Report Card.

[The Real SamC]

MEN:

Baseball 16-37 5-25 failed to make conference tournament. D- only due to lack of facilities.
Basketball 24-8 against a box of cupcakes 13-5 lost first round of SBC. C+
Cross Country ungraded pass/fail. Pass.
Football 9-4 5-3, beat a historic power, won bowl game. B+
Golf ungraded pass/fail. Pass.
Soccer. 11-4-4 4-1-3 lost SBC tournament at home. Made NCAA, went to third round. A
Track ungraded pass/fail. Pass, barely.

WOMEN:

Basketball 17-14 9-9 lost SBC second round coach "left" (was fired). D-
Cross Country. ungraded pass/fail. Pass.
Golf. ungraded pass/fail. Finished 11th in SBC. Pass, barely.
Soccer 4-10-1. 2-5-3. Finished 6th in SBC East. Lost 2nd round SBC. D-
Softball. 45-10. 17-5, Finished 2nd in SBC. Lost to #1 seed in final 1-0 on its field. A.
Swimming. ungraded pass/fail. Fail. Not an SBC sport. Find another women's sport to plug in this space.
Tennis. 19-9 7-4. Lost 3rd round SBC. B-
Track. Ungraded pass/fail. Pass.
Volleyball. 10-20. 3-13. Finished 6th in SBC East. Lost 2nd round SBC. D-.

 

[W-S HerdFan]

I believe baseball should get an asterisk.
New HC hired weeks before the season opener,
IIRC - newly constructed pool facility - doubtful MU will swim against the 💵 current on that one.

 

[OldielovesHerd]

MEN:

Baseball 16-37 5-25 failed to make conference tournament. D- only due to lack of facilities.
Basketball 24-8 against a box of cupcakes 13-5 lost first round of SBC. C+
Cross Country ungraded pass/fail. Pass.
Football 9-4 5-3, beat a historic power, won bowl game. B+
Golf ungraded pass/fail. Pass.
Soccer. 11-4-4 4-1-3 lost SBC tournament at home. Made NCAA, went to third round. A
Track ungraded pass/fail. Pass, barely.

WOMEN:

Basketball 17-14 9-9 lost SBC second round coach "left" (was fired). D-
Cross Country. ungraded pass/fail. Pass.
Golf. ungraded pass/fail. Finished 11th in SBC. Pass, barely.
Soccer 4-10-1. 2-5-3. Finished 6th in SBC East. Lost 2nd round SBC. D-
Softball. 45-10. 17-5, Finished 2nd in SBC. Lost to #1 seed in final 1-0 on its field. A.
Swimming. ungraded pass/fail. Fail. Not an SBC sport. Find another women's sport to plug in this space.
Tennis. 19-9 7-4. Lost 3rd round SBC. B-
Track. Ungraded pass/fail. Pass.
Volleyball. 10-20. 3-13. Finished 6th in SBC East. Lost 2nd round SBC. D-.

Agree except I would give the football an A- . just for beating Notre Dame on the road and their strong finish to the season. Basketball I would give a B 24 wins after a very bad season the year before was good.

 

[W-S HerdFan]

Right on oldie

 

[BleedsGreen33]

Agree except I would give the football an A- . just for beating Notre Dame on the road and their strong finish to the season. Basketball I would give a B 24 wins after a very bad season the year before was good.

Monumental win for sure, but following it up with a bad loss to BG tanks the grade. An A is a less than 10% margin from perfection. The season was at best a solid B.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Obviously need baseball, women's b'ball and soccer need to make big jumps in the next few years.
Overall our program does a good job, all things considered.

 

[OldielovesHerd]

Monumental win for sure, but following it up with a bad loss to BG tanks the grade. An A is a less than 10% margin from perfection. The season was at best a solid B.

That BG was a 100 year homecoming event I believe so I believe that made the loss possible. I still believe beating Notre Dame and there very strong finish with a freshman qb was very much worth an A-.

 

[OldielovesHerd]

Obviously need baseball, women's b'ball and soccer need to make big jumps in the next few years.
Overall our program does a good job, all things considered.

Agree completely Two.

 

[caliherd]

That BG was a 100 year homecoming event I believe so I believe that made the loss possible. I still believe beating Notre Dame and there very strong finish with a freshman qb was very much worth an A-.

The Notre Dame win was awesome and fantastic but the fact we lost to BG and we did not win either a division championship or the overall championship of the conference keeps the season from being an A. I think the B is a perfect grade for last football season.

