Marshall University Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends
- Email:
- legg@marshall.edu
- Phone:
- -----
Bill Legg is in his third season since returning to Marshall for a third stint as an assistant for the Thundering Herd.
In addition to his role as associate head coach, he now moves over full-time to the offensive line after starting the 2022 season as the tight ends coach, then shifting over midway through the season.
During the 2022 season, Legg oversaw a Marshall offensive line that produced big holes for Marshall running backs Khalan Laborn, who finished statistically as one of the best running backs in the nation, and Rasheen Ali.
Behind the offensive line, Marshall’s rushing offense was No. 17 in FBS in 2022. Legg also started the year as the tight ends coach, mentoring players such as Devin Miller, who had one of the top plays of the 2022 season when he hauled in a touchdown pass late in the Herd’s 26-21 win at No. 8 Notre Dame that gave the team the lead for good.
Legg made his second return to the Thundering Herd program with the arrival of head coach Charles Huff in 2021 after serving as Marshall’s offensive coordinator from 2010-17 and its tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator in 2001-02.
In his second stint with the Herd, Legg helped Marshall to three consecutive 10-win seasons, a 2013 Conference USA runner-up finish, the 2014 Conference USA championship and a 5-0 bowl record. He spearheaded a Herd offensive attack that finished No. 6, No. 12 and No. 2 nationally in total offense from 2012-14, averaging 534.3, 500.4 and 559.2 yards per game. During his time in Huntington, he guided 32 All-Conference USA selections and 10 all-freshman honorees. He coached standout quarterback Rakeem Cato to a record-setting career from 2011-14 and mentored three NFL players in Gator Hoskins (Miami, Seattle), Lee Smith (Buffalo) and Aaron Dobson (New England, Detroit, Arizona).
During his first stint in 2001-02, the Herd ranked No. 3 nationally in total offense both years, averaging 505 and 495 yards per game, while compiling a 21-4 record and winning two bowl games. During this time, he coached 2001 first team All-MAC selection Gregg Kellett.
Legg returned to Huntington after serving as the assistant to the head coach at West Virginia in 2020. He assisted the head coach, director of football operations/internal affairs and the football staff with internal matters pertaining to the day-to-day operations of the football program.
Before returning to the Mountain State, Legg was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Mercer in 2019, coaching four All-Southern Conference selections for the Bears.
Prior to Mercer, Legg was the senior offensive consultant at Mississippi State in 2018, helping the Bulldogs finish with their highest CFP ranking in school history, a No. 25 ranking in the final Amway Coaches’ Poll and an appearance in the Outback Bowl.
He spent two years at Florida International (2008-09), guiding the Panthers to an offensive improvement of 68 yards per game and 10 points per game from the season before he arrived. He coached five All-Sun Belt selections and one All-American.
Legg coached the previous five seasons at Purdue and was the co-offensive coordinator for the last two. With Legg calling most of the offensive plays, the 2006 Boilermakers led the Big Ten in passing offense (291.6 yards per game) and total offense (415.7), ranking No. 6 and No. 13 nationally. In 2007, Purdue again led the Big Ten in total offense (435.92) and scoring offense (34.31) and ranked No. 12 nationally in passing offense (307.15).
Legg coached the Purdue offensive line from 2003-05 and concentrated solely on the centers and guards over the last two seasons. Four of his Boilermaker players went on to the National Football League: center Nick Hardwick (San Diego), tackle Kelly Butler (Detroit), guard Uche Nwaneri (Jacksonville) and tackle Mike Otto (Tennessee).
From 1995-2000, Legg worked at West Virginia as the interior offensive line coach and was offensive coordinator his final season for hall of fame head coach Don Nehlen. The Mountaineers played in four bowl games in his six years on the staff. He was a graduate assistant at West Virginia in 1986-87, working with tight ends and special teams. Legg also had stints at VMI (1994), Eastern Illinois (1989-93) and West Virginia Tech (1988).
A native of Poca, West Virginia, Legg earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1985 and a master’s in education in 1987, from West Virginia where he was a four-year starter at center for Nehlen. Bill, and his wife, Kelly, have a daughter, Sarah.
