HUNTINGTON - Before the season started, one could imagine Western Kentucky's victory over Marshall at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
OK, so not to the 60-6 degree it went down Saturday night, mind you, but it wasn't difficult to imagine. The Hilltoppers were projected as an upper-level Conference USA team. So, too, was MU.
What one couldn't have imagined, however, is Marshall's season.
Nine and three, yes. That sounded about right. But 3-9? As Bugs Bunny would have said: Stop it, Doc, you're killin' me. After 33 wins in the last three seasons? After the way MU coach Doc Holliday had his program steaming down the tracks?
Now, though, 3-9 is reality. And apparently some Thundering Herd fans are smoking-out-the-ears mad.
To some degree, I understand. Conference USA might be getting better, but every matrix save one (Howell) has it behind every other league, including the AAC, Mountain West, MAC and Sun Belt.
Too, the Herd's numbers were ugly. Sagarin had MU ranked No. 138 - heading into Saturday's game. In total defense, the Herd was No. 106 (allowing an average of 455.5 yards). In total offense, it was also No. 106 (360.9).
And then in waltzed WKU quarterback Mike White, who was No. 5 nationally heading into the game in passing efficiency, and tap-danced on MU's head. In the first half alone, White had 186 passing yards and three TDs. The Toppers ran at, through and around the Thundering Herd.
Yet there are those injuries to discuss. I won't even try to list all of them. Our Doug Smock did a nice job running them down in Wednesday's edition of the Gazette-Mail. Marshall fans surely have followed along. And the list only grew Saturday with Garet Morrell again replacing Chase Litton at QB.
I just have one question - that I'll get to in a moment - that stems from that list.
Consider, however, what these MU coaches had to deal with. They knew darn well they had to replace pieces from last season's 10-3 team. Gone were receivers Davonte Allen and Deandre Reaves. On defense, gone were defensive backs Keith Baxter and Corey Tindal. Oh, yeah, that C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, Evan McKelvey, left too.
Part of the deal, though, right? Rebuild, reload, however you want to phrase it. Just get 'er done, right?
Normally, in such a case, yes. Marshall's program should be, and has been, ahead of all but a few other teams within C-USA. Yet what the Thundering Herd coaches have gone through with injuries is almost unfathomable.
The offensive line has needed a MASH unit. And one can visit every single position to see blows. The team hasn't been hobbled; it's been decimated.
When MU played FIU, the offense was down to six offensive linemen, five wide receivers, three running backs and no tight ends.
Overall, the situation forced Marshall's coaches to press young, unproven players into extended playing time. The Herd has been playing guys the coaches never anticipated would be in there.
With less-than-stellar results. See Saturday night's game.
Some of those players developed. Some did not. The only hope for MU is the playing time will help down the road.
Oh, and those rumors that MU didn't have true leaders on this team? Well, yes, it did. It's just hard to lead when you're not playing, if you're not practicing.
But back to my question, my one burning question. Marshall fans can rant if they wish. I find it difficult because we've seen Holliday can coach. He can recruit. We've seen coordinators Bill Legg and Chuck Heater can coach. Ditto guys like Alex Mirabal.
Yet why exactly have their been so many injuries? That's my question. Were I Holliday, that's what I'd investigate.
There were simply way too many injuries. Marshall has that sweet Sports Medicine Institute steps away from Edwards Stadium's end zone. It has the best training facilities.
So what is it? Is it new strength and conditioning coach Luke Day and his staff? Is it the practice schedule and routines?
Holliday has to get to the root of that, my friends. He has to figure it all out.
"We'll go back to work tomorrow," he said Saturday night, "to make sure this never happens again."
Of course, Marshall fans will - or should, anyway - give Holliday and his staff a mulligan for this season.
But to say the litany of injuries is concerning would be a gross understatement.
Something is amiss there.
And it's up to the head coach to find out what. Starting today.
Contact Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvingle@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MitchVingle.