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Marshall University: Ashes to Glory

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Marshall University: Ashes to Glory
Directed byDeborah Novak
Written byDeborah Novak
Joe Witek
Produced byJohn Witek
Music byJay Flippin
Distributed byWest Virginia Public Broadcasting Service
Release dates
November 18, 2000
Running time
119 minutes
CountryUSA
LanguageEnglish

Marshall University: Ashes to Glory is a 2000 documentary about the November 14, 1970 Marshall University plane crash which killed 75 people (including 37 members of the Thundering Herd football team and 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 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 (a 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 State University Falcons. These were the only two victories of the year for the Thundering Herd. However, they would not have a winning season until 1984. That was the beginning of an era of unparalleled success which saw Marshall win two Division I-AA championships and win more games in the decade of the 1990's — 125 — than any other school in the country.

Ashes to Glory has won numerous awards, including an Emmy Award for best sports documentary, a silver Angel Award from the Excellence in Media organization, and a Platinum Award at the Worldfest Houston.

The day prior to the official opening, Thundering Herd head coach Bob Pruett asked the filmmakers to give a private screening for the team on the eve of the 2000 Mid-American Conference championship game against Miami University. The Herd would go on to defeat the Redhawks 51-31.

Extras

DVD extras include extended interviews, a "making of" documentary as well as "shorts" on the 1970 and the 1971 teams and one about Huntington in the 1970's.

We Are Marshall Lawsuit

Deborah Novak and John Witek have filed a $40 millionlawsuit 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]

List of notable accidents and incidents on commercial aircraft

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