Marshall may or may not be turning the corner on the field. But they are at least talking about it. Which for them, is a good sign. The perennial Fulmer Cup contenders haven't missed a beat off the field. But Doc Holliday would have you believe that the culture change for the Thundering Herd is finally taking place.
Doc Holliday promised a change in the culture around the Marshall football program when he took job ahead of the 2010 season and now going into his third season the culture change may be nearly complete.
The evidence is in the attitude of the players who have bought into what Holliday calls the infallible plan to win. When players were asked about their goals for the 2012 season their answers were not standard player talk. They answer with a confidence and swagger that has been missing from Marshall football for the better part of the last decade.
Obviously, there's two types of culture change. The one on the field was needed by Marshall. It leads to better performance and better attendance. The culture change off the field would be nice, but I don't believe it's one Marshall can afford. They're in a position where they still need to justify the move to the bowl subdivision. So they can't be too picky about who they take as long as they can conform to the winning attitude they need.
Along those lines, the Thundering Herd has been busy snatching transfers this off-season. Two safeties from Boston College and now they are looking to Penn State to get better on the field. None come to Marshall with spotless records, though. It's a slippery slope that can have short term success. But it's really not a great way to build a program. At best, it buys you another year or two if you're Doc Holliday. At worst it ends up a lot like the taser scene in the Hangover.