 

[OldielovesHerd]

The Notre Dame win was awesome and fantastic but the fact we lost to BG and we did not win either a division championship or the overall championship of the conference keeps the season from being an A. I think the B is a perfect grade for last football season.

Some believe like you and others believe like me. So it is just a matter of opinion and how you look at it.

 

[BleedsGreen33]

Some believe like you and others believe like me. So it is just a matter of opinion and how you look at it.

So your belief is that one win is bigger than the program? Marshall football is about winning championships. We didn't come close to doing that and all the cache that beating ND did for us was thrown away the following week.

If we were let's say Akron or UMASS then yea. One upset win over a P5 is all that matters for an A because they have absolutely no expectations as a program.

The overall results of the season are not A level.

 

[W-S HerdFan]

So your belief is that one win is bigger than the program? Marshall football is about winning championships. We didn't come close to doing that and all the cache that beating ND did for us was thrown away the following week.

If we were let's say Akron or UMASS then yea. One upset win over a P5 is all that matters for an A because they have absolutely no expectations as a program.

The overall results of the season are not A level.

Sooooooooo………you didn’t refute that we are each entitled to our own opinions, and then launch an additional 4 torpedo spread towards Oldies?

 

[OldielovesHerd]

So your belief is that one win is bigger than the program? Marshall football is about winning championships. We didn't come close to doing that and all the cache that beating ND did for us was thrown away the following week.

If we were let's say Akron or UMASS then yea. One upset win over a P5 is all that matters for an A because they have absolutely no expectations as a program.

The overall results of the season are not A level.

That is your opinion . I gave them an A- .

 

[Aaron Perkins]

So your belief is that one win is bigger than the program? Marshall football is about winning championships. We didn't come close to doing that and all the cache that beating ND did for us was thrown away the following week.

If we were let's say Akron or UMASS then yea. One upset win over a P5 is all that matters for an A because they have absolutely no expectations as a program.

The overall results of the season are not A level.

Your first line. Really. No one said it made it bigger than the “program.” But. It was big enough when adding to 8 more wins, in a new conference, coming into it without our star running back, with a proven qb, then it was bigger than the season. Which makes it an A. It’s the biggest win any of us will EVER witness. And that doesn’t mean we accept mediocrity or whatever line you come up with.

As for winning championships. And we “didn’t come close”. Really. Yes. We were close, not that it matters, to winning a division. And we DID win a bowl championship which is something that Coach Pruett counted when speaking of championships.

This has nothing to do with having expectations of not. This has to do with beating top 10 Notre Dame in front of Touchdown Jesus. That’s on a different level.

 

[W-S HerdFan]

Your first line. Really. No one said it made it bigger than the “program.” But. It was big enough than when adding to 8 more wins, in a new conference, coming into it without our star running back, with a proven qb, then it was bigger than the season. Which makes it an A. It’s the biggest win any of us will EVER witness. And that doesn’t meant we expect mediocrity or whatever line you come up with.

As for winning championships. And we “didn’t come close”. Really. Yes. We were close, not that it matters, to winning a division. And we DID win a bowl championship which is something that Coach Pruett counted when speaking of championships.

This has nothing to do with having expectations of not. This has to do with beating top 10 Notre Dame in front of Touchdown Jesus. That’s on a different level.

Amen, brother Perkins

 

[Sistersviille]

The Notre Dame win was awesome and fantastic but the fact we lost to BG and we did not win either a division championship or the overall championship of the conference keeps the season from being an A. I think the B is a perfect grade for last football season.

The biggest win in herd history. When I was picking up cups in 73 I would never imagined marshall ever even getting a game with the Irish. Thank you herd for a once in a lifetime win. Very proud and appreciate the herd. Go HERD

 

[goherd73]

Sunbelt likely to add Swimming and Diving next season.

Sun Belt Conference Likely To Add Swim And Dive in 2023

When James Madison joined the Sun Belt Conference last July, there were three sports that the league didn’t sponsor and the Dukes did — field hockey, swim and dive and

www.dnronline.com

 

[MUMAN3419]

With Notre Dame win the season is an A. Without that win the season is a B-. Historic all time great win that I will relish forever.

 

[Jartard]

With Notre Dame win the season is an A. Without that win the season is a B-. Historic all time great win that I will relish forever.

Historic win, yes! Followed by a historic loss to BG and getting smoked at home by Coastal Carolina and Louisiana. A+++ great job! Hope we continue this success!! 🙄

 

[Aaron Perkins]

Historic win, yes! Followed by a historic loss to BG and getting smoked at home by Coastal Carolina and Louisiana. A+++ great job! Hope we continue this success!! 🙄

Odd take. Losing on the road to a bowl team in a place where we have won exactly one time since 1953 ish. Makes sense. Slightly over dramatic there.

