2018 College Football Team Previews: Marshall Thundering Herd

Marshall Thundering Herd
Location: Huntington, WV
Coach: Doc Holliday (61-42) 9th Season
Stadium: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (Capacity: 32,227)

CSJ Projections:
3rd: Conference USA (2nd in East Division)
2nd: West Virginia
79th: FBS
83rd: Division I

2017 In A Sentence: After an unexpected down 2016 season (3-9 record), the Thundering Herd rebounded back to its winning ways and finished 8-5 overall including a New Mexico Bowl victory over Colorado State.

Biggest Shoes to Fill: QB Chase Litton was a three-year starter and threw for a career-high 3,115 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. With a season of eligibility left, he surprisingly opted to skip his senior season and went undrafted. He did sign a free agent contract with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.

Courtesy of Herald-Dispatch

Key Player: WR Tyre Brady will return for whomever the new Thundering Herd quarterback will be (likely graduate transfer Alex Thomson, who played at FCS Wagner). He is one of the top returning receivers (942 yards, eight TDs) in C-USA and was a first team all-conference performer last year.

Fearless Prediction: This veteran team (18 returning starters in total) has to start winning all of the close games after losing three by a total of eight points. The experience has to translate into wins, and it will. Expect the Thundering Herd to challenge for the C-USA crown.