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Monday was Marshall's first day in SBC
Chuck Landon

Monday was the Marshall University football program’s first day as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

I know, I know.

It isn’t official yet. There is still pending litigation between Marshall and Conference USA. There is still the matter of MU buying its way out of C-USA. The final i’s still haven’t been dotted nor final t’s crossed.

But everybody assumes it is strictly a matter of time.

Just ask second-year MU football head coach Charles Huff. When his Thundering Herd players began spring practice Monday afternoon in the Indoor Practice Facility, they were preparing to compete against Sun Belt competition.

“I’m really excited,” said Huff, during a midday news conference Monday. “Starting off with spring practice today, Day One.

“The Sun Belt — it’s a real league. I think playing App State and Louisiana was sort of a litmus test.”

Indeed, it was.

The Herd traveled to Boone, North Carolina, last September to play Appalachian State and came away with a hotly contested 31-30 loss. Then Marshall was matched up against No. 16-ranked Louisiana in the New Orleans Bowl and lost 36-21 last December.

That served as a preview of coming attractions for the 2022 season in the Sun Belt, and that is precisely how Marshall is approaching spring practice.

“To be fair, our expectations have to match reality,” said Huff. “I told it to the players. I told it to the coaches. I know we say it all the time, but we really have to close the gap. The gap is wider because the Sun Belt Conference, those schools are a little bit ahead of us.

“Not that it means we’re not going to have an opportunity to win games or we don’t have the opportunity to compete. Our margin for error is small. And that’s not a knock to any team that we’ve played in the past. We’ve got a long way to go and the bar got raised.”

It got raised significantly. When the dust from the litigation clears and the schools leave the American Athletic Conference to join the Big 12, the Sun Belt is going to be the best Group of Five league in the country.

That’s exciting.

“Our players are excited,” said Huff. “I’m excited. I hope the fans are excited when they look at the schedule. We’re going to have three potentially top-25 teams here in ‘The Joan.’ So over in the ticket office they already should be sold out, in my opinion.

“But I think that’s part of it, right? Part of the excitement moving forward is the heightened awareness to the competition level, heightened awareness to what the fans are going to have to do, a heightened awareness to what us coaches and players are going to have to do.”

It’s across the board.

Moving up to a better conference is a group effort. It involves players, coaches and, yes, fans.

“We’re all going to have to pull the rope in the same direction,” said Huff. “We can’t have a game on Wednesday night and have the stadium be empty on ESPN. That is something that we all have to strive to make sure we’re promoting and selling Marshall University in the great light that it stands.

“I’m really excited. Starting off with spring [practice] today, Day One.”

It’s an exciting time.

After all, Monday was MU’s first day in the Sun Belt.

Sorry that is Chuck "Done Deal" Landon. He is a hit piece master and very few of us even respect him. Myself I haven't read a thing he has put out since Marshall played in the Military Bowl against Maryland in 2013. He done a horrible hit piece on Coach Doc Holliday and the team the day before the game. Swore then Id never read another thing he wrote, and I haven't.

Everyone here will learn this sooner or later.

The thing is Landon is a Marshall grad. but for the most part he doesn't act it.

I have a friend who wrote with Chuck Landon, back in the day at Marshall. I asked him about Landon since, like many Marshall fans, I get all riled up about much that he writes. All my friend would say is that Landon is a columnist whose job is to write opinion pieces that, by design, will stir people up. In that regard, he felt that Landon was doing his job. As he explained it, a columnist isn't there to spew the company line...he's there to stir things up.

That doesn't make me like Chuck Landon any better, but it did help me understand why he writes what he does.

(03-29-2022 12:59 PM)Cnelson203 Wrote:  I have a friend who wrote with Chuck Landon, back in the day at Marshall. I asked him about Landon since, like many Marshall fans, I get all riled up about much that he writes. All my friend would say is that Landon is a columnist whose job is to write opinion pieces that, by design, will stir people up. In that regard, he felt that Landon was doing his job. As he explained it, a columnist isn't there to spew the company line...he's there to stir things up.

That doesn't make me like Chuck Landon any better, but it did help me understand why he writes what he does.

I understand what he is but he should take more pride in what he puts out. The way he talked down to the 2013 team and the tone he done it in you could see why coaches and admin at Marshall either give him a short leash or give him no access at all. Do you want to be remembered like you are the National Enquirer or do you want to be remember like Ernie Salvatore. I guess we know the answer with Chuck.

When I actually posted on HFs I got under his skin so bad once that he actually responded to me, so don't let him tell you like others that he doesn't read the message boards. My guess is he has a screen name here that none of us knows.

Who cares much of the article was simply quoting the HC. The success of this conference depends greatly on how the members are perceived by conference mate fans. He's doing a nice job building interest.

Now that every small town wannabe with a severe case of little mans disease has entered this beauty contest we better dam well get after it and prove him right. We're all together now.

(03-29-2022 05:55 PM)Oldyeller Wrote:  Who cares much of the article was simply quoting the HC. The success of this conference depends greatly on how the members are perceived by conference mate fans. He's doing a nice job building interest.

Now that every small town wannabe with a severe case of little mans disease has entered this beauty contest we better dam well get after it and prove him right. We're all together now.

The best thing about SBC is that we will try to pound each other in conference competition, but the members face outward as a united front, rooting each other on. That really never existed with CUSA. That stance has been SBC’s strength in recent years, and the SBC3 are obliged to join in and strengthen that attitude. We must and will continue to rise as one.

Excited to be in this league and glad to be away from the arrogant dick CLT fans. Best of luck to all SB schools.

(03-30-2022 07:47 AM)SVHerd Wrote:  Excited to be in this league and glad to be away from the arrogant dick CLT fans. Best of luck to all SB schools.

I read your statement as something else and was like wow... But the coffee kicked in.

(03-29-2022 08:17 PM)FairwayEagle Wrote:  

(03-29-2022 05:55 PM)Oldyeller Wrote:  Who cares much of the article was simply quoting the HC. The success of this conference depends greatly on how the members are perceived by conference mate fans. He's doing a nice job building interest.

Now that every small town wannabe with a severe case of little mans disease has entered this beauty contest we better dam well get after it and prove him right. We're all together now.

The best thing about SBC is that we will try to pound each other in conference competition, but the members face outward as a united front, rooting each other on. That really never existed with CUSA. That stance has been SBC’s strength in recent years, and the SBC3 are obliged to join in and strengthen that attitude. We must and will continue to rise as one.

I've mentioned this before but it's relevant. Attending a church cookout several years ago when a local high school fb coach started lobbing disrespect and insults at my cross town rival Valdosta High. This was in front of about a dozen dudes. It happens with 26 state championships. Funny at first but as the insults kept coming it started pissing me off. No idea what came over me. When I was done responding to his crap fest several guys had to pull me away. We have that here. It's about identifying with your conference mates.