COLUMN
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.—Five years ago new Marshall Athletics Director Mike Hamrick gambled when he turned the reigns of the Marshall football program to a 52-year-old WVU alum who had never been a head coach or even a coordinator.
Fast-forward to today and Doc Holliday as revived a Thundering Herd football team that was floundering and made the program relevant again. He was rewarded for his success this week with a two-year contract extension that will keep him in Huntington through the 2017 season.
However, when Holliday first donned that Kelly green blazer during his introductory press conference in 2009, there were plenty of questions and skepticism surrounding Hamrick’s choice to lead the university most prominent athletic program.
Could Marshall fans embrace Holliday, who had spent most of his adult life playing or coaching for WVU?
Would Holliday embrace the traditions and uniqueness of Marshall?
Could he assemble a staff to unify the program?
Could he provide coaching leadership on gameday?
Could he help convince donors to open their wallets to help construct an indoor practice facility and fund other facility improvements?
The answer to all of those questions and others raised by skeptics is “Yes.”
Holliday insisted from the start his plan to win was infallible and that players, coaches and fans had to buy in and continue to follow the plan and it would eventually work. Heading into his fifth season, the talk surrounding Marshall is about a possible undefeated season and a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback. The plan has worked. Marshall is once again being mentioned on the national level as an outside pick for a major bowl game. Prior to Holliday’s arrival The Herd had not notched a 10-win season since 2002.
Known as an outstanding recruiter his entire career, Holliday has always had an eye for talented players but he also has had an eye for outstanding coaches. He has filled his staff with talented assistants such as Todd Hartley, JaJuan Sider, Tony Petersen, Alex Mirabal, Bill Legg, Chuck Heater and others who have shouldered much of the responsibility of recruiting players to rebuild the program.
And Holliday has not only embraced the traditions surrounding Marshall football he engrains them into his players and everyone around the program. For the last three years, the team has made the 1.3 mile run from Edwards Stadium to Spring Hill Cemetery to the Marshall Football Team Memorial.
“No other program in America has this story. Our older guys have embraced what this means … The freshmen have to understand every time you walk into that weight room, every time you walk onto that field, what it means to play at Marshall University. It’s a special place, and you have a responsibility to represent the school and the memories in the right way,” Holliday told the team during the assembly at the memorial last month.
And this fall when thunderstorms roll in or an early winter storm hits in December, The Herd won’t have to cut practices short. Holliday will be able to take his team inside for practice in a brand new facility that five years ago was not much more than a fantasy. The success of the football team has undoubtedly contributed the willingness of donors to contribute big dollars to catapult Marshall’s facilities to some of the best in Conference USA.
Athletics directors and their football coaches are joined at the hip. Hamrick bet his career at Marshall on Holliday and won. Hamrick’s gamble five years ago turned out to be a sure bet.