1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football team

The 1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Bob Pruett, the Thundering Herd compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the MAC's East Division title. Marshall beat Toledo in MAC Championship Game to win the conference championship and then lost to Ole Miss in the Motor City Bowl.

1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football
MAC champion
MAC East Division champion
MAC Championship Game, W 34–14 vs. Toledo
Motor City Bowl, L 31–34 vs. Ole Miss
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record10–3 (7–1 MAC)
Head coach
  • Bob Pruett (2nd season)
Co-offensive coordinatorTim Nunez (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinatorGunter Brewer (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorKevin Kelly (2nd season)
CaptainJohn Wade, Brian Reed, Chad Pennington, Thomas Maxwell, B. J. Cohen, Larry McCloud
Home stadiumMarshall University Stadium
1997 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Marshall x$  7 –1   10 –3  
Miami (OH)  6 –2   8 –3  
Ohio  6 –2   8 –3  
Bowling Green  3 –5   3 –8  
Kent State  3 –5   3 –8  
Akron  2 –7   2 –9  
West Division
Toledo x  7 –1   9 –3  
Western Michigan  6 –2   8 –3  
Ball State  4 –4   5 –6  
Eastern Michigan  4 –5   4 –7  
Central Michigan  1 –7   2 –9  
Northern Illinois  0 –8   0 –11  
Championship: Marshall 34, Toledo 14
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions

After winning the Southern Conference (SoCon) tile and the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship in 1996, Marshall returned to NCAA Division I-A play for the first time since 1981 and the MAC for the time since 1968. The Thundering Herd played home games at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia.

Wide receiver Randy Moss and quarterback Chad Pennington were the centerpiece of an explosive offense. Moss caught 26 touchdown passes, at the time an NCAA Division I-A record, and was a unanimous first-team All-American.[1] For the season, Moss had 96 receptions for 1,820 yards, won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best wide receiver, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, finishing fourth in the balloting, behind Ryan Leaf, Peyton Manning, and Charles Woodson, who won the award. Moss left Marshall with 168 receptions for 3,467 yards and a school record 53 touchdowns in two seasons.

The Herd became only the second team to win a conference championship in its first NCAA Division I-A (now FBS) season, following the 1992 Nevada Wolf Pack football team that won the Big West Conference. The feat was not repeated until 2014, when Georgia Southern won the Sun Belt Conference title.

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 3012:00 pmat West Virginia*
ESPN+L 31–4265,492
September 61:00 pmat Army*
W 35–2530,358
September 133:30 pmat Kent State
W 42–1711,021
September 207:00 pmWestern Illinois*
WSAZW 48–726,724
September 271:00 pmat Ball State
WVAHW 42–1620,415
October 117:00 pmAkron
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV
W 52–1726,642
October 182:00 pmat Miami (OH)
WSAZL 21–4529,027
October 257:00 pmEastern Michigan
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV
W 48–2521,474
November 11:00 pmat Central Michigan
WSAZW 45–1715,324
November 83:30 pmBowling Greendagger
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV
WSAZW 28–023,509
November 153:30 pmOhio
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV (Battle for the Bell)
W 27–032,012
December 57:30 pmToledo
  • Marshall University Stadium
  • Huntington, WV (MAC Championship Game)
ESPN2W 34–1428,021
December 268:00 pmvs. Ole Miss*
ESPNL 31–3443,340

Roster
1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
RB 22 Doug Chapman So
WR 18 LaVorn Colclough Jr
OT 63 Mike Guilliams So
WR 88 Randy Moss  So
WR 85 Matthew Harris So
QB 10 Chad Pennington  So
G 52 Brian Reed Sr
OT 78 Jamie Rodgers
G 65 Burt Scarbrough Jr
C 62 Jason Starkey So
RB 32 Llow Turner So
C 66 John Wade Sr
TE 87 John White Jr
WR 2 Mark Wicks Sr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
FS 42 Rogers Beckett So
DE 5 B. J. Cohen Sr
LB 4 John Grace So
DL 6 Ricky Hall Jr
ROV 9 Thomas Maxwell Sr
LB 28 Larry McCloud Sr
CB 11 Larry Moore Sr
LB 55 Andre O'Neal So
CB 8 B. J. Summers Sr
DE 58 Paul Totten Jr
DT 97 Joe Zeglowitsch Jr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
P 41 Chris Hanson Jr
K 43 J. R. Jenkins Fr
K 49 Billy Malashevich So
Head coach
  • Bob Pruett
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Game summaries

