— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Fall semester finals are underway this week at Marshall, but the work is no less intense at Joan C. Edwards Stadium and the Chris Cline Athletic Complex as the Thundering Herd football team prepares for a major bowl challenge in less than two weeks.
Marshall will meet Central Florida in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 23. Kickoff at Raymond James Stadium is 2:30 p.m., and the contest will being shown on ESPN.
The Thundering Herd (8-4, 6-2) will put a seven-game bowl win streak on the line against the Knights, who have played in New Year’s Day Group of 5 access bowls the last two seasons.
Marshall head coach Doc Holliday is undefeated in bowl games at Marshall with a 6-0 record, including a 38-20 victory over USF in last year’s Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl.
With an .857 winning percentage (12-2) in all NCAA-sanctioned bowl games, Marshall holds the highest mark nationally among programs that have made at least five appearances.
As the Herd’s bowl preparation continues, Holliday is excited about the opportunities that another trip to Florida presents his program, even if it almost equals a road game.
“The great thing about this bowl game is giving the Florida guys on our team an opportunity to spend time with their families,” Holliday said. “It also gives us the same as another spring practice. It’s also great exposure since we recruit so many Florida kids. It’s the only game being played on that day and folks will watch it because they aren’t so bowl-weary at that time.”
Marshall is a heavy underdog to the Knights (9-3, 6-2) with the line at 17 points.
Still, the Herd has its sights set on an eighth straight bowl victory.
“As many bowls as I’ve been to, you really only remember the ones you win,” Holliday said. “Its important for the kids to be with their families and have fun, but at the end of the day, you’re going down there to try to find a way to win.”
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Conference USA named its all-conference and all-freshman teams. Marshall was well-represented.
In fact, the Herd’s eight first-team honorees were the most for any school in the 14-team league.
Marshall’s first-teamers are: running back Brenden Knox, center Levi Brown, defensive tackle Channing Hames, linebacker Tavante Beckett, cornerback Chris Jackson, long snapper Matt Beardall, punt returner Talik Keaton and kicker Justin Rohrwasser.
Linebacker Omari Cobb, tight end Armani Levias and offensive lineman Cain Madden were second-team All-Conference USA picks.
Defensive end Darius Hodge and defensive back Nazeeh Johnson are honorable mention selections.
Keaton and defensive back Micah Abraham landed on the Conference USA All-Freshman team.
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There will be plenty of Marshall connections when the Herd clash with UCF.
Brad Helton, the Knights’ Assistant Athletic Director for Video Operations, was a 20-year member of the MU football staff, serving as director of video services. His wife, Tara, is the UCF Associate AD for Academics. She was part of Marshall’s Buck Harless Student-Athlete Program for 11 years.
The Heltons have worked at UCF since January 2016.
Rich Worner, the Knights’ Director of Equipment Operations, was a 15-year member of Marshall’s equipment staff. He also joined the UCF staff in January 2016.
UCF’s assistant equipment manager is 2011 Marshall graduate Dustin Stover. He’s been a part of the Knights’ staff since February 2018.
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The Marshall football team will take a slight break from pre-bowl work on Saturday as the team takes part in its annual toy drive.
The drive will take place from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Barboursville Walmart.
The goal of the drive is to fill the Herd’s equipment truck with toys that will go towards kids in need in the tri-state area.
Toys collected will also be distributed in other parts of West Virginia and some will be taken by the team to Tampa next week to distribute to hospitalized children.