Earlier this week we shared a report that Marshall was down to three finalists to replace Doc Holliday.
Today, sources tell FootballScoop that Alabama associate head coach / running backs coach Charles Huff is expected to be Marshall's choice. Huff has been widely regarded in coaching circles for years as an elite recruiter.
Bruce Feldman is reporting the same, as is Pete Thamel.
Looking at their coaching journeys, Huff and Holliday have some interesting parallels. Both guys served as assistant head coaches at a few stops and recruiting coordinators along the way learning under some of the game’s top minds. However, neither previously served as a primary play offensive or defensive play caller during those stops.
Both also saw their head coaching stock rise after a national title.
Huff has worked with the running backs at Western Michigan (2013), Penn State (2014-17), and Mississippi State (2018) the last several years before joining Nick Saban's staff in Tuscaloosa. In Starkville under Joe Moorhead, he also had the title of running game coordinator and assistant head coach.
The Thundering Herd have proven to be one of the top Group of Five programs pretty consistently during Doc's tenure, and now they'll get a coach with experience under Nick Saban to build on that reputation.
Marshall filling the opening means all thirteen openings at the FBS level how now been filled, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there won't be any further head coaching changes.
It also means that Nick Saban will be tasked with retooling almost his entire offensive staff with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian taking Tide offensive line coach Kyle Flood with him to Texas, along with tight ends coach / special teams coordinator Jeff Banks as well.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.