Doc Holliday and his coaching staff were likely revising a few of their recruiting pitches while on the road Wednesday when news started to break of Conference USA’s newest members. Middle Tennessee State was the first school reported to be joining C-USA but the addition of Florida Atlantic is the one that almost certainly made Holliday’s ears perk up.
Florida Atlantic University will join fellow Sun Belt conference member Florida International University in making the jump to C-USA over the next few seasons. That likely means at least one trip each year for The Herd to the sunshine state. That’s a big deal with the 2012 roster featuring 30 players who hail from Florida. Now, Holliday and staff can guarantee a recruit’s family that they’ll have at least one chance to watch them in person every year.
Holliday is already highly regarded for his ability to recruit and any additional ammunition he can use to woo talent to Huntington will be used to the fullest effect.
How important is the peninsula to Marshall?
The Herd’s top offensive performers all call Florida home. Quarterback Rakeem Cato, receiver Tommy Shuler, runningbacks Steward Butler, and Kevin Grooms have all come through the Florida pipeline and will all be vital to Marshall’s success over the next two or three years.
Holliday and company already have three verbal commitments from Florida prospects, a quarterback, another receiver and an offensive lineman. That will certainly not be the only three prospects to join Marshall this offseason.
Western Kentucky & New Mexico State?
There are reports that Western Kentucky and New Mexico State are the next in line to join C-USA. That would bring C-USA to 16 teams, but there are other reports that the league wants to wait before adding any more teams.
The only thing for certain is this is far from over.
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