have hit up their old coach for tickets to Saturday’s game.
“We have a lot of former players that have requested tickets and some Marshall players that have requested tickets so it’s going to be a good crowd. And then, you add in the passing of Coach Ratliff, it’s going be an emotional day but we are looking forward to it. It’s going to be an exciting day.”
Lambert knows his team has a long way to go before it is on the same level with Marshall, Western Kentucky and the other top programs in C-USA. But Saturday will give Charlotte and up close look at what it wants to become.