By Jason Corriher

Marshall Sports Information

 

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — College Sports Madness released its preseason football awards Thursday and Marshall coach Doc Holliday and signee Jaquan Yulee found themselves at the top of the list.

Holliday was named the outlet’s Coach of the Year, while Yulee was tabbed Freshman of the Year.

Holliday — 50-28 in his six seasons — has returned the Thundering Herd to the national picture, guiding the program to a 33-8 record the last three years, the top mark in the Group of Five.

Only Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Florida State have longer current streaks of 10-win seasons than the Herd.

Marshall has won five consecutive bowls — the current long streak in the FBS — with four of those triumphs coming under Holliday in the last five seasons.

His teams have sported 23 All-C-USA first team selections, 17 second-teamers, 32 honorable mention picks and 16 All-Freshman team selections. He has had nine players selected for C-USA’s top individual player-of-the-year awards.

His last three teams have produced a 20-4 C-USA record.

Yulee, a linebacker from Chesapeake, Va., was rated a four-star prospect by ESPN.com, Rivals.com, 247Sports.com and Scout.com. Rivals ranked him as the No. 183 overall prospect and No. 8 inside linebacker in America and the No. 4 overall prospect in Virginia.

He also had offers from Alabama, Clemson, East Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Hampton, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi, Morgan State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Old Dominion, Temple, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.

Offensive linemen Clint Van Horn and Michael Selby were named to the outlet’s first team, as were defensive lineman Gary Thompson and safety Tiquan Lang.

Tight end Ryan Yurachek was selected to the second team, while quarterback Chase Litton, offensive lineman Jordan Dowrey, defensive lineman Ryan Bee and linebacker Davon Durant were named to the third team.