 

[Marshall2004]

Nationally, the ND win helped more than BGSU hurt. I have heard at least 2-3 references nationally this off season to Huff looking to build on a "breakout season". This is, of course, not true from a pure wins/losses or conference title perspective. But that ND win had cache that lasts. We no doubt had some things go south on us last year, particularly with the OL and QB play. There was a mid season lull. But that ND win was special and continues to resonate outside of our typical sphere.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

Monumental win for sure, but following it up with a bad loss to BG tanks the grade. An A is a less than 10% margin from perfection. The season was at best a solid B.

Agree.

If you are capable of beating a top 10 ranked Notre Dame AT Notre Dame, you should be able to mop the floor with Bowling Green and basically anyone else you play.
ESPN favored MU in every game on the schedule except Notre Dame.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

That BG was a 100 year homecoming event I believe so I believe that made the loss possible. I still believe beating Notre Dame and there very strong finish with a freshman qb was very much worth an A-.

Wait, what?

Because BG had some big homecoming, it is an excuse for MU to lose?

There could be a few factors for MU losing in the past, most notably BG is so miserably cold and windy in the winter, that MIGHT be something.

Nothing of the sort when we last played.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

So your belief is that one win is bigger than the program? Marshall football is about winning championships. We didn't come close to doing that and all the cache that beating ND did for us was thrown away the following week.

If we were let's say Akron or UMASS then yea. One upset win over a P5 is all that matters for an A because they have absolutely no expectations as a program.

The overall results of the season are not A level.

I find it funny how some would consider the finish of MU's season, largely ignoring the embarrassing losses and more importantly, ignoring the motto of MU's program: 'We play for championships' and saying, "Well, they finished strong."
Finishing strong would mean a SBC title game appearance, at least.

But instead it's a bowl win. Good for us. But bowls are often ridiculed for being useless, at least when the prior regime was at the helm...I guess they want to ignore that too.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

Your first line. Really. No one said it made it bigger than the “program.” But. It was big enough when adding to 8 more wins, in a new conference, coming into it without our star running back, with a proven qb, then it was bigger than the season. Which makes it an A. It’s the biggest win any of us will EVER witness. And that doesn’t mean we accept mediocrity or whatever line you come up with.

As for winning championships. And we “didn’t come close”. Really. Yes. We were close, not that it matters, to winning a division. And we DID win a bowl championship which is something that Coach Pruett counted when speaking of championships.

This has nothing to do with having expectations of not. This has to do with beating top 10 Notre Dame in front of Touchdown Jesus. That’s on a different level.

Ask Appy State if they were satisfied with just beating Michigan at The Big House.

Instead of taking advantage, continuing momentum, winning a bunch of NC's, and building a very well deserved reputation of being an absolute nightmare on any P5's schedule.

That's what NDSU is currently doing as well. They're beating P5's but also actually using that to dominate their own level of competition.

But according to some, "just that single win" is what defines the program.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

With Notre Dame win the season is an A. Without that win the season is a B-. Historic all time great win that I will relish forever.

I guess the prior regime is a B- as well for most of its existence then?

Because if you're going to lower your standards, might as well accept that some you previously despised as being inept or mediocre, are actually a higher grade than expected.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

The issue with the division of this thread comes down to what has been tirelessly spewed out on here and from all fans of Marshall and what they are now saying.

A certain set of expectations (sometimes unrealistic) of a program like MU.

During the previous regime, people ignored bowl wins, "those don't count!" "Oh, Doc gets 3 weeks to prepare for a team, of course he'll win" stupidly forgetting the OTHER team also has the same amount of time to prepare.
Everyone only looked at the losses and said he was terrible.

Huff goes out and DOMINATES ND, which people may forget. MU didn't fluke win, they beat them everywhere.

The expectations are very high, then the season rolls on and MU ends up being "meh" and by the end...not much better than anything Doc churned up in the grand scheme of it all.

"The team finished strong" yeah, so did Doc's.

The realistic element of all this, MU significantly underperformed BECAUSE of beating ND.
You beat ND you not only should, but are expected, to win your conference, at least your division.

If a team can't ride that win to steamrolling the conference, that's on the coaches...because plenty of programs have been able to do that.


