For most of his career, Doc Holliday has been known for his strong Florida recruiting expertise and his work with former West Virginia coach Don Nehlen.
Nehlen, of course, turned the Mountaineers around early in his career and guided the program to much success over a 21-year stint. He was underappreciated at times, yet stayed. He turned down overtures from other programs.
Today? Well, don't look now, but Holliday, Nehlen's protege, seems to be following in the same path at Marshall.
If you've not taken a snapshot of MU's program lately, allow me to point out a few things. First, Holliday indeed has turned around the program. In his first three seasons at the school, the Thundering Herd was 17-20. Since then, it's 42-8.
When Marshall plays in the St. Petersburg Bowl against Connecticut on Dec. 26, it will be trying to become the only Group of 5 school to post 10 or more wins in each of the last three seasons.
It's to the point now where a 9-3 season is a disappointment in Huntington.
"Ultimately, the goal is always to win a conference championship," Holliday said Wednesday.
Actually, there are two reasons for the expectations. First, Holliday has worked hard to build a program, rather than a team. Second, Conference USA has been watered down with defections and MU by all rights should be a power.
So far, so good.
"For the most part I was pleased with our season," Holliday said. "There were a lot of positives."
The team won despite losing its best running back (Devon Johnson), its best offensive lineman (Clint Van Horn) and switching to a freshman quarterback (Chase Litton).
If you haven't noticed, it's led to Holliday name sightings in regard to coaching job openings. One headline lately read: "The case for Doc Holliday as Maryland's next head coach." He was listed by some as a top candidates to replace Al Golden at Miami. Last year some of the same publications listed him as a candidate to replace Will Muschamp at Florida.
And, yes, Holliday was contacted this year, even though he staunchly refuses to address it.
"I'd rather not comment," he said. "My deal is I'm happy where I am and I'm not looking for another job."
Sooner or later, however, a tempting offer will go Holliday's way. Lately he's been listed as a possible East Carolina candidate, although more and more that's looking to go to James Madison coach Everett Withers, former Michigan coach Brady Hoke or Virginia Tech assistant Shane Beamer. Consider this though: Beamer's father Frank is being replaced by Memphis' Justin Fuente at Virginia Tech. Fuente gained his fame for leading the previously woeful Tigers to 9-3 and 10-3 records. Meanwhile, Holliday has turned around his program - and posted back-to-back-to-back 10-4, 13-1 and 9-3 records.
The good news for MU fans is Holliday is signed through 2021. Athletic director Mike Hamrick apparently understands his good fortune and has the coach on board for $755,500 a year. It's a nice deal for MU, albeit ripe for the picking of bigger schools. (Holliday has a $725,000 buyout except if the school is his alma mater, WVU. The price then is $3 million.)
The third item to check out is the health of Marshall's football program in total. Holliday has his roster stocked with top-shelf C-USA players.
"There's no doubt we're healthy," said the coach. "We lost all our players from a year ago and were able to get to a fourth straight bowl. The future is bright. We have a freshman quarterback. We're going in the right direction."
His team is especially going in the right direction at the end of December: Florida. The Sunshine State has made Holliday's teams (and his bank account) golden for years. He found Litton in Tampa. And off to the bay area the Herd will be going.
"What's great is the bowl is in Florida and we have a lot of players from Florida and Georgia," Holliday said. "Their families can come to the game and the kids can go home after for the holidays. Plus, we can draw [recruits] from the area."
The Dec. 26 date and kickoff time (11 a.m.) are awful, but the coach never complains about being in Florida. Ever.
It's home for the Hollidays.
And the coach is trying to present yet another 10-win season.