Everything Marshall coach Charles Huff said about Notre Dame football

Marshall head coach Charles Huff said his Thundering Herd played a complete game in a 55-3 season-opening win against Norfolk State. He said it wasn’t a perfect game, though, and the Herd just might need to be as close to perfect as possible to beat Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish impressed plenty of people in a 21-10 loss against No. 2 Ohio State. They return to South Bend for their home opener with an impressive streak of 42 straight victories against unranked opponents on the line against Marshall.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said Monday that college football teams only get 12 opportunities a year to put 300-plus days of work to good use. He said it would be a “shame” to waste any of those opportunities.

Huff treats the season the same way.

“From a size of the game or importance of the game standpoint, this game is just as important to us as Norfolk,” Huff said. “That’s no disrespect to Notre Dame. That’s not coach talk. That’s just the way you have to prepare to be consistent. I don’t think you can do anything with consistency when one thing is more important than the other. I don’t think you can plan that way.

“I told the guys, if you go out and practice any harder this week than you did last week, then you screwed yourself last week. So if you go out and practice well because we’re playing Notre Dame and you practice harder, well, didn’t you practice hard last week? The goal is not necessarily to beat the team you’re playing. The goal is to play to a standard.”

Here’s what else Huff said about Marshall vs. Notre Dame.

On the mindset of playing a program like Notre Dame

“Obviously from the outside perspective, this is a huge game. I know everybody is excited. From the historical piece of it, the place we’re going, all that is great. The reality of it is, this game has no bearing on what our ultimate goal is. And our ultimate goal is to play really well in the Sun Belt. Yes, every game the goal is to win. That’s the goal. But if you focus on just winning, you’ll never get to where you want to be because what happens when you don’t?

“What we’ve focused on is how can we prepare each week with the same intensity, the same focus, so we can go out and play with the same consistency. If last week wasn’t big but this week is big but then the next week isn’t but then two weeks from then — if you have that kind of mindset as a player or a coach, you’re going to have ebbs and flows and peaks and valleys in your performance. When you do that, you’re riding the wave of luck.”

On the experience of Texas Tech transfer QB Henry Colombi in a game like this

“The experience is huge because he has played in what the outside world would perceive as a big game. Which usually means a rivalry or the logo is big or it has history and tradition. So he knows when you get on the field it’s still 100 yards long, 53 1/3 wide. They are still going to play some type of defense with 11 guys, and we’re still going to play some type of offense with 11 guys. So the experience of it helps.”

On the experience of the rest of the Marshall players against a team with the caliber of players Notre Dame has

“We have 24 transfers. A lot of those guys didn’t choose Marshall. They’ve played in games where the helmet logo is bigger than some of the ones we see here consistently. Jadarius McKnight? He played at Florida State. He’s played Florida State-Miami. It’s no big deal to him. He’s played Florida State-Florida. It’s just another game. I think that also helps.

“The calming factor of what the transfer portal has created, it’s kids playing kids now. It’s not Group of Five playing Power Five. Now, don’t get me wrong. They’ve got a really good team. But again, from the kids’ perspective, it’s, ‘I went to school with these guys. Some of these guys I played with in high school.’ So when you get in the transfer portal and the world we’re in now where talent goes all over the country, for the fans and for the history part of it that gold helmet is important but for these guys? It’s kind of like, ‘Alright, yeah, we’re playing Notre Dame.’

“To me, as a coach, it helps. In the past you had to fight the David and Goliath (narrative) and try to get the little guys to play against the big guy. Henry is from Texas Tech. I’m sure Texas Tech feels like they could beat Notre Dame. I’m sure Florida State guys feel like they could beat Notre Dame. Isaiah Gibson is from Kentucky. He’s played against Alabama before.

“When you start talking about where we are in college football now, I think it’s changed. Now, let me say this: they still have Notre Dame football players. All of them. Not some. There is a difference.”

On what comes to mind when thinking of Notre Dame

“Well, a couple things. Rudy. No disrespect. Knute Rockne. I’m a football historian, so those things stand out to me. And then again just the overall history and tradition of how Notre Dame football has been played. It’s always been played with class. It’s always been played with really good, upstanding men and coaches. I think it stands for the true core of college football. Creating outstanding men on and off the field with an unbelievable brand, done the right way.”

On what impresses him about Notre Dame

“Everything. The way they get off the bus, the way their shoes are tied. No. Defensively, they’ve got two good defensive ends. The inside guys are quick. Short, stocky, but quick, powerful. On the back end they play with speed. Obviously, Coach Freeman has done a good job of being the defensive coordinator. You can tell they know where they’re going and why. I told the team they are probably going to play faster than you think they are because they know where to go, they can anticipate, they’re physical, they’re tough.

“On the offensive side, their tight end is real. He’s probably going to win the Mackey. Let me say this, he’s probably going to be in the running for the Mackey. No disrespect to the other tight ends in the country. Their quarterback does a good job of managing the game. He’s elusive enough to where he can run. You saw that a little bit Saturday night. The receiver that they lost was a big piece, but they do have some good skill guys around him.

“Chris Tyree, I recruited him. His first offer was Marshall out of high school. I recruited him for three schools as I was moving around. He’s really, really fast. I think when you really look at them, they’re a complete team in all three phases. That doesn’t mean they’re perfect, just like we don’t have to be perfect to win the game.”

Remember: not perfect, just as close to it as possible.