The thoughts on the football season are starting to remind me of Dan and Wichita State.
One big win, overlooking a lack of consistency, because the fan expectations can't remain consistent.


You're letting one huge win, overshadow the "small" losses your program suffered, which is the exact reason why your program isn't better.

 

[OldielovesHerd]

Amen, brother Perkins

You are so right Perkins.

 

[W-S HerdFan]

Excuse me. Just finished wiping up a pile of puke that GHMY just spewed all over the board! 🤮🤮🤮
Let’s put this “We Play for Championships” slogan to rest.
In the 1960’s(?) we had the R.A.M. Club.
That stood for “Rally Around Marshall”
In 1971, “The Young Thundering Herd” came into vogue. By definition it had a short shelf life. Sonny tried to bring an “Air Raid” offense in the late 70’s early 80’s w/o success. Then when Chaump took us to the IAA Champ in the late 80’s, we were “Rolling Thunder”.
Enter Donnan. 1st National Championship in ‘92. Over the next 10 years, the Herd goes on a Championship run unequaled before or since, winning either a Natty or a Conf Champ in 7 of those 10 years, in addition to posting a bowl record of 5-1.
So, of course “WPFC” was a perfect slogan for the football program going into 2003.
Fast forward 20……….that’s right…..Twenty seasons. In double the number of seasons,
MU’s championship total is 1. That’s right, just one.

Maybe it’s time for a new motto? Not making fun at all. Is it a distinct probability that we had an improbable run of success over a decade, and that the chances of repeating that (for a myriad of reasons) is
minuscule at best? It absolutely is!!
Does that mean we throw in the towel?
HELL NO!
But, to me it means we stop sticking our heads in the sand and holding all future Herd football squads to the same litmus test that is 20 years past its sell by date.
Let Huff & Co establish their own identity.
I think his expectations are on a par with Pruett’s.
Enjoy the ride, my dudes!!
WS

 

[W-S HerdFan]

Excuse me. Just finished wiping up a pile of puke that GHMY just spewed all over the board! 🤮🤮🤮
Let’s put this “We Play for Championships” slogan to rest.
In the 1960’s(?) we had the R.A.M. Club.
That stood for “Rally Around Marshall”
In 1971, “The Young Thundering Herd” came into vogue. By definition it had a short shelf life. Sonny tried to bring an “Air Raid” offense in the late 70’s early 80’s w/o success. Then when Chaump took us to the IAA Champ in the late 80’s, we were “Rolling Thunder”.
Enter Donnan. 1st National Championship in ‘92. Over the next 10 years, the Herd goes on a Championship run unequaled before or since, winning either a Natty or a Conf Champ in 7 of those 10 years, in addition to posting a bowl record of 5-1.
So, of course “WPFC” was a perfect slogan for the football program going into 2003.
Fast forward 20……….that’s right…..Twenty seasons. In double the number of seasons,
MU’s championship total is 1. That’s right, just one.

Maybe it’s time for a new motto? Not making fun at all. Is it a distinct probability that we had an improbable run of success over a decade, and that the chances of repeating that (for a myriad of reasons) is
minuscule at best? It absolutely is!!
Does that mean we throw in the towel?
HELL NO!
But, to me it means we stop sticking our heads in the sand and holding all future Herd football squads to the same litmus test that is 20 years past its sell by date.
Let Huff & Co establish their own identity.
I think his expectations are on a par with Pruett’s.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

Excuse me. Just finished wiping up a pile of puke that GHMY just spewed all over the board! 🤮🤮🤮
Let’s put this “We Play for Championships” slogan to rest.
In the 1960’s(?) we had the R.A.M. Club.
That stood for “Rally Around Marshall”
In 1971, “The Young Thundering Herd” came into vogue. By definition it had a short shelf life. Sonny tried to bring an “Air Raid” offense in the late 70’s early 80’s w/o success. Then when Chaump took us to the IAA Champ in the late 80’s, we were “Rolling Thunder”.
Enter Donnan. 1st National Championship in ‘92. Over the next 10 years, the Herd goes on a Championship run unequaled before or since, winning either a Natty or a Conf Champ in 7 of those 10 years, in addition to posting a bowl record of 5-1.
So, of course “WPFC” was a perfect slogan for the football program going into 2003.
Fast forward 20……….that’s right…..Twenty seasons. In double the number of seasons,
MU’s championship total is 1. That’s right, just one.