At West Virginia
1 234Total
Thundering Herd 3 7210 31
• Mountaineers 21 7014 42
  • Date: August 30
  • Location:
    Mountaineer Field
    Morgantown, WV
  • Game start: 12:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game attendance: 65,492
  • Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), Partly Cloudy and Mild, Wind NW 4 mph (6.4 km/h)
  • Referee: Jim Maconaghy
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): John Sanders and Jeff Bostic
       
Scoring summary
112:30WVUGary Thompkins 7-yard blocked punt return (Jay Taylor kick)WVU 7–0
6:04WVUAmos Zereoué 10-yard run (Jay Taylor kick)WVU 14–0
2:24MARBilly Malashevich 25-yard field goalWVU 14–3
0:02WVUAmos Zereoué 52-yard run (Jay Taylor kick)WVU 21–3
210:51WVUCurtis Keaton 11-yard run (Jay Taylor kick)WVU 28–3
3:34MARLaVorn Colclough 24-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick)WVU 28–10
313:08MARRandy Moss 15-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick)WVU 28–17
9:24MARLlow Turner 53-yard run (Billy Malashevich kick)WVU 28–24
0:35MARRandy Moss 25-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick)MAR 31–28
411:07WVUChad Wable 15-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Jay Taylor kick)WVU 35–31
7:56WVUAmos Zereoué 1-yard run (Jay Taylor kick)WVU 42–31
See also: 1997 West Virginia Mountaineers football team and Friends of Coal Bowl

After trailing 28–3, the Thundering Herd scored 28 straight to take a 31–28 lead into the 4th quarter. West Virginia responded with two fourth quarter touchdowns to win this much anticipated season opener, 42–31. Randy Moss had seven receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns.[2] [3] [4]

At Army
1 234Total
• Thundering Herd 7 7147 35
Cadets 0 1267 25
     
Scoring summary
18:09MARRandy Moss 90-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick)MAR 7–0
214:22MARLaVorn Coclough 36-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick)MAR 14–0
8:24ARMYJoe Hewitt 7-yard run (kick failed)MAR 14–6
0:18ARMYTy Amey 2-yard run (conversion failed)MAR 14–12
314:41MARRandy Moss 79-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick)MAR 21–12
10:37MARRicky Hall 43-yard fumble return (Billy Malashevich kick)MAR 28–12
4:23ARMYTy Amey 1-yard run (conversion failed)MAR 28–19
411:07MARJavonne Darling 3-yard run (Billy Malashevich kick)MAR 35–19
4:23ARMYJohnny Goff 7-yard run (Eric Olsen kick)MAR 35–25

Randy Moss had five receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a 90-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter.[5] [6]

At Kent State
1 234Total
• Thundering Herd 14 7147 42
Golden Flashes 0 1007 17

Randy Moss hauled in 8 receptions for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Western Illinois
See also: Western Illinois Leathernecks football
1 234Total
Leathernecks 0 070 7
• Thundering Herd 14 02014 48

Randy Moss had 5 receptions for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns.[7][8]

At Ball State
1 234Total
• Thundering Herd 14 10147 45
Cardinals 3 1300 16

Randy Moss caught 13 passes for 205 yards and a school-record 5 touchdowns.[9]

Akron
1 234Total
Zips 7 730 17
• Thundering Herd 28 10014 52

Randy Moss had 6 receptions for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.

At Miami (OH)
1 234Total
Thundering Herd 7 1400 21
• RedHawks 7 7724 45
  • Date: October 18
  • Location:
    Yager Stadium
    Oxford, OH
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game attendance: 29,027

Randy Moss had 10 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown.

Eastern Michigan
1 234Total
Eagles 3 7150 25
• Thundering Herd 14 71314 48

Randy Moss had 8 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.

