Topic: Pruett: Support key to success

[W0lfman]

Pruett: Support key to success

Move to C-USA presents more challenges for Marshall

By ANTHONY HANSHEW - The Herald-Dispatch

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/2004/December/23/MUspota.htm

FORT WORTH, Texas -- During Marshall’s lone full football practice at TCU, Thundering Herd coach Bobby Pruett took a tour.

With his team applying finishing touches to their Fort Worth Bowl game plan, Pruett strolled along the Horned Frogs’ spacious practice area. Included are separate, full-size practice fields comprised of natural grass and FieldTurf, and an indoor arena used primarily by the basketball teams but made available for football.

With Marshall set to join Conference USA from the Mid-American Conference next season, Thundering Herd athletics are entering a pivotal stage. When the Herd graduated from NCAA Division I-AA to I-A and the MAC in 1997, Marshall’s facilities and support already topped the conference.

The football program responded in turn, winning five MAC championships and five consecutive bowl games.

In terms of championships and facilities, Marshall leveled off toward the end of its MAC run. Akron, Kent State, Central Michigan and Western Michigan were among schools making considerable football program investments, while Marshall essentially stood pat.

The Herd has been shut out of the past two MAC championship games, but earned a berth in today’s Fort Worth Bowl against Cincinnati. Kickoff for Marshall’s seventh bowl appearance in eight years is 6:30 p.m. at Amon Carter Stadium and ESPN will televise the game.

"I don’t think anyone envisioned this," Pruett said of his program’s I-A success. "They were trying to tell me it was a mistake going to Division I; that we couldn’t compete. We’ve far exceeded anybody’s expectations in the country.

"Now we have to set higher and better goals, if we can get the support. We were able to get the support when I got here. (Then Marshall president) Dr. (J. Wade) Gilley had everything in place and gave us great support. Now we need another commitment."

Pruett then turned away from his team’s practice session and looked to the FieldTurf practice field and adjacent indoor arena.

"When you see the facilities here, this is a team in the league (TCU is leaving C-USA for the Mountain West Conference next year) and you see their facilities and the support they’ve got," Pruett said. "We have a chance to do that, but we’ve got to have the support. For some of us it's a tough commitment, dollars and cents, but if that’s the kind of circles we’re trying to run in we can’t go in 11th or 12th. We have to go in in the top echelon."

Pruett continued, saying the commitment he sought transcends monetary donations. Money obviously powers a football program, but there are other needs, as well.

"I’m talking academic support," Pruett said. "I’m talking secretarial support. I’m talking recruiting budget. I’m talking support in the training room. I’m talking about every single aspect of the program."

The veteran coach then let the numbers do the talking. When Pruett arrived at Marshall in 1996, his recruiting budget totaled $125,000. Nine years later, the figure has dropped to $123,000.

Marshall football’s equipment budget has grown slightly from $85,000 in 1996 to its current $92,000 total. Tulane, a future C-USA rival, has an equipment budget of $165,000, Pruett said.

"There’s a big disparity," Pruett said. "We’ve done a lot of things. We got a lot of bang for our buck, in every aspect of our university. But the thing about it is, a lot of those particular deals, they aren’t evaluated in the paper and on national TV every day. We’re in a different type of arena.

"We’re in an arena with high energy, high ego and high expectations. And if you’re going to battle in those arenas you want to go with something other than a water pistol."

Improvements are on the horizon. The Shewey Building will undergo considerable renovations and expansion this spring, highlighted by the addition of a 10,000 square-foot weight room. Joan C. Edwards Stadium's antiquated AstroTurf will be ripped up for FieldTurf in 2005.

Marshall’s move to C-USA somewhat mirrors the step up to I-A eight years ago, but there are significant differences, Pruett said.

"It’s similar in some respects but it’s not similar in commitment," he said. "We went into the MAC at the top. We’re not at the top here. We were at the top in every aspect. We raised the bar to our level. Here, we’re trying to get to their level. In a lot of areas, we’re below that."