Well, let's break down that 0-12.
Even though we almost got you in 1911, i really have nothing to explain the 4 1923 and earlier games. I do think you were lucky to miss us in 1919 when Arch and the boys went 8-0-0, scored 302 and only gave up 13 points all season. What a team that was.
Then we took a break from playing you for 74 years. Probably for the best since Marshall was a small teachers college and you had a bunch of farmers hoss around pigs and cows all day. My money would have been on the farmers and not the teachers.
That brings us to 1997, our very first game of 1-A football since 1981. We rolled into Morgantown with our 65 scholarship players, still rocking a 1-AA roster, but with some talent on the team. I believe that team had like 14 guys that played in the NFL. Chad Pennington was starting his first game since December 1995 after taking a redshirt year in 1996 that he didn't get in 1995 after having to play as a true freshman due to injuries. Despite having more first downs, more total yards, and less penalties, Marshall couldn't overcome the rust on Pennington, who threw 4 picks, offsetting his 3 TDs. We came out nervous, blocked punt, turnovers, etc., but then the talent showed as we reeled off 28 straight to take the lead into the 4th. Our lack of depth did us in at the end, as the fact that wvu played 12 more players in the game than Marshall had them fresher in the 4th.
After the shock of being behind, at home, going into the 4th quarter, wvu wisely decided to avoid Marshall. They got to miss Pennington in his last two years while he went 25-1. Those two years wvu went 12-11, lost to teams like ECU and Navy. They also avoided the three year of Byron Leftwich, with his last two years going 22-4. So they skip 5 years of the two best QBs, and teams, in Marshall history. Marshall finished in the top 25 three of those years (didn't get ranked at 12-1 in 1998), including a top 10 13-0 season with a Heisman finalist.
So finally we get the governor who mandates the Coal Bowl. By that time Pruett was gone and we had hired a moron as our head coach. We had scholarship reductions, a moron AD and we're getting beat by everyone. Conversely, wvu had hired Rich Rod and was entering their most successful period ever. You play against us with QB greats like Jimmy Skinner, Brian Anderson, and Bernie Morris while you have Pat White and Geno Smith. This made the 2006 through 2009 games a foregone conclusion.
Then Doc comes along and 2010 happened. Woulda, coulda, shoulda, but still a loss. Doc's second game as a head coach, with the first not having any pressure because we got pile driven by Ohio State in the Shoe the week before. He watched as our moron DC at the time went to a prevent against a very good QB with a 15 point lead and 8 minutes left. Changing what we had been doing defensively the whole game cost us a win.
In 2011 we go back to Morgantown with first time starter, true freshman Cato at QB. Deer in the headlights in that game, not ready to play a team like wvu.
2012, Cato is better, the defense is putrid behind super DC Chris Rippon. The major mistake by Doc was keeping Rippon around for a third season. Our offense was fine, but as you know, we gave up 69. Don't feel good about that though, Marshall gave up at least 50 points 5 times that season. How bad was it? We averaged over 40 ppg and went 5-7.
Our best year during the entire 7 year Coal Bowl run was 7-6, we didn't have one season where we finished over .500 during the regular season. On the flip side, during that period you averaged just under 10 wins per year and your worst season was 7-6.
The series ends and you once again miss the junior and senior year of our other top 3 QB of all time. Cato goes 23-5 over his final two seasons while wvu falls back to earth and goes 11-14 in 2013 and 2014.
You want to know why we haven't beaten you? It's all timing. You guys will never, ever admit it, but that 7 game series all occurred during our worst stretch in the last 35 years and your best stretch in, well, ever. You missed three QBs who went a combined 68-10 over their junior and senior years and lead us to 6 bowl wins, 6 conference championship games, 5 conference championships, and 4 top 25 finishes in those 6 years. Good break for you guys.
