We Are Marshall Page #3

You don't have to come back

to work right away.

Take some time for yourself.

The job will be waiting when you get back.

One thing l don't need

is more time for myself.

l just want things to get back to normal.

Hi, Mr. Griffen.

lt's good to see you.

Glad you're not giving up the booth.

l've been coming here every day

for 30 years. No reason to stop now.

l think you should have this back.

Chris gave it to you.

Yeah, he did.

But you gave it to your wife first.

And then you passed it down to him...

...so l'm passing it back up to you.

lt should stay in your family.

What family?

Annie...

...you keep it.

Wear it. And every morning

you put it on, you think of him.

-Don.

-Red.

What are you working on there?

Well, l been promising Carole

a new shed for a while now, so....

No time like the present, l guess.

Red, l've got an offer for you.

l was afraid you might.

Mrs. Dawson, if it had been me...

...l don't even know how l'd make it out

of bed in the morning.

Let him build a hundred sheds.

Hello, this is President Donald Dedmon.

We've decided to go ahead

with our football program next season...

...and your name was the first

on a list of potential candidates...

...for the head coaching position.

Well, no, l completely

understand. l just....

You were the first one

on my list, so l....

No. No, we decided

to bring the program back.

Yes, it wasn't an easy decision.

No, that's totally understandable. l....

Well, thank you very much for...

...well, taking the time

to at least talk with me about it.

As l've been told,

you had a great career at Marshall and....

Yes, thank you.

No, l understand.

No, l....

Please, it's....

Hey, honey?

You ever been to Huntington before?

Mouth closed, Peter. Thank you.

West Virginia?

No.

Why?

Just curious.

-Hey, Peter.

-Yeah?

Been quieter than l would've

guessed this morning.

Ernie Salvatore called from the Herald.

Says he wants to talk

if you have a moment.

Oh, and there was another call.

A Jack Lengyel called

from the College of Wooster.

Says he may be interested

in the open coaching job.

Wooster.

Where in the world is Wooster?

Does it really matter?

Okay, now, let's show Dr. Dedmon

how it's done here.

Run hard, knees high. Play till

the whistle blows. 1 7-Razor, on three.

On three, 1 7-Razor.

Hut, hut, hut. Go, go, go!

There he goes. There he goes.

Oh, first down!

-You see that? Oh, yeah.

-ls he all right?

Hey, 32, are you all right?

All right, go kill your brother.

Now, you see that? Point is,

that tree wouldn't have been there...

...if you had a fullback blocking for him.

And that is why l'm a fan

of the Power l Formation.

Well, l'm sorry, l'm afraid l haven't the

faintest idea what a Power l Formation is.

Oh, you don't?

Oh, thank you, dear.

-You're welcome.

-Power l Formation...

...is just your basic offensive scheme.

Put the fullback in front of the tailback.

Now, frankly, Jack, l don't care to know.

Actually, l'm confident that l'm better off

not knowing what one is, l think.

Well, Dr. Dedmon, on that,

we will have to agree to disagree.

Thank you.

Jack, there is one thing l need to know...

...and please excuse me if l seem blunt.

You are the first person l've interviewed

who is not an alumnus.

And, well, since you called us...

...l have to ask what your angle is, Jack.

You've got a great setup here.

You have no ties to Marshall.

Why do you want this job?

Who in their right mind

would volunteer for something...?

Son, don't put that in your mouth.

No, put it down. That's right.

-lt's not an outrageous question, l think.

-What's he gonna do?

He's gonna put it in his pants?

l bet he puts it in his pants.

-Son, don't put that in your pant-- Sandy!

-l got it. Peter.

l'm sorry, excuse me.

Well, l was just wondering if you had

given this any thought at all...

...before you asked me to drive 200 miles

out here to see you.

A little bit, yeah.

Little bit.

Well, all right, then.

l have a long ride home...

...and l should be getting on with it.

You thank your wife for the lovely dinner.

-Are you sure? Okay.

-Yes, thank--

Thank you.

Say, Don?

You wanna know why

l picked up the phone? ls that it?

Frankly, l do.

-lt's not gonna be complicated.

-Jack, l've had four months of complicated.

l just need honest.

When l heard about

what had happened, your situation...

...the only thing l could think about

was the four of them.

l thought about how much

they mean to me...

...and about how bad it would hurt if....

Well, if l was to lose them.

Then l thought about a team...

...and a school...

...and a town...

...that's gotta be hurting real bad.

And l thought, hell...

...maybe l can help.

So l called you.

Yeah.

l guess that's the only real ''why'' l got.

Right there.

Touchdown.

Ladies and gentlemen...

...please welcome the new head coach

of our Thundering Herd...

...Jack Lengyel.

Hi there.

Thank you.

l am honored to be the new head

football coach here at Marshall University.

Also would like to say a big thank you

from myself, my wife and our three kids.

We drove in from Wooster last night.

Arrived at our new home here.

Electricity worked,

the water pressure was high.

There was a six-pack of beer in the fridge

and a pound cake on the counter.

Four for four.

We appreciate the hospitality, we really do.

Any questions?

-Coach?

-Yes, sir.

Ernie Salvatore, Herald-Dispatch.

Now, realistically, coach,

what are your expectations for the season?

Well, l can tell you this...

...if it's a miracle you're looking for...

...well, you should keep looking, because

you're gonna end up disappointed...

...and l'm gonna end up out of a job.

Follow-up, coach. Follow-up.

One quick follow-up, coach.

What would you say to

the family members in the community...

...who feel that putting the team back

on that field might be disrespectful?

l am a football coach.

That is what l do

and that's why l'm here.

l guess that's it.

l have no idea.

What kind of answer was that?

How many clichs...?

Are there any other questions?

This guy won't make it.

So this is my varsity team, huh?

There was four of us...

...but one of us ain't here,

so l guess it's just three.

Okay.

l'm Coach Jack Lengyel, guys.

Normally, l'm bad with names,

so the good news is...

...l may actually be able

to keep you fellas straight.

Nate, is it?

Okay, now, hold on

while l commit this to memory. Nate.

As in Nate the Great.

Date, late, escape. Wait. Nate.

McDrake.

l got it. Locked.

Kid l went to grade school with.

See, that's a little word-association trick

l learned. Helps jog the recall.

l read about it in Redbook.

And l tell you what, it really works, too.

Well, we're in this together now, boys.

l'm not going anywhere,

and that's a promise.

Already got one name down.

Soon as the wife gets things

settled at the house...

...y'all are coming over for supper,

and l'll get the other two.

We are Marshall.

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