Jim Justice has apparently been using his new position as West Virginia governor to try and get a college football coach fired.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that Justice, who was elected governor of the state six months ago, has been trying to pressure Marshall to fire head football coach Doc Holliday. Additionally, Justice reportedly has tried to get them to re-hire Bobby Pruett, who coached the Thundering Herd for nine seasons.
Justice met with Marshall’s school president earlier this year about making a change with regard to the program’s football coach. The Gazette-Mail reports that Justice also met with several school board members in late March to talk to them about firing Holliday, as well as the school’s athletic director and president.
Perhaps it will come as no surprise that Pruett is friendly with Justice and appeared in a campaign ad for the governor.
Marshall is entering its eighth season under Holliday. He led the program to three consecutive double-digit win seasons and bowl wins from 2013-2015 before dropping to 3-9 last season. He has gone 53-37 as Marshall’s head coach, including a 4-0 record in bowl games.
Pruett was 79-23 at Marshall and coached the team during its memorable 13-0 season in 1999. That team featured future NFL player Chad Pennington at quarterback, with Byron Leftwich as his backup. Pruett is turning 74 in June.