At Central Michigan
1 234Total
• Thundering Herd 20 6127 45
Chippewas 7 307 17

Randy Moss had 7 receptions for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Bowling Green
1 234Total
Falcons 0 000 0
• Thundering Herd 14 770 28

Randy Moss had 7 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Ohio
1 234Total
Bobcats 0 000 0
• Thundering Herd 7 7013 27

Randy Moss had seven receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. [10]

Toledo (MAC Championship game)
1 234Total
Rockets 0 707 14
• Thundering Herd 3 01417 34
    
Scoring summary
110:51MarshallBilly Malashevich 22-yard field goalMarshall 3–0
213:16ToledoRay Curry 56-yard pass from Chris Wallace (Chris Merrick kick)Toledo 7–3
36:46MarshallRandy Moss 4-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Malashevich kick)Marshall 10–7
3:48MarshallRandy Moss 86-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Malashevich kick)Marshall 17–7
410:42MarshallBilly Malashevich 25-yard field goalMarshall 20–7
7:01MarshallRandy Moss 20-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Malashevich kick)Marshall 27–7
6:24MarshallDoug Chapman 5-yard run (Malashevich kick)Marshall 34–7
3:02ToledoMel Long 33-yard pass from Chris Wallace (Merrick kick)Marshall 34–14

Randy Moss had seven receptions for 170 yards and three touchdowns.[11] [12] [13]

Vs. Ole Miss (Motor City Bowl)
1 234Total
• Rebels 7 01413 34
Thundering Herd 10 7014 31
      
Scoring summary
114:36MISSJohn Avery 1-yard run (Lindsey kick)MISS 7–0
14:19MARRandy Moss 80-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick)Tied 7–7
0:22MARBilly Malashevich 36-yard field goalMAR 10–7
29:04MARLaVorn Colclough 19-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Bill Malashevich kick)MAR 17–7
311:46MISSAndre Rone 13-yard pass from Stewart Patridge (Lindsey kick)MAR 17–14
6:00MISSDeuce McAllister 20-yard pass from Stewart Patridge (Lindsey kick)MISS 21–17
410:12MARDoug Chapman 6-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick)MAR 24–21
5:39MISSGrant Heard 19-yard pass from Stewart Patridge (kick failed)MISS 27–24
2:57MARDoug Chapman 9-yard run (Billy Malashevich kick)MAR 31–27
0:31MISSDeuce McAllister 1-yard run (Lindsey kick)MISS 34–31

Playing in its first bowl game since the 1948 Tangerine Bowl, Marshall lost a back-and-forth matchup with Ole Miss. Randy Moss had 6 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown, including an 80-yard bomb from Chad Pennington, in his final collegiate game.[14] [15] [16]

Awards and honors

Team players in the 1998 NFL Draft
PlayerPositionRoundPickTeam
Randy MossWide receiver121Minnesota Vikings
John WadeCenter5148Jacksonville Jaguars

[18]

References
  1. Carter, Bob. "Moves, Emotions Have Moss Causin' a Commotion". ESPN. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
  2. "Top Of His Game". Los Angeles Times. August 20, 1997. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  3. "Cut Off From The Herd Randy Moss, The Most Gifted Player In College Football, Is Leading The Revival Of A Marshall Program Still Haunted By A Devastating 1970 Plane Crash". Sports Illustrated. August 25, 1997. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  4. "Marshall Makes It Close". Los Angeles Times. August 31, 1997. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  5. "Army Gets Thumped by Moss and His Teammates". The New York Times. September 7, 1997. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  6. "Marshall Rolls As Army Can't Gather Moss". The Washington Post. September 7, 1997. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  7. "Western Illinois-Marshall Game Provides A Variety Of Attractions". Chicago Tribune. September 19, 1997. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  8. "Gallery: Marshall vs. Western Illinois, Sept. 20, 1997". The Herald-Dispatch. May 22, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  9. "A High Five for Moss in Marshall Win". Los Angeles Times. September 28, 1997. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  10. "Marshall Thrashes Ohio U. For Title". The Washington Post. November 16, 1997. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  11. Rhoden, William C. (November 21, 1997). "The Best Campaign For the Heisman Is . . ". The New York Times. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  12. "Moss Herds Thundering Marshall Return". Los Angeles Times. November 23, 1997. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  13. "Moss Sets Touchdown Record as Marshall Beats Toledo, 34-14". Los Angeles Times. December 6, 1997. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  14. "The Grand Marshall". Los Angeles Times. December 14, 1997. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  15. "N.C.A.A.: Football -- Motor City Bowl; Mississippi Captures Wild One". The New York Times. December 27, 1997. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  16. "Mississippi Tops Marshall In A Seesaw Battle, 34-31". The Washington Post. December 27, 1997. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  17. "Home". biletnikoffaward.com.
  18. "1998 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
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