CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – Marshall football had one of the strongest defenses in the country last season, finishing the year in the top 10 of the NCAA rankings in several different categories.

The Herd did have a few moving parts throughout this offseason, including their defensive coordinator Lance Guidry leaving to Miami. So, can fans expect the same defensive showing again this year?

The new guy in charge of the defense, Jason Semore, comes to Huntington from Georgia Tech. He spent three of the last four years with the Yellow Jackets, leaving in 2021 to be the defensive coordinator at Valdosta State and took them to the DII national championship game that year.

The guys say they’re buying in, and love Semore’s energy. 

Returners Micah Abraham and Eli Neal say they plan to help lead this team to find the same successes they had last year.

“That’s always the goal, that’s always the goal,” said Abraham. “Last year, I had goals set and I hit most of them. This year’s a new year. So we’ll see. I love what Huff is doing here, I love the culture he’s bringing to Marshall and me coming back can only better myself for the future.”

“Since I’ve been here, Marshall’s been known for defense,” said Neal. “And I don’t see that falling off now. We got a lot of guys coming back that know what the standard is, know what it takes, what it feels like to be on a defense that’s highly ranked, and that confidence we exude on the field, every time we step out there. I’ve seen the same thing every day I’ve been out here, seen guys come out, make some plays, flash their talent here and there. Now we just have to make sure it’s consistent.”

Marshall’s spring game is just over 2 weeks away. so it’s right around the corner, on April 22nd.