Doc Holliday (American football)

John "Doc" Holliday (born April 21, 1957) is the current head coach of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team.

Early life
Holliday was born and raised in Hurricane, West Virginia. He graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education in 1979, then graduated with a Master's Degree in 1981 in Safety Management.

Holliday was also a three-year letterwinner while playing linebacker at West Virginia.

West Virginia (1979–1999)
In 1979, Holliday became a graduate assistant for the West Virginia Mountaineers football team. Then in 1981, he became a part-time assistant until 1982. Holliday became wide receivers coach in 1983 and remained at that position until 1989.

In 1990, Holliday became the inside linebackers coach. He remained coaching the linebackers until 1992. In 1993, he returned to coaching the receivers. In 1995, Holliday was promoted to assistant head coach, while still maintaining receivers.

During his tenure at West Virginia University under head coach Don Nehlen, Holliday achieved a prestiguous record. He coached the top three career and single-season reception leaders in school history and eight of the top ten players in both categories. He also coached the leading receivers in the Big East in 1996, 1997, and 1998 while also coaching three of the top six receivers in Big East history. He coached third-team All-American receiver Reggie Rembert, three-time all-Big East receiver Rahsaan Vanterpool, all-Big East receiver David Saunders, all-Big East receiver Shawn Foreman, and all-Big East receiver Khori Ivy during his tenure and also was responsible for seven eventual NFL draftees.

Holliday was also the main recruiting coach in the Florida-area for West Virginia University. Holliday was responsible for recruiting majors stars, such as linebacker Steve Grant, and became one of the best recruiters in the nation. He also helped the Mountaineers to 12 bowl games in his twenty years at West Virginia University.

NC State
In 2000, Holliday left West Virginia for North Carolina State. There he became the associate head coach and wide receivers coach. He remained at NC State until 2004.

During his time in North Carolina, Holliday coached three of the top eight receivers in school history: Koren Robinson, Bryan Peterson and Jerricho Cotchery. In 2001, the squad set school records for completion percentage and fewest turnovers, while the 2002 team led the ACC in scoring. That squad also finished with school records of total yards, passing yards, most points scored, and most first downs in a season. The 2003 squad then set records in pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, and pass completion percentage.

Florida
In 2005, Holliday traveled to the University of Florida and became the Gators' associate head coach, safeties coach, and recruiting coordinator. In 2005, Holliday was named one of Rivals.com's Top 25 Recruiters, while also tutoring a secondary that only allowed 52.3% of passing to be completed which was 16th best in the nation.

He guided safety Reggie Nelson to a consensus All-American honor and to become a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy in 2006. Also in that season, the Gators' pass defense efficiency was fourth-ranked nationally and second in the SEC while only surrendering a nationally tenth-ranked 10 touchdowns all season and sixth in the nation in scoring defense.

West Virginia (2008–2009)
When West Virginia University head coach Rich Rodriguez left the team before their Fiesta Bowl game to assume the head coaching position at the University of Michigan, Doc Holliday's name surfaced as a candidate in the Mountaineers' head coach search.

On January 12, 2008, it was announced that Holliday was to be named West Virginia's associate head coach, tight end coach, fullback coach, and recruiting coordinator for head coach Bill Stewart. Doc Holliday and Stewart helped pull in a recruiting class with 23 letters of intents on signing day. The 2008 class, led by 5-star offensive guard Josh Jenkins from Parkersburg, West Virginia, was ranked 36th by Scout.com and 44th by Rivals.com.

Marshall
On December 16, 2009, sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Charleston Gazette that no deal has been finalized, but that Holliday is the apparent choice to succeed Mark Snyder, who chose to resign rather than be fired as the MU coach. The sources say WVU head coach Bill Stewart and athletic director Ed Pastilong have been informed of the proceedings. On December 17, 2009, Marshall made it official to name Holliday as the next head coach for the Thundering Herd football team. Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick says Holliday has signed a five-year contract and will be paid $600,000 per season.