Marshall: a football coaching history

Big movers show how many stature points they built or lost against what they inherited; steadier tenures show the tier they reached instead. A small blue arrow marks a real System Shift at that changeover — how hard the offense’s run/pass identity flipped.

2025–now

Tony Gibson Short tenure

No outlier style signal this stint

10-10

2021–2024

Charles Huff Steady

Charles Huff moved the Thundering Herd from Regional Program I to National Program III in 4 seasons.

2022 defense ranked in the 100th percentile nationally — elite

+1.8 pts over 4 seasons · top 25% of 3-5-season tenures (717 in sample)

Closest comparable run: Joe Moorhead’s Akron run (2022–now)

4th-best Marshall tenure of 8 by the numbers.

Followed Doc Holliday (2010–2020) · succeeded by Tony Gibson (2025–now).

System Shift, on arrival

System Shift, on departure

Season	2021	2022	2023	2024
Record & result
Record	7-6	9-4	6-7	10-3
Postseason	L bowl	W bowl	L bowl	—
Recruiting rank	#124	#57	#124	#103
Style — pass rate
Pass rate	52.2	38.1	48.5	39.7
Coordinators
OC	Tim Cramsey	Clint Trickett	Clint Trickett	Seth Doege
DC	Lance Guidry	Lance Guidry	Jason Semore	Jason Semore
Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile
Offense	49	18	29	59
Defense	77	100	64	76
Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script
1st-down pass%	51.8	36.3	47.8	34.6
Red-zone pass%	33.8	30.0	29.0	36.5
4th-down go%opp. territory	30.6	27.8	33.3	25.5

Recruiter or developer?

Performs about as expected for his recruiting talent on offense and outperforms his recruiting talent on defense.

Offense vs. talent

-6.1 pts

#136 of 208 · middle half

Defense vs. talent

+33.6 pts

#6 of 208 · top quarter

Recruiting talent is team-wide (no offense/defense split exists in the source data) -- both sides are scored against the same talent input, only the outcome is side-specific.

Roster construction · portal era

A typical amount of portal roster-building.

Portal arrivals

3.0★ avg rating

Portal departures

left via the portal

Net portal flow

-16

#79 of 187 FBS stints

Who they bring in

Typical size for position, once adjusted for position mix.

Recruits older, more experienced transfers than most.

Avg. size (raw)

6′2″, 241 lbs

across 36 of 58 arrivals — unadjusted for position mix

Size vs. position-typical

+2.7 lbs

#176 of 255 · middle half

Avg. class year

#1 of 255 · top quarter

Top states: FL (6), TX (5), TN (3), MD (3), MI (3)

Who won the portal our read

Talent added

55.9

position-weighted

Talent lost

57.1

position-weighted

Net

-1.2

arrivals minus departures

Best addition: Mitch Griffis (QB) from Wake Forest

Biggest loss: Cam Fancher (QB) to Florida Atlantic

Position-value-weighted (QB/CB weighted highest, depth-decayed within each position) — the same scoring engine as the Portal Heat feed, not a separate grade.

Does the system survive a coordinator change?

OC: Clint Trickett → Seth Doege · 2024

1-season window either side — numbers shown, not enough to badge a verdict.

1st-down pass rate: 47.8% → 34.6% (-13.3 pts)

Confound, shown not hidden: only 27% of offensive production returned the year the coordinator changed — the roster turned over at the same time, not just the play-caller.

DC: Lance Guidry → Jason Semore · 2023The defense slipped

2-season window either side.

Roster size, by position

Skill positions · usage-weighted (real participation)

Quarterback

213 lbs

6′2″ avg · #373 of 767 · middle half

Running back

205 lbs

5′11″ avg · #481 of 791 · middle half

Wide receiver

193 lbs

6′0″ avg · #414 of 791 · middle half

Tight end

233 lbs

6′4″ avg · #686 of 731 · bottom quarter

Trench & secondary · recruited roster, not confirmed starters

Interior line

312 lbs

6′4″ avg · #266 of 779 · middle half

D-line

283 lbs

6′4″ avg · #394 of 753 · middle half

Linebacker

219 lbs

6′2″ avg · #721 of 772 · bottom quarter

Cornerback

185 lbs

6′0″ avg · #630 of 771 · bottom quarter

Safety

189 lbs

6′0″ avg · #315 of 346 · bottom quarter

Offensive-line size is one undifferentiated bucket — the source data almost never distinguishes tackle from guard from center, so we can't split them out.

