Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Football Announces Staff Additions
3/27/2023 11:45:00 AM | Football
Defensive Coordinator Semore headlines new faces for Herd
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall football coach Charles Huff announced the additions of several key staff members in on-field and off-field roles prior to the start of spring football.
Huff said the new staff additions keep Marshall's program running at the same high level that it has seen in his first two years as head coach where he has compiled a 16-10 record.
"We've been blessed to be surrounded by good staff and personnel in my first two years and I know our recent hires are going to continue the same success that we've established as the benchmark for our program," Huff said. "We look forward to getting the spring started on Monday and preparing for the 2023 season.
Headlining those additions is defensive coordinator Jason Semore, who joins Marshall after serving as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for Georgia Tech last season.
Under Semore's guidance, Georgia Tech possessed a pair of All-ACC Second Team linebackers in Charlie Thomas and Ace Eley. Eley finished with 118 tackles, four forced fumbles and 3.5 sacks while Thomas had 112 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. That led to Semore being nominated for FootballScoop's Linebackers Coach of the Year award.
Semore takes over a Marshall defense that was ranked top-25 in FBS in many categories last season and returns a wealth of talent, including defensive back Micah Abraham, defensive end Owen Porter and linebacker Eli Neal.
In addition to Semore being named as defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach Chevis Jackson has also had his title elevated to co-defensive coordinator. Jackson's secondary featured Abraham and cornerback Steven Gilmore, who finished with three interceptions and 10 pass breakups last season.
On the offensive side of the ball, Marshall has hired Derek Shay to be its new tight ends coach.
Shay comes to Marshall after spending the 2022 season working with Missouri's offense as an offensive analyst.
Prior to Missouri, Shay served as an off-field staff member at LSU, working with the Tigers' offense with an emphasis on tight ends.
A pair of well-known analysts also join the fray for the Herd in former Marshall and NFL wide receiver Aaron Dobson, who will join as an offensive analyst, and former Marshall defensive back Danny Derricott, who is a defensive analyst.
Dobson was a standout wide receiver for the Herd from 2009-12 before being drafted by the New England Patriots in the 2nd round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Derricott shined in the Herd's defensive backfield from 1997-2000 and won four Mid-American Conference championships during his time as Marshall transitioned to FBS.
On special teams, Marshall added a quality control analyst in Rhett Purling, who comes from Boston College and assisted with special teams at Bryan University. Purling is a former player at University of Nevada.
Marshall also promoted a pair of analysts from last season to graduate assistant positions in Quentin Halls (offensive graduate assistant) and Mark Shaver (defensive graduate assistant.
In the off-field realm, there are several changes for the Herd, as well, starting with general manager Logan Meyer, who comes to Marshall with experience on the staff of Luke Fickell at Cincinnati while also having served as an assistant in personnel and recruiting at Auburn.
Other additions to the Herd off-field staff include Joe Carter as the Herd's manager of football operations and Kate Roll, who comes to Marshall as the director of recruiting operations. Carter previously was a football operations assistant for Arkansas while Roll comes to Marshall after having served as a student recruiting assistant for Michigan State's football program the last two years.
Marshall football opens spring football practice on Monday afternoon. The annual spring game is scheduled for April 22 at 4 p.m. at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
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