After 20 straight losing seasons Marshall with 2 consecutive road wins over Illinois State and East Tennessee State on the seasons two final games to finish 6-5,,that WAS 1984.In !987 The Herd made its first 1-aa playoff appearance and made a run all the way to the finals before losing to Northeast Louisiana 43-42.In 1988 Marshall was ranked #1 for the first time in school history behind 1AA player of the year Mike Barber.In 1991 the Herd went 11-4 before losing to Youngtown state in the ncaa 1AA CHAMPIONSHIP.In 1992 Willy Merrick kicked the only field goal in his college career to lift the Herd to a 31-28 win over Youngstown State for their first NCAA 1-AA National Champioship.Phil Ratliff from Louisa was named all-american.In 1996 Bob Pruitt with help from a guy named Randy Moss went 15-0 and won their 2nd national championship.In 1997 randy Moss was a Heisman finallist and Marshall won 10 games and a MAC championship in their first year in the powerful NCAA 1-A.Alot of people thought Marshall would get crushed in the move.In 1999 Marshall had won 114 games in the 90,s which was more wins than any team in 1A or 1AA.They won the Mac and Chad Pennington was a Heisman finallist.In 2001 Marshall came back from 30 points down at halftime to beat East Carolina in the GMAC bowl for the highest scoring bowl game ever.Bryan Leftwich led the assult for Marshall.The won the MAC again in 2002 and also I forgot bowl wins over Louisville, cincinnati, and Bringham Young.Also Marshall had their first SEC win in 1998 over south carolina and that was also the year they got their first bowl win over Louisville.Also another big win for them was a touchdown pass caught by Mike Barber in 1988 against Louisville on the road.Of course alot of people still consider their win over Xaxier "sp" in the movie We Are Marshall the biggest win since the terrible plane crash.There is alot more but my memory is foggy here at 5am.I hope I got the years all-right.
Another game I would like to mention was a 10-10 tie against western carolina that I attended.Marshallhad opened the season with 5 straight wins and had a letdown at ol Fairfield against WCU.It was amazing they didnt lose.Down 10-3 they faced 4th down 5 times and scored with only a few seconds left and stan Parrish elected to kick the extra point for the tie.Carl Fodor was the quarterback and he was unbelievable in his scrambling that night to free himself up to get rid of the ball.Alot of people would think why didnt they go for the win.It happened so fast and so unexpected that a tie just didnt seem bad in a game you just knew you had lost.I will look it up but I believe barry childers was the kicker in the 84 win over etsu which gave them their first winning season, and it was a 55 yard field goal on the last play of the game.
Phil Ratliff,s dad called me one sunday to come up and have dinner with them.I get up there and there was All american QB Michael Payton, and Shannon Morrison, and of course Philip.There other star on the defensive line was there too but I just cant remember his name.I am getting old.We talked Marshall football for hours.Michael Payton was cut by the Dallas cowboys on the last day but I believe he blew his knee out.He was a great one.Marshall had its share of great QB,s.Carl fodor,Tony Peterson,John Gregory,Coach Donnan,s son who was all american but I cant think of his first name.Chad Pennington,Bryn Leftwich.Could someone tell me the name of the QB that tranferred from Florida when Pruitt came there in 96.He was the starter and Chad Pennington took a redshirt that year.
The quarterback on the 1996 national championship team was Eric Kresser.He was a backup for 3 years to a guy by the name of Danny Wuerffel who led Florida also to a national championship in 96 and was the Heisman winner.What a story!!!Kresser threw for 3407yards and 35 touvhdowns with only 11 interceptions.In 1999 Pennington might have led the charge on an even greater accomplishment when the Herd went 13-0 and finished 10th in the country in the final AP top 25.They sure made my earlier years working in the mines easier!!!Thank You Herd!!!
OSD do you like to answer yourself all th e time. LMAO just playing man. Yea I remember most of those. lol You are older then me you know. lol
Batpuff Wrote:OSD do you like to answer yourself all th e time. LMAO just playing man. Yea I remember most of those. lol You are older then me you know. lol
Well actually I just had so much to say buff ol pal.I quess I should have made one big post.I woke up early and couldnt sleep so started writing.Stop and see me batbuff.