Topic: Oh what a ride it was with Pruett at the helm...

[W0lfman]

I swear the past 9 years has been the fastest 9 years of my life.  mostly because I would wish the summers away so football season would begin again. Man were we spoiled.  

Enjoy retirement BP and take pride in the legend you've become as football coach at Marshall University.  

[ATHENSHERDFAN]

I will miss Coach P. I wish him the best. I feel his is Marshall Football!

[_sturt_]

It may not be proper to say it, but I have to admit that the last two years have been a letdown...

I never lost confidence in Pruett, but the program's swagger seemed to disappear from the very moment that Stan Hill injured his knee in Neyland... sure, it came back for a fleeting moment the next week in Manhattan when Goddard turned a game around single-handedly, but even then, for some reason I could feel something slipping away, ironically enough, in the midst of what many consider to be the most astounding Herd victory ever... and the next week, in Troy, Alabama, there was no mistaking it... the program wasn't what it was. When Coach decided to sit on the ball at the end of the first half in Oxford, it was the first time I could remember since I don't know when that a Marshall team went to halftime focused upon trying to limit the size of the loss rather than focused upon trying to win.

So, yes, it's been different the last two seasons at Marshall, but I never had a doubt that Bobby could bring it back to where it was if he just had a QB.

If Kueck is the Head Coach, I have and I dare say practically all of us have... no confidence.

Kueck may be Pruett's good friend in the profession, but that's really the best thing that I think can be found in his resume'... as I recall, and someone correct me if I recall incorrectly, Kueck left Marshall to be OC for Jeff Bower at Southern Miss... the two didn't get along particularly well, and of course, Southern Miss and offense are an oxymoron to begin with... so it wasn't long before Kueck was out on his bum again. I just have this perception of Kueck as a college football hobo... always around, but never having distinguished himself anywhere he has been.

Now, certainly, there have been other "college football hobos" who eventually got their shot and emerged to be good head coaches... at least I think there have been... haven't there??? Can't name one, but surely there's been someone who got a top 50 D1a job mostly on the basis of his friendship with the retiring head coach. Surely. (???)

Geez. Must it all slip away so fast, without even a real fight?

[Huffnagel]

I just always associated Marshall football with Bob Pruett, and Bob Pruett with Marshall football. I guess that I always knew this day would come, but I hope it would be in a much different manner than what has happened.

I am just having a hard time explaining what I am thinking except, it's a bad deal man, it's a real bad deal.

[ZackUSAF82]

I'm with you Huff. I am in shock, I just got a chance to log on today and I read all this stuff. Talk about ruining my day. This is horrible. I cannot believe this happened. I sure will miss seeing him on the sidelines, miss his corny comments...

I really don't know what to think about Kueck being the coach. Right now I just can't force myself to accept that BP won't be there on Friday when practice starts. It's just a crappy day. Crappy crappy crappy. Dang this sucks.

But I will say this. You will be missed Bob Pruett, and when I think of Marshall Football, it will always be associated to your name and your legacy that you left behind. I just hope the team doesn't lose their heart, even though they lacked it the last two years, but I know they all loved Pruett. I hope someone in Huntington can check out the practices and see how the players are reacting to Kueck... I am just really worried right now. Argh.

[biggreenthunder]

Southern Miss and offense are an oxymoron to begin with...

They've had 3 outright CUSA championships and 1 co-championship.  They haven't had a losing season since 1993.  They have a record of 82-48 in the last 11 seasons.  Really hard to do with no offense.

BTW Keuck's offense at S. Miss went 26-11 in his tenure there.  Not too shabby.

[_sturt_]

Southern Miss and offense are an oxymoron to begin with...

They've had 3 outright CUSA championships and 1 co-championship.  They haven't had a losing season since 1993.  They have a record of 82-48 in the last 11 seasons.  Really hard to do with no offense.

BTW Keuck's offense at S. Miss went 26-11 in his tenure there.  Not too shabby.

Truth is, biggreenthunder is right, for Kueck's years at least... I can only guess that he's unaware that So Miss' success through the years has been characterized by superior defense, and only adequate -- if that -- offense... but I went back and did the math, and Kueck's offenses at USM averaged about 29 points a game.

And I do have to apologize for my recount of history, as well... it was SMU, not Southern Miss, that eventually got rid of him because of some friction b/t him and the head coach... not sure you can count that against him, except for the ill-advised career move to leave Southern Miss in the first place. Incidentally, though, the 2000 and 01 SMU teams failed to score as much as 20 points in 14 of 23 games.

[AmeriHerd]

Thanks for the great new avatar Dale.

[biggreenthunder]

but I went back and did the math, and Kueck's offenses at USM averaged about 29 points a game.

I'd hardly call a 4 TD average lacking in offensive output.

[Chico]

I have to say that I am very partial to Pruett as well.  When I started at MU it was his first year and we went all the way and won the 1AA National Title.  Then he stormed into the MAC and wrecked the Conference.  I am a spoiled Herd Fan because of Coach Pruett.  I just hope that his replacement storms into CUSA like Pruett did to the MAC and spoils another Freshman at Marshall like Pruett did to me.  He will be missed but I still can't wait till the season starts.  I can honestly blame that feeling for MU football on Bob Pruett.  Thanks for the Memories and Championships Bobby...

[_sturt_]

but I went back and did the math, and Kueck's offenses at USM averaged about 29 points a game.

I'd hardly call a 4 TD average lacking in offensive output.

Yeah, I agree.

[HTSHerdman]

I hope you guys are right but I'm afraid you're not!!
When Southern Mississippi comes to Huntington to play I
hope we're ready for a TOUGH ball game.

[HerdChemist89]

I will miss Coach Pruett.

The man brought Marshall to the forefront of national prominence with his successes in Football. And, now, to a greater extent, we are seeing other areas at Marshall benefit from the exposure. We are lucky to have had Bob Pruett. Guys like him only come around once in a lifetime, and I think most of us will be alot older before we see someone accomplish what Pruett did at Marshall. In fact, seeing the Pruett Legacy come and go has marked the passing of time for me...I sure had a hell of alot of fun at those Herd games I went to both in Huntington and away. Man those were some awesome years !!! Many good memories of friends and family at those games.....some of whom have passed away.

I always felt like he was a real part of the Marshall family, and he always will be. I hope we see him occasionally as a color commentator or analyst on TV. Maybe now Bob Pruett can sit back in much calmer situation and reflect upon his accomplishments and the game itself. I hope he stays associated with Marshall athletics for a long time to come.

Now the challenge is up to us hard-core fans to keep the home fires burning for Marshall Football. We face many uncertainties in the times ahead; but we must all have faith and continue our fervent support of Marshall. Its our school. Its all we got. And I will never throw in the towel for Marshall.

Goodbye Coach Pruett, and thanks for the many cherished memories. You will be sadly missed by this alumni and fan of all things Marshall.

[AmeriHerd]

I can't believe he's been around for 9 years.  It seems like only recently when my mom (who knew absolutely nothing about the sport called football) was reading the headline in the paper talking about Marshall's new head coach Bobby Pruett.  The newspaper was hyping it up so much, that my mom seem interested for some reason...I never forgot that to this very day.  First person I heard say "Bobby Pruett" was my mom...I was only 13 years old at the time...and I didn't know a thing about football just yet...other than the fact that everyone at school was going crazy about a perfect 15-0 season a year later...