Marshall’s competitive showing against Ohio State hearkens back to the days of Randy Moss — when the future NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver dominated defenses left and right.
Just how good was Moss with the Thundering Herd, and how has his legacy withstood over the years?
Looking Back at Randy Moss’ Career With the Marshall Thundering Herd
Everyone knows about Moss’ domination at the NFL level. With his penchant for spectacular plays, he helped coin the term “moss,” which is still used today when WRs outmuscle defensive backs at the catch point.
Moss was a six-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro at the NFL level, playing for the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, and San Francisco 49ers. He was truly special, and that was clear as early as his college days.
Moss originally intended to play at Notre Dame after a legendary high school career at DuPont in West Virginia, but a racially charged incident at high school caused a cascade of events that ultimately led to Notre Dame’s denial of his enrollment application.
The plan was for Moss to transfer to Florida State after that, but after Moss tested positive for marijuana while on probation, he was dismissed from the Seminoles’ program as well. He then transferred to Marshall. Marshall was then a Division I-AA school, which meant Moss wouldn’t lose eligibility.
At Marshall, Moss made an immediate impact few players have ever matched. He caught 78 passes for 1,709 yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging almost 22 yards per catch, as well as a touchdown on over one-third of his receptions.
In Moss’ first year with the Thundering Herd, Marshall went undefeated and won the Division I-AA title. And the success with Moss helped elevate the program to Division I-A status the following year — where they remain today, as a member of the Sun Belt.
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The following year, Moss accrued 96 catches for 1,820 yards and 26 touchdowns, while adding another score on the ground.
Moss broke almost a dozen receiving records at the Division I-AA level with his play in 1996, and he was a unanimous All-American in 1997 on the largest stage of college football.
Moss later was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 21st overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, and the rest is history. But for Moss, it all started at Marshall, where he got the opportunity to shine on the CFB circuit.
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