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Michigan State football: Power ranking head coaching candidates after Week 5

By Connor Muldowney

Sep 30, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman meet just before the game at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 30, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman meet just before the game at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 10, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd head coach Charles Huff celebrates as he leaves the field after the Thundering Herd beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 26-21 at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd head coach Charles Huff celebrates as he leaves the field after the Thundering Herd beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 26-21 at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

I never thought that I’d be watching and rooting for Marshall every week, but that’s exactly what this coaching search has done to me.

The Thundering Herd are in their second year in the Sun Belt and they’re excelling under Huff. In his first year as Marshall head coach back in 2021, he was just 7-6 before losing the New Orleans bowl and moving from Conference USA to the Sun Belt. In his first year in the Sun Belt, he went 9-4 with a Myrtle Beach Bowl win.

Now, the former Alabama, Mississippi State, and Penn State assistant is 4-0 to begin the 2023 season after his Thundering Herd stormed back from a 21-3 deficit against Old Dominion to win 41-35. And this Old Dominion team is no joke, it nearly upset Wake Forest a couple of weeks ago. Huff’s team didn’t panic and quickly took the lead in the second half and never looked back.

The Thundering Herd will have a real test in Week 6 against NC State on the road and if they can give the Wolfpack a real game, I’m buying even more stock in Huff.

A young, energetic, offensive-minded head coach with some solid success early on and was the national recruiter of the year under Nick Saban? Who says no?

Next. 5 candidates to replace Mel Tucker as head coach. dark

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