By Jack Houvouras
HQ 29 | AUTUMN 1997
Unlike most people, autumn has always been my least favorite season. Instead of appreciating the brilliant foliage, brisk air and distinct aroma of the season, I often associated the time of year with returning to school, shorter days and the gradual death of the green days of summer.
But that all changed recently. Maybe it was one of those walks along the Ritter Park trails that wind through the woods. Maybe it was fishing on a small farm pond, reeling in a five pound bass and soaking up all the colors of the day. Or maybe it was taking in a Marshall football game and watching the Herd trounce yet another opponent.
Make no mistake about it, watching a football game at Marshall University’s modern new stadium has been a delight since it opened its gates in 1991. And it has been a joy watching the team not only post winning seasons, but dominate Division I-AA football.
It’s a long way from 1969 when the university was suspended indefinitely from the Mid-American Conference for recruiting violations. That scandal was followed by the worst sports tragedy in history, when 75 people lost their lives in the Marshall University plane crash. What came next was an unprecedented decade of losses, including a 27 game non-winning streak.
Fortunately, all of that changed as well.
When you stop to think about it, the progress of Thundering Herd football is nothing short of extraordinary. In the last decade, the team has made it to the NCAA I-AA National Finals on six occasions. Last season, the program went 15-0, won it’s second national title, sent seven players to the NFL and was re-admitted to the MAC. Quite a long way from those dark days in 1969.
The success of the Marshall University football program has been an incredible asset to the region. From its economic impact to its tremendous source of community pride, Herd football has helped us and inspired us. It has healed the wounds of the past and taught us a valuable lesson that a commitment to excellence, whether it has been the coaches, players, fans or facility, has its rewards.
