Thundering Herd students:

In football there are coaches and trainers, quarterbacks and defensive linemen, those who play on special teams and those who may never see a snap but make our program better every single day by what they give on and off the field. Students are as important as any other component of our game days. Let me repeat:
You. Matter.

There is nothing I love more than football, and there is nothing that excites me more than the pageantry of college football and the thrill of competition. We need you to be part of that experience, filling the student section and standing and making noise that frustrates our opponents and invigorates our guys.

When we play at home, we have one of the best winning percentages of any team in college football. The schools directly behind us on that list are Boise State, Alabama, Oklahoma, Penn State, Auburn and Ohio State. We need to continue that tradition by making Joan C. Edwards Stadium a challenging place to play. A loud and involved student section goes a long way in accomplishing that.

This is my favorite time of the year. The occasional chill in the air that hints at the coming fall season. The sound of football pads cracking and young men straining to get better. The feel of the “pigskin” in my hands. It all takes me back to my childhood, when football was so fun and pure.

We’ve won a lot of ball games since I have been here, and we will win many more in the years ahead. Back when I was a young man running around an open field, winning and fun courted each other. We had fun because we won football games. We won because we had fun.

We want you along on this season’s ride with us. Pop over to the university bookstore to join one of the best student support groups in the business, the Marshall Maniacs. A lot of great Herd Perks with this membership.

Tickets for home games may be picked up at the Cam Henderson Center athletic ticket office during the week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are FREE to students with a valid MU ID.

We can’t wait to see you on Saturdays this fall. We’re going to have a heck of a good time. GO HERD!

Sincerely,

Doc Holliday