More from HerdNation: 40th anniversary: Reggie Oliver

When he was the head football and head lacrosse coach at the College of Wooster back in 1970, Jack Lengyel had no idea that he was about to take on one of the most influential football coaching roles of his lifetime.

Nobody could have predicted it.

Just as nobody could have predicted one of the worst tragedies in the history of collegiate athletics was about to strike Marshall University on the fatal plane crash of November 14, 2010.

75 people were gone.

A whole community was emotionally devastated and wiped out.

Doctors, dentists, boosters, vice presidents of corporations, mothers, fathers, brothers--all killed in the tragedy.

The Marshall football team was left in shambles as well and had to start from scratch.

Who did the MU football team look to in this time of great despair?

There were plenty of other coaches the school had contacted, but they finally settled upon Jack Lengyel.

The upstart coach and MU became intextricably linked throughout because of the historical significance of the events.

Lengyel was looking at one of the biggest rebuilding jobs in not only college football history, but the history of sport itself.

When he finally took the reins at MU, Lengyel decided to learn the option from then West Virginia head coach and college football hall-of-famer Bobby Bowden.

Although the Marshall football team struggled in his first year at the helm, Lengyel still helped lead the Young Thundering Herd to one of the most important wins in school history, a stunning 15-13 upset over Xavier.

The win marked the school's first win since the tragic plane crash of 1970.

He led the team to nine wins during his four years there (1971-1974), but what was more important than the wins was the fact that Marshall football even had a team, period.

After his time at Marshall, Jack Lengyel went on to become one of the most influential figures in the history of collegiate athletics.

He became the athletic director at Fresno State ('83-'86), Missouri ('86-'88).

The place were he stayed the longest ended up being the Naval Academy, where he seved as athletic director for 14 years from 1988-2001.

The legend is still currently involved in collegiate athletics, among many other ventures, and lives out in Phoenix, Arizona.

He came back to Marshall last weekend on the weekend of November 14, 2010 to honor the 40th Anniversary of the plane crash.

"In many respects the 40 years seems a long time ago, but in other respects it seems like it was only yesterday," Lengyel said.

HerdNation to catch up with the coaching legend and talk about his thoughts about the 40th Anniversary, among many other topics.

Below is the interview.

This is the second article of our three article 40th Anniversary series commemorating the plane crash.

HerdNation: What attracted you to the job at Marshall University to take on such a huge challenge?

Jack Lengyel: "Well I was watching. I was at the College of Wooster and I was the head football coach. We had just played in the championship game against Wittenburg. We lost the game and I was at home watching television and a crawl came across the bottom of the screen and it said, "Marshall University football team killed in a plane crash--all 75 people on board have perished." Of course my heart dropped and I'm sure any coach that was watching that. My first thought was with the grace of God--there goes my football team, our coaching staff, etc. So I had an immediate connection with Marshall because of that situation and being a head football coach. So I watched it with great interest and as the weeks went by they offered the job to a Penn State coach and he turned it down. About a month later they offered the job to a Georgia Tech coach (Dick Bestwick)."

"He took the job, stayed a couple of days, and resigned for personal reasons. I got to thinking, maybe I could help. So I applied for the job, was interviewed, and we went down for the press conference. We had 31 days to get ready for the season. At the press conference, someone asked me the same question you just asked me. I told them there's an old Chinese proverb that says if you're ever given anything of value, you have a moral obligation to pass it on to others. Well, I was very fortunate to be a head football coach at the College of Wooster at the age of 29. I thought, well here's my opportunity to pay back to football what it gave to me--an opportunity to be a head coach at a young age and to have the job that I dearly loved--being a football coach. I said here's my chance to payback to football what it gave to me. So that was a fundamental reason for taking that job. Plus the fact that I thought I could be a help."

HerdNation: Coach I saw in the documentary, "Ashes to Glory", that when Marco got out of its cage, you were over there trying to corral it. Talk about that experience a little bit.

Jack Lengyel: "(Laughs) Well, when I came down on the field Marco had gotten out of his cage and he was in the corner of the end zone on our side of the field. The official is telling me we're gonna get a penalty for the kickoff. I said, 'Oh for crying out loud, let me help you get this.' I never realized how agile a buffalo was, so I'm shooing him like a cow and all of a sudden he turns and starts at me and I dodge and he dodges. I thought 'Oh my gosh, I didn't know that they were that agile (laughs).' Fortunately finally somebody had got a rope on him and started to jerk him away. John Hagan our manager was down there (with) some of the other students and they finally got him under control and took him out. But I'll tell you one thing after that experience I've never fussed with a buffalo again."

HerdNation: What did the first win, against Xavier, mean to you?

Jack Lengyel: Our first game was against Morehead (State) as you know and a lot of the townspeople went over. The big thing about that game was the football team was back nine and a half some months after the tragic air crash. We had a football team on the field and we scored our first touchdown. The score was 16-6 going into about the third plus quarter and it ended up I, I think it was 29-7. While we lost the game to an experienced team, the big thing was that we had a football team back on the field less than a year from the tragic crash. Now, we didn't have a kicker. We didn't have a person that could kick a field goal or an extra point. So when I got back to the campus I called the Parthenon, we put an add in the paper--'Will award books, tuition, and fees for anybody that can kick a field goal or extra point and of course, report on Tuesday night after practice.' Well, Tuesday's a light day and after practice there's about 17, 18 guys out there. So after practice we kicked them all and none of them were very good. If you remember, that's back in the late 60s when the hippies were on campus, rioting, hated football, hated discipline."