Maybe it’s time for a new motto? Not making fun at all. Is it a distinct probability that we had an improbable run of success over a decade, and that the chances of repeating that (for a myriad of reasons) is
minuscule at best? It absolutely is!!
Does that mean we throw in the towel?
HELL NO!
But, to me it means we stop sticking our heads in the sand and holding all future Herd football squads to the same litmus test that is 20 years past its sell by date.
Let Huff & Co establish their own identity.
I think his expectations are on a par with Pruett’s.

Good lord, your post is an absolute trainwreck.

I'm not even going to tell you how glaringly bad the logic behind everything you just said is.

 

[Pioneer_PA]

Good lord, your post is an absolute trainwreck.

I'm not even going to tell you how glaringly bad the logic behind everything you just said is.

You said Doc's team finished strong.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Not to continue the Huff vs. Doc diatribe but Huff did turn the season around last year and finished strong. Doc would not have beaten ND, pure and simple. He would have puckered and played uber conservative. Docs teams usually faltered down the stretch. Doc had the most embarrassing losses in the history of modern day Marshall football - WKU, UCF, CIncy, Rice, etc.
Granted he brought consistency back to our program and gave us our only championship in two decades. Only to turn around and give us our worst season (2016) in over three decades.

 

[W-S HerdFan]

I'm not even going to tell you how glaringly bad the logic behind everything you just said is.

Oh, c’mon GHMY - we’d like to read your book! I’ll send you the cleaning bill for all of the 💩 you’ve been spewing.

 

[OldielovesHerd]

Not to continue the Huff vs. Doc diatribe but Huff did turn the season around last year and finished strong. Doc would not have beaten ND, pure and simple. He would have puckered and played uber conservative. Docs teams usually faltered down the stretch. Doc had the most embarrassing losses in the history of modern day Marshall football - WKU, UCF, CIncy, Rice, etc.
Granted he brought consistency back to our program and gave us our only championship in two decades. Only to turn around and give us our worst season (2016) in over three decades.

Exactly written.

 

[MUMAN3419]

Historic win, yes! Followed by a historic loss to BG and getting smoked at home by Coastal Carolina and Louisiana. A+++ great job! Hope we continue this success!! 🙄

Yeah!?!?!?!?!? Because I said the season was an A+++. Like I said, without our all-time single greatest victory the season was a B-. The Notre Dame win takes it to an A for me. I would have rather had a conference championship, but winning the Notre Dame game is bigger than a Sunbelt championship to the average college football fan/pundit.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

You said Doc's team finished strong.

I said based on what has been said by some in this thread, that he did finish strong.

The idea that many, for years, touted conference titles as being the end all, be all, are using the same perception used for Doc towards Huff.

You beat ND at ND, there's no excuse your team can't win their division.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

Oh, c’mon GHMY - we’d like to read your book! I’ll send you the cleaning bill for all of the 💩 you’ve been spewing.

Sorry Werther's...I'm afraid I can't do that...

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

Not to continue the Huff vs. Doc diatribe but Huff did turn the season around last year and finished strong. Doc would not have beaten ND, pure and simple. He would have puckered and played uber conservative. Docs teams usually faltered down the stretch. Doc had the most embarrassing losses in the history of modern day Marshall football - WKU, UCF, CIncy, Rice, etc.
Granted he brought consistency back to our program and gave us our only championship in two decades. Only to turn around and give us our worst season (2016) in over three decades.

If there is one defense of Doc and those teams, at least most he lost were actually good. Some were not. It's the same defense for Snyder I'll give. He's a terrible HC but the schedule he had was absolutely brutal.
Cincy, you mean the year they began to become a powerhouse?
WKU, when they were at their all time best?
Oh, and don't act like WKU didn't come to Marshall and embarrass us while Huff coached.
As for Rice? Horrible loss, I won't argue that.

So where does MU, who just beat ND the week prior, then losing to BG, rank on worst/embarrassing losses list?
ECU? MTSU?
You act like this current coaching staff hasn't had any bad losses in their history either.
BG is bad because MU just proved they had the caliber of players, coaches, schemes, etc, to beat one of the top ranked teams in the country.
Even with a loss to BG, the team couldn't get to where they are expected to be, playing for a championship.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

Granted he brought consistency back to our program and gave us our only championship in two decades. Only to turn around and give us our worst season (2016) in over three decades.

From 2016 until he was replaced, how did the team do, record-wise? Because at the overall body of work, he really did improve the team down the stretch.

As I have said endlessly, it's very, very hard to maintain consistency for a P5 program, let alone one with the financials and barriers as MU.
A diasaterous season in 2016, could have really continued on for a while.
Thankfully, they did actually, finish strong in the years later.