Marshall University: Ashes to Glory | |
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Directed by | Deborah Novak |
Produced by | John Witek |
Written by | Deborah Novak Joe Witek |
Music by | Jay Flippin |
Distributed by | West Virginia Public Broadcasting |
Release date |
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Running time | 119 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Marshall University: Ashes to Glory is a 2000 documentary film about the November 14, 1970 Marshall University plane crash that killed 75 people (including 37 members of the 1970 Marshall Thundering Herd football team, most of its coaching staff, and a number of school officials and Huntingtonians), and the efforts of new head coach Jack Lengyel and the coaching staff (which included members of the previous staff), to rebuild the team and help heal the city of Huntington, West Virginia.
Marshall University was given special permission by the NCAA to play incoming freshmen at the varsity level for the 1971 season. This team was dubbed the Young Thundering Herd and led by the few upperclassmen who didn't make the trip. Several players from other Marshall sports programs rounded out the team's roster. In the preseason "Green and White Game" versus the Marshall alumni (coached by new athletics director Joe McMullen), the Young Thundering Herd defeated the alums 26-0.
The Young Thundering Herd went on to upset the Xavier Musketeers on the last play of the game: a 13-yard screen pass from quarterback Reggie Oliver to freshman fullback Terry Gardner, in their home opener. In their homecoming game later in the season, the team defeated the ranked Bowling Green Falcons. These were the only two victories of the year for the Thundering Herd.
The Thundering Herd would lose more games during the 1970s than any other school. However, they had their first winning season in twenty years in 1984. That was the beginning of an era of success which saw them win more games in the 1990s — 125 — than any other NCAA Division I school, and win NCAA Division I-AA championships in 1992 and 1996, the latter with an unbeaten season.
Ashes to Glory has won an Emmy Award for best sports documentary.[ citation needed ]
The day before the official opening, Thundering Herd head coach Bob Pruett asked the filmmakers to give a private screening for the team on the eve of a 2000 Mid-American Conference game against the Miami University RedHawks. The Herd defeated the RedHawks 51-31 on November 11 and went on to win the conference championship game 19–14 over the Western Michigan Broncos on December 2 at Marshall University Stadium, now Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Deborah Novak and John Witek filed a $40 million lawsuit in federal court in California accusing Warner Bros. and others associated with the We Are Marshall film of fraud, copyright infringement and breach of contract. [1] Novak, who directed Marshall University: Ashes to Glory, is a Huntington native and Marshall alumna. In October 2008, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in a summary judgment in favor of Warner Bros. [2]
Marshall University is a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 and is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States.
We Are Marshall is a 2006 American historical drama biopic film directed by McG. It depicts the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 75 people: 37 players of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters, and the airplane crew of five.
Southern Airways Flight 932 was a chartered Southern Airways Douglas DC-9 domestic United States commercial jet flight from Stallings Field (ISO) in Kinston, North Carolina, to Huntington Tri-State Airport/Milton J. Ferguson Field (HTS) near Kenova and Ceredo, West Virginia. At 7:36 pm on November 14, 1970, the aircraft crashed into a hill just short of the Tri-State Airport, killing all 75 people on board in what has been recognized as "the worst sports-related air tragedy in U.S. history".
The Marshall Thundering Herd is the intercollegiate athletic collection of teams that collectively represent the Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Thundering Herd athletic teams compete in Conference USA, which are members of the NCAA Division I. The school's official colors are kelly green and white. The Marshall Thundering Herd have won 3 NCAA national championships and one NAIA national championship.
William Alfred "Red" Dawson is a former American football player and assistant coach for Marshall University. He was nicknamed "Red" for his red hair.
Eli Camden Henderson was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Muskingum College (1920–1922), Davis & Elkins College (1923–1934), and Marshall University (1935–1949), compiling a career college football record of 161–91–13. Henderson was also the head basketball coach at Muskingum (1920–1923), Davis & Elkins (1923–1935), and Marshall (1935–1955), tallying a career college basketball mark of 621–234. As a coach in basketball, he originated the fast break and the 2–3 zone defense, hallmarks of the modern game.
The 1970 Marshall Thundering Herd football team was an American football team that represented Marshall University as an independent during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. In its second season under head coach Rick Tolley, the team compiled a 3–6 record and was outscored by a total of 202 to 138. The team played its home games at Fairfield Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia.
The Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team represents Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. They compete in the NCAA Division I as a member of Conference USA.
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level.
The Chesapeake Energy Capital Classic is the name of the in-state rivalry between the Marshall University and West Virginia University basketball teams, the Marshall Thundering Herd and West Virginia Mountaineers. Chesapeake Energy is the title sponsor of the game. The game was last played during the 2015–2016 season and no further games are currently scheduled.
The 2010 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team competed in the East Division of Conference USA. The season was the first for head coach Doc Holliday. Marshall finished the season 5–7, 4–4 in C-USA play.
Lewis Joseph "Dan" D’Antoni II is an American former basketball player and current head coach for the Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team. He was previously an assistant coach under his younger brother, Mike D'Antoni, with the NBA's Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers.
The 2011 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Thundering Herd were led by second-year head coach Doc Holliday and played their home games at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. They are a member of the East Division of Conference USA. They finished the season 7–6, 5–3 in C-USA to finish in second place in the East Division. They were invited to the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl where they defeated FIU 20–10.
The 1971 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. It marked the Thundering Herd's 69th season. The team was led by head coach Jack Lengyel in his first year and played its home games at Fairfield Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The Herd finished with a 2–8 record.
The 2017 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Thundering Herd played their home games at the Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by eighth-year head coach Doc Holliday. They finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in C-USA play to finish in a three-way tie for third place in the East Division. They were invited to the New Mexico Bowl where they defeated Colorado State.
The 2017–18 Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team represented the Marshall University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Thundering Herd, led by fourth-year head coach Dan D'Antoni, played their home games at the Cam Henderson Center as members of Conference USA. They finished the season 25–11, 12–6 in C-USA play to finish in fourth place. They defeated UTSA, Southern Miss, and Western Kentucky to become champions of the C-USA Tournament. They received C-USA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament where, as a No. 13 seed, they shocked #4 Wichita State in the first round. But their rival #5 West Virginia ended their season with a second round win.
The 1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 21, 1996, and was the last I-AA title game contested at Marshall University Stadium, now known as Joan C. Edwards Stadium, in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was a rematch of the prior season's final, and was won by Marshall, 49–29. It was also Marshall's final game in Division I-AA, now known as Division I FCS; the Herd would move to Division I-A the following July, joining the Mid-American Conference.
The 2020 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Thundering Herd played their home games at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (CUSA). They were led by eleventh-year head coach Doc Holliday.
The 2021 Marshall Thundering Herd football team will represent Marshall University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Thundering Herd will play their home games at the Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, and will compete in the East Division of Conference USA (CUSA). The team will be coached by first-year head coach Charles Huff.