"I saw what I considered a hippie standing over there--long hair, beard, soccer uniform, soccer shoes. I said, 'Son are you here to kick?' and he said, 'Yes.' I said, 'Have you ever kicked a football before?' He says, 'Yes.''Have you ever kicked in a game?' He said, 'No.' I said, 'Well common' over let's get this over so the coaches can go eat dinner.' We put the ball on the three yard line, he thumps it. Back on the right hash five yard line, he thumps (it). We're back on the 20 yard line, left hash and he's kicking them through. I said, 'Son, get a haircut, shave, you've got a scholarship with books, tuition, and fees.' Of course it was Blake and when we played Xavier for the first time. Now it's just about the end of the first quarter. We're at about the 17, 18 yard line and I called Blake, I said, 'Son are you ready to go kick that field goal?' He said, 'Yes sir.' I said, 'Go on in there and make that field goal.'"

"He goes in, they set the ball down, he kicks it, and it's 3-0 and holds up 'til halftime. Now we were a three or four touchdown underdog and at halftime I told the team, 'Gentlemen in the palm of your hand you have one of the greatest upsets in the history of college football. All I want you to do is perservere, give me the same hard-nosed football for the next 30 minutes, and you'll have a memory that will last you a lifetime.' Well we went back out there and they scored, it was 3-6. Then we came back and we scored, it was 9-6. Then it was about midway through the fourth quarter and I told Reggie, I said, 'Get two first downs, we'll punt the football away, we'll play defense, we'll win the football game.' Well we missed the first down by about three inches so we had to punt the football."

"Gompers, their great tailback takes the ball 47 yards back for a touchdown. Now it's 13-9. So we get the ball back, we can't move it, we punt it. They get the ball and they're starting to drive and Chuck Wright broke through and tackled the quarterback. They've gotta punt the ball to us and we get it on our 48 yard line with about a 1:18 to go. Reggie (Oliver) throws three incomplete passes. The next pass was to Jerry Arrasmith for about 14 yards, next pass was about 12 yards to Kelly Sherwood. Then we call timeout and we tell Sherry, I said, 'We're gonna throw you a bootleg pass, get out of bounds so we can stop the clock. We'll have the next play for the last play of the game.' Well he catches the bootleg pass, but he can't get out of bounds. They lay on him and the clock is going 10, 9, so Red Dawson sends in--we had run the play a couple quarters before, made about 25 yards on it."

"We ran the bootleg throwback pass. Same play, except the quarterback (Reggie Oliver) pulls up inside the tackle box and throws back across the field to Terry Gardner, who slip blocks the defensive end. Jack Crabtree, our guard pulled. Well the whole defense rotated, they bit on the bootleg pass. He throws it back to Terry Gardner, Jack Crabtree pulls up and just blasted the backside halfback, knocks him down, Terry Gardner walks in the end zone, catches the pass, and scores. We win 15-13 with no time on the clock. Actually, the clock was going down 5, we're yelling, 'Snap the ball Reggie! Snap the ball!' Three, two, and on one second Reggie finally snaps the ball, gun goes off, game is over when the play is over and of course we scored the touchdown to win it 15-13. Everybody just came out of the stands onto the field and etc. Even when we came back outside about and hour 45 minutes later. There will still people on the field hugging and crying because each of them had a teammate, a roommate, a classmate, a neighbor, etc. They wanted to share that experience for as long as they could and it was a very, very memorable moment after that football game."

HerdNation: You mentioned Reggie Oliver. How would you describe the impact of his leadership in getting the Marshall program moving forward?

Jack Lengyel: "Well I think when you talk about it, I think you have to start with Nate Ruffin. Nate was our captain and a leader unto himself. The minute he walked into a room he commanded presence. Nate was the connector between the previous team and 1970 and 1971. So he was our absolute number one go to guy. I used to call him into staff meetings and we would talk about things like personnel and things like that and about problems we were having. He was like an assistant coach to me and to our staff."

"Of course Reggie Oliver was a leader as a quarterback and just was a great thrower. The pressure on Reggie Oliver--when we went to the offense that I got from Bobby Bowden when he was up at West Virginia, the pressure is on the quarterback. Because the quarterback--we don't block the end and tackle, he has to learn how to option. Well Reggie was never an option quarterback, he was a drop back passer and a very good one. The offense was good to him because we did have some half rolls and so forth, play-action. Half rolls were good for him. But coming down the line and optioning, that's a sophisticated technique that you take a quarterback--it takes him a year, two years to pefect--to know when to pitch, when to keep, when to duck up underneath the tackle, etc. So Reggie had one difficult job. When he came down the line on the first time it was like a deer in the headlights. I mean he just freezed, some old linebacker would just hit on him, etc. But he gradually got to the point where he was somewhat comfortable as a freshman with the option. Of course we win the Xavier game and Bowling Green game with his leadership. He was a great leader on the field, great confidence. You always knew you had a chance to win with Reggie, because he could throw that ball and throw it deep."