Where the roster comes from, by position

Buys Athlete via the portal

20%

#24 of 146 stints

Buys D-line via the portal

67%

#27 of 239 stints

Grows Punter from high school

75%

#28 of 29 stints

Grows Quarterback from high school

70%

#160 of 206 stints

Postseason detail2021: Lost to Louisiana 21-36 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl2022: Beat UConn 28-14 Myrtle Beach Bowl2023: Lost to UTSA 17-35 Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl

4 NFL Draft picks: Nazeeh Johnson (2022), Rasheen Ali (2024), Micah Abraham (2024), Mike Green (2025)

2 player-seasons honored (All-America / national award): Jayden Harrison (2023), Mike Green (2024)

+1.8

32-20

2010–2020

Doc Holliday Steady≈ ◆ COY

Doc Holliday moved Marshall from Regional Program II to National Program II in 11 seasons.

2014 offense ranked in the 96th percentile nationally — elite

+10.3 pts over 11 seasons · bottom 42% of 10+-season tenures (202 in sample)

Closest comparable run: Les Miles’s LSU run (2005–2016)

3rd-best Marshall tenure of 8 by the numbers.

Followed Mark Snyder (2005–2009) · succeeded by Charles Huff (2021–2024).

System Shift, on arrival

System Shift, on departure

Season	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Record & result
Record	5-7	7-6	5-7	10-4	13-1	10-3	3-9	8-5	9-4	8-5	7-3
Postseason	—	W bowl	—	W bowl	W bowl	W bowl	—	W bowl	W bowl	L bowl	L bowl
Recruiting rank	#78	#60	#78	#58	#62	#75	#51	#87	#74	#71	#96
Style — pass rate
Pass rate	55.0	47.7	55.8	47.8	45.8	48.7	52.5	49.3	47.7	40.0	42.1
Coordinators
OC	—	—	—	—	Bill Legg	Bill Legg	Bill Legg	Bill Legg	Tim Cramsey	Tim Cramsey	Tim Cramsey
DC	—	—	—	—	Chuck Heater	Chuck Heater	Chuck Heater	Chuck Heater	Adam Fuller	Brad Lambert / J. C. Price	Brad Lambert / J. C. Price
Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile
Offense	7	16	78	93	96	46	11	38	43	23	38
Defense	80	65	30	61	86	91	21	80	80	63	89
Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script
1st-down pass%	50.7	41.2	53.9	43.5	43.9	44.0	52.4	45.4	45.5	38.0	38.8
Red-zone pass%	58.1	45.6	51.3	35.7	42.2	43.9	49.1	56.0	42.4	27.3	34.3
4th-down go%opp. territory	25.0	25.0	47.6	50.0	40.5	20.9	19.4	34.9	21.2	24.4	48.3

Recruiter or developer?

Underperforms his recruiting talent on offense and outperforms his recruiting talent on defense.

Offense vs. talent

-13.4 pts

#159 of 208 · bottom quarter

Defense vs. talent

+23.2 pts

#24 of 208 · top quarter

Recruiting talent is team-wide (no offense/defense split exists in the source data) -- both sides are scored against the same talent input, only the outcome is side-specific.

Does the system survive a coordinator change?

OC: Bill Legg → Tim Cramsey · 2018The system held

2-season window either side.

1st-down pass rate: 48.9% → 41.7% (-7.2 pts)

Confound, shown not hidden: only 48% of offensive production returned the year the coordinator changed — the roster turned over at the same time, not just the play-caller.

DC: Chuck Heater → Adam Fuller · 2018

1-season window either side — numbers shown, not enough to badge a verdict.

DC: Adam Fuller → Brad Lambert (co) / J. C. Price (co) · 2019

1-season window either side — numbers shown, not enough to badge a verdict.

Where the roster comes from, by position

Grows Tight end from high school

100%

#164 of 188 stints

Grows Edge from high school

100%

#191 of 208 stints

Postseason detail2011: Beat Florida International 20-10 Beef 'o' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg2013: Beat Maryland 31-20 Military Bowl - Pres. By Northrop Grumman2014: Beat Northern Illinois 52-23 Boca Raton Bowl2015: Beat UConn 16-10 St. Petersburg Bowl2017: Beat Colorado State 31-28 Gildan New Mexico Bowl2018: Beat South Florida 38-20 Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl2019: Lost to UCF 25-48 Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl2020: Lost to Buffalo 10-17 Camellia Bowl

8 NFL Draft picks: Lee Smith (2011), Vinny Curry (2012), Aaron Dobson (2013), Garrett Scott (2014), Darryl Roberts (2015), Justin Rohrwasser (2020), Chris Jackson (2020), Josh Ball (2021)

Coach of the Year: Conference USA Coach of the Year (2020)

1 player-season honored (All-America / national award): Cain Madden (2020)

+10.3

85-54

2005–2009

Mark Snyder Decliner≈

the Thundering Herd fell from National Program I to Regional Program II under Mark Snyder.

