Marshall University Athletics
Football Starts Spring Practice
2/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Football Starts Spring Practice
2/28/2004
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- The Thundering Herd football team will begin its quest for a seventh bowl berth, and sixth Mid-American Conference Championship, in eight years with the opening of Spring practice, Monday.
Marshall returns 13 starters and 44 letter-winners from last year's 8-4 squad.
"Our focus this Spring is going to be on accountability both academically and athletically," Marshall head coach Bob Pruett said. "I think we have a strong group of guys coming back, and it is important that we stay focused in the classroom and on the field."
Leading the cast of returnees on offense is Earl Charles who rushed for 1,039 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to earning second-team All Mid-American Conference honors a year ago; quarterback Stan Hill who posted a passing efficiency rating of 165.93 last season (throwing for 1,767 yards and 15 touchdowns in only six games); and reciever Josh Davis, who will enter the 2004 campaign with 2,975 career receiving yards.
Defensively, the Herd returns eight starters off of a unit that ranked first in the MAC in total defense (329.8 yards per game). Among them are first-team All Mid-American Conference defensive end Jamus Martin, who recorded 80 tackles and 6.5 sacks as a junior, and linebacker Kevin Atkins, who led the Herd with 100 tackles last season.
Marshall?s first spring football practice of the year is scheduled to start at 6:30 a.m., Monday, March 1st, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
All practices are open to the public, and all practice times and dates are subject to change. Each practice is scheduled to start at 6:30 a.m., unless otherwise noted.
2004 Spring Football Schedule
March 1
March 2
March 3
March 4
March 8
March 9
March 10
March 11 (pro scout day)
March 23
March 24 (pro scout day)
March 26 (*afternoon practice/Coaches Clinic)
March 27 (at South Charleston - approx. 10 a.m.)
March 31
April 1
April 3 (3:00 p.m. ? Annual Green & White Spring Game)