HerdNation: Coach, you've had a lot of different experiences in collegiate athletics not only as a coach, but as an athletic director at several places across the country. What one place would you say is the most memorable experience for you, throughout it all?

Jack Lengyel: "Well, that's an easy question to answer. Marshall University was the most memorable experience because of all the elements involved, not only with the football but the community, the town, and the University. This was not a football rebuilding it was a community that was affected by the crash. As you know there were 27 boosters on the plane, four doctors and their wives, another doctor, state senators, city councilmen, Vice Presidents of corporations, Dean of Admissions, Director of Athletics, trainers, managers, radio personnel."

"Then you had 70 children without one parent and 18 without two parents. When you take a wide swath out of a community like that and University administration, athletic administration, football team, coaches, etc., you've got a tremendous tragedy for a community to face. Without the Huntington community, without the support of the local community, the University and everyone involved, the state, the governor, etc., it would have been an extremely difficult job. It was a tough job in its beginning. One thing you could fault our players for was lack of experience but you could never fault them for commitment and dedication, being in shape, playing 60 minutes, etc. It was a tremendous experience and one that I certainly will never forget, but hope that no coach ever has to face again."

Jack Lengyel: "Let me just say this, I'm looking forward to seeing the Young Thundering Herd team back on the campus there and I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of the players. I get back down to Marshall at least once or twice a year and I get down for Troy Brown and (Mike) Bartram's camp every year--this will be my fourth year. I enjoy that and I always enjoy coming back for a game. I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the team members that come back and the current players and coaches. Also a lot of the community people, Red Dawson, we always enjoy going out to Rocco's and have dinner as well."

HerdNation: What were your thoughts when you saw the movie, "We Are Marshall"?

Jack Lengyel: "I think by in large, they were pretty good and true to course with regards to the story. There were some places that I felt they probably could have done a better job of relating some other stories that were there that were not used that would've added to the clarity of the particular story. But I think, by in large, our concern when we talked to Warner Brothers was they talked a good talk now would they walk the good talk and do a good job. I think by in large, they hit the marks and did a good credible job. Moviemaking has to make us tell a story in two and a half hours, you have to use composite characters. They manipulated some of the storyline, but I think it was to get the flow and that was something I didn't understand as a Coach. I raised cane with them."

"The last play in the film was not correct and I raised heck with them about that. I'm sure they didn't appreciate me always on the field, because I was more of a person that wanted to be exact and they were more concerned about telling the story with flow. Somewhere in between we met. I thought Matthew McConaughey did a terrific job, but I tell everybody my sideburns weren't that long, I didn't have a five o'clock shadow, and I didn't dress like Bozo the Clown. (Laughs) But he did a terrific job and he's really a good guy. I think overall it went very well and Marshall is very fortunate to have the story told. It took us 20 years to get anybody to even listen to me and tell the story. Warner Brothers I thought, by in large did a terrific job and Matthew McConaughey and Jeremy and Basil--the director, producer, etc. I think they did a good job and did a great credit to Marshall University. I think the community at large, in particular the people that were involved with their families that were part of the tragedy appreciate the come to closure with regards to that story."

HerdNation: And what were your thoughts on the documentary, "Ashes to Glory,"?

Jack Lengyel: "Ashes to Glory," is a different set of parameters. That was a drill down and it took us about 12 years to make "Ashes to Glory." It won I think three or four national awards. It was more personal stories about each individual, about their particular perception, their particular role they played during and after the tragedy, etc. It was a documentary and done very well--the movie was a completely different treatment to the same story."

HerdNation: Who was the best player you coached during all of your days of coaching football?

Jack Lengyel: "(Laughs) Well you know that's a hard question to answer. I think as you go through and I've been in the business 50 years. When you go through different eras--the football game changes, players change, the 310 pound players today when 220 was big. So it's hard to compare different eras. There was a lot of good players that I've coached and it would be difficult for me to single out one or the other."

HerdNation: Coach, I was looking at your Wikipedia page today and I saw the tragedy in New Brunswick, Canada. You decided to go up there and assist in counseling that community. What made you want to go up there and talk to them?

Jack Lengyel: "Well what happened was, the PBS station in Canada, a public station, called me up and told me (she was the director). She said she had seen the movie and she wanted to share with me a tragedy in Bathurst, New Brunswick. She told me about the coach that was bringing his basketball team late at night in a van, just as he was going to the off-ramp, he skidded and went into a semi. It killed his wife and seven basketball players. (She) asked if I'd write a condolence note to the coach, which I did. I called the principal and talked to her, told her about what we did at Marshall after the tragedy. One of the things I said you need to talk to the prime minister and make sure you have a counselor assigned to you for at least two years. Counseling is going to be tremendously important for students, parents, parents of the children that were killed in the crash, faculty, staff, everybody. Then I talked to her a little bit more, I said if