HUNTINGTON - Not too long ago, Marshall's football team could be portrayed as many others regularly are across the country.
The big season was "two years away" or "a year away." Finally, "THE year" would roll around. Then it would start over.
Not anymore. Listen to Lindy's preseason magazine if you wish, but I'd suggest a sit-down with Thundering Herd head coach Doc Holliday.
"I don't look at one spot on this team and say, 'We don't have a guy there,'" he said Tuesday morning before one of his team's split practices.
And he's correct. There's talent throughout the roster. You might not agree a couple players should have been given "second chances" at the school, but the quality is undeniable. Holliday is simply reloading these days.
Exhibit A is MU's defensive line.
The Herd has to replace much production inside with C-USA second-team lineman Jarquez Samuel and Rico Williams gone. But ...
"With the three inside guys we have there won't be a dropoff - and we might be more athletic with Jason Smith, Nyquan Harris, Channing Hames and Tomell One," Holliday said. "I like those guys a lot - and the defensive ends [Ryan Bee and Gary Thompson] are back and they're good."
Thompson, in fact, was second in C-USA in sacks last season and Bee was an all-freshman selection.
Exhibit B is the linebacker position. It will be tough to replace Evan McKelvey, the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, and his 121 tackles last season. Add to that, D.J. Hunter is gone. No recovering from that, right?
Unless you plug in junior Davon Durant, once rated the nation's No. 1 junior college linebacker.
Yes, there's a backstory. After being chased by the likes of Oregon, South Carolina and others, Durant signed with Arizona State before an assault put him on supervised probation and, eventually, at MU. The talent, however, jumps at you during a practice. And if that's not enough, Devontre'a Tyler is back and former defensive lineman Damien Dozier, now at strong-side Sam linebacker, has been earning raves. Oh, and Holliday "really likes" 6-4 freshman Omari Cobb of Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Exhibit C is that open cornerback position.
Junior Rodney Allen is back on one side and the Herd coaches need to find another, but, according to Holliday, the team has "five or six kids there we like that we think have the athletic ability to play."
And that's even with knowledge potential starter Antavis Rowe was jettisoned. Holliday and defensive coordinator Chuck Heater could go with Dontrell Johnson, a junior college transfer initially from Pahokee, Florida. They could go with Jaylon McClain-Sapp, a freshman from Jacksonville, Florida, that Holliday calls "special." They could go with Jestin Morrow, a freshman from Hilton Head, South Carolina. Or, heck, they could just turn to a graduate transfer from Michigan in Terry Richardson.
Finally, there's Exhibit D. Gone from last season's receiving corps is Deandre Reaves, aka C-USA's Special Teams Player of the Year. So Holliday added three freshmen he really likes: Willie Johnson of Fort Myers, Florida; Brandon Rodgers of Prichard, Alabama; and Chris "Dee Dee" Jackson of Tallahassee, Florida. Toss in 6-3 redshirt freshman Leron Carn from Dorchester, South Carolina.
"We like what those guys bring to the table," Holliday said. "They're really going to help us."
Starting to understand?
Holliday has talent throughout his program. Gone from the offensive line is C-USA second-team selection Sebastian Johansson, but the coach still believes he has the best offensive line since he's been in town.
"Getting [Clint] Van Horn back [for an extra year after injury] was huge, not only from the playing standpoint, but the leadership standpoint," Holliday said.
NFL Draft Scout has Van Horn as the nation's No. 18 overall tackle for the 2017 draft.
Check out the safety position. You'll find C.J. Reavis, who was recruited by MU out of junior college, but first went to Virginia Tech. There, he played special teams in 2014 and sat atop the spring depth chart at rover, but was dismissed by the student conduct committee and lost an appeal before moving to East Mississippi Community College.
Holliday has Chase Litton back at quarterback.
The only holes I see are at running back and special teams, but Holliday seems fine with Hyleck Foster, Keion Davis, Tony Pittman and JC transfer Anthony Anderson in the backfield. Surely he can find a punter and return man.
For now, anyway, it's "the" year every year.
Contact Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvingle@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MitchVingle.