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I hate to take a dump on Marshall, but here are some observations.

1. Snyder's coaching style is too much Jim Tressel for my tastes. He doesn't get fired up and he hardly ever seems to get excited. Granted, it is a business, but there is no rule that says you can't enjoy being out there. The conservative approach works for the haves -- like OSU -- not the have nots -- like Marshall right now.

2. The style of play which we see out of OSU ( where you line up and try to out-talent people) works great when you have the recruiting classes like they do at OSU, not so much when you can't count on being the most talented team on the field.

3. What is Snyder actually like as a recruiter? If he learned how to recruit from Tressel, Marshall is screwed. OSU appeals to kids just because it is OSU; Jim Tressel doesn't have to sell OSU to a recruit. Being a Buckeye sells itself; if Snyder learned his sales skills at OSU we are in deep doo-doo.

4. Is Minter the answer? Marshall needs a gambler, a gunslinger, an outlaw to come in and do something different. Is there another Urban Meyer out there, a guy who philosophically stands from the pack, even if he is a radical from the WVIAC?

5. Old Bob P. is the smartest man in Huntington; he knew that the C-USA thing was coming and he knew when to get the Hell out of Dodge.

6. The C-USA was basically the rest of the athletic department throwing football to the wolves. Many universities actually lose money going to the bowl games that the athletic department was so eager to get a shot at. What they wanted was a shot at more exposure for the other sports, notably basketball and baseball.

No one is a bigger Marshall fan than me. But, I can't figure out who Marshall is. They are so schizophrenic on offense they don't have an idenity. Snyder is getting old with his "we are young, we are about to turn the corner, we are a few players from being deep at every position." I think some coaches make better assistants and others make better head coaches. Snyder is defining his this year.

they should've stayed in the MAC but there is no $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Lets face facts, the left the MAC and then all of a sudden Bobby leaves(could he have known something that no one else in Herd land did, kinda like the bump up in confernce was bigger than the should have taken), you are not getting the recruits that you once were but your schedule is harder than it was, and you have a coach who truely has no direction for his team. It is time to cut the cord and let him go and start all over, it is going to get worse before it gets better, but with a new coach who could have a direction you will know there will be good times ahead.

KarlAgathon-Very good points in 5 and 6

I would love to see the Herd beat Rice this weekend...

I am crossing my fingers...

Synder has his work cut out for him. He needs to win this week and next to save his job. So Marshall can go bowling for the first time in a while.

I am a big Bobby P. fan and was when he coached at Marshall, but maybe Bobby knew it was time to leave because his recruiting violations were creeping up on him(which they finally did) and didnt want it to turn into a big story so he left so him and the school could save face.

Like I said, I am a huge Bobby Pruett fan. I just cant imagine that Bobby would just back down from a challenge like moving to Conference USA. I think there was more behind it than meets the eye.

But who knows, maybe he did see the writing on the wall. But its awful funny that he wasnt out of the game too long before he went to be an coordinator at Virginia.

mohawkbaseball#1 wrote:they should've stayed in the MAC but there is no $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I agree with the "should've stayed in the MAC" part, but why do you say "no $$$"? Of course there's no changing it back now, but it would seem to me that a closer geographical conference would make travel/attendance much more feasible for fans thus bringing in more "gate" money. I think the MAC is a great conference over all in all sports. MAC schools - mostly located in Big 10 country - prove their "competitiveness" over and over again against strong opponents. Many great pro players have come out of the MAC, and it has the advantage of under a 500-mile diameter [I think] which cuts travel time and expense both for the schools/teams and for the fans who follow them. I am a Marshall fan - though not an alum - and a strong Mark Snyder supporter - GO HERD!

caglewis

that is the thinking from 20 yrs or more ago - everyone in a league was close. Now the $$$$$ comes from TV, bowl invites, and basketball tourny. With Marshall in Conf USA they share revenues from these things. The TV deals are worth ALOT more money for both Football and Basketball. Money made by the conference for bowl bids is shared - ALOT more than MAC teams share. Finally, basketball conferences are paid by the # of teams in the NCAA tourny AND how far they go, so Memphis making it to the champ. game - they made ALOT more money!!!! That is how you have to think of things now..

late
sweetpea

One thing is for sure,Marshall's defense is pretty good but they are always on the field though because of the inept offense!Their offensive line play is poor and their QBS are not mobile so they are hung out to dry alot.QB's also try to force alot,They look down receivers and telegraph alot of their throws,"Are there any checkdowns to underneath recievers in this offense"?There were times in the UCF game where they were simply just throwing it up for grabs and UCF was the team that was grabbing the throws! I absolutely agree with the conservative scheme needing to go!

The man can't recruit, period. Your life blood is recruiting. Name 5 difference makers he has recruited. I can give you maybe 2 (Slate and McClellan), the rest are average or worse (the exception of maybe Passmore and if you want to stretch it Marshall). Each class has to have at least 2-3 difference makers, this past class has 0 thus far. No way this guy stays.