No outlier style signal this stint

−15.8 pts over 5 seasons · bottom 2% of 3-5-season tenures (717 in sample)

Closest comparable run: Kevin Steele’s Baylor run (1999–2002)

2nd-best Marshall tenure of 8 by the numbers.

Followed Bob Pruett (1997–2004) · succeeded by Doc Holliday (2010–2020).

System Shift, on departure

System Shift, on arrival

Season	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Record & result
Record	4-7	5-7	3-9	4-8	7-6
Postseason	—	—	—	—	W bowl
Recruiting rank	#75	#79	#64	#64	#91
Style — pass rate
Pass rate	52.0	42.1	51.4	45.3	46.2
Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile
Offense	14	67	48	18	39
Defense	48	16	35	35	58
Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script
1st-down pass%	48.0	33.6	43.5	32.0	40.9
Red-zone pass%	40.4	36.4	46.8	38.9	33.3
4th-down go%opp. territory	27.0	20.8	28.6	33.3	27.5

Where the roster comes from, by position

Grows Tight end from high school

100%

#164 of 188 stints

Grows Edge from high school

100%

#191 of 208 stints

Postseason detail2009: Beat Ohio 21-17 Bowl

1 NFL Draft pick: Ahmad Bradshaw (2007)

−15.8

23-37

1997–2004

Bob Pruett Steady

Bob Pruett held the Thundering Herd at Power Program III for 8 seasons.

No outlier style signal this stint

1st-best Marshall tenure of 8 by the numbers.

Followed Sonny Randle (1979–1981) · succeeded by Mark Snyder (2005–2009).

System Shift, on departure

Season	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Record & result
Record	10-3	12-1	13-0	8-5	11-2	11-2	8-4	6-6
Postseason	L bowl	W bowl	W bowl	W bowl	W bowl	W bowl	—	L bowl
Recruiting rank	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	#78
Style — pass rate
Pass rate	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	51.3
Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile
Offense	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	8
Defense	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	48
Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script
1st-down pass%	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	39.4
Red-zone pass%	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	33.3
4th-down go%opp. territory	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Where the roster comes from, by position

Grows Edge from high school

100%

#191 of 208 stints

Grows Running back from high school

100%

#196 of 208 stints

Postseason detail1997: Beat Toledo 34-14 Bowl1997: Lost to Ole Miss 31-34 Bowl1998: Beat Toledo 23-17 Bowl1998: Beat Louisville 48-29 Bowl1999: Beat Western Michigan 34-30 Bowl1999: Beat BYU 21-3 Bowl2000: Beat Western Michigan 19-14 Bowl2000: Beat Cincinnati 25-14 Bowl2001: Beat East Carolina 64-61 Bowl2002: Beat Louisville 38-15 Bowl2004: Lost to Cincinnati 14-32 Bowl

13 NFL Draft picks: Randy Moss (1998), John Wade (1998), Chad Pennington (2000), Rogers Beckett (2000), Doug Chapman (2000), James Williams (2000), Paul Toviessi (2001), Chris Massey (2002) + 5 more

Power Program III

79-23

1979–1981

Sonny Randle Steady

Sonny Randle held the Thundering Herd at Regional Program VI for 3 seasons.

−1.0 pts over 3 seasons · top 38% of 3-5-season tenures (717 in sample)

Closest comparable run: DeWayne Walker’s New Mexico State run (2009–2012)

8th-best Marshall tenure of 8 by the numbers.

Followed Frank Ellwood (1975–1978) · succeeded by Bob Pruett (1997–2004).

−1.0

5-27-1

1975–1978

Frank Ellwood Steady

Frank Ellwood slid the Thundering Herd from Regional Program V to Regional Program VI in 4 seasons.

−1.6 pts over 4 seasons · top 41% of 3-5-season tenures (717 in sample)

Closest comparable run: Jeff Horton’s UNLV run (1994–1998)

7th-best Marshall tenure of 8 by the numbers.

Followed Jack Lengyel (1971–1974) · succeeded by Sonny Randle (1979–1981).

−1.6

9-35

1971–1974

Jack Lengyel Steady

Jack Lengyel held the Thundering Herd at Regional Program V for 4 seasons.

−2.3 pts over 4 seasons · top 46% of 3-5-season tenures (717 in sample)

Closest comparable run: Major Applewhite’s Houston run (2016–2018)

6th-best Marshall tenure of 8 by the numbers.

Followed Rick Tolley (1969–1970) · succeeded by Frank Ellwood (1975–1978).

−2.3

9-33

1969–1970

Rick Tolley Short tenure

6-13

1968

Perry Moss Short tenure

0-9-1

1962–1967

Charlie Snyder Steady

Charlie Snyder held Marshall at Regional Program II for 6 seasons.

5th-best Marshall tenure of 8 by the numbers.

Succeeded by Perry Moss (1968).

Regional Program II

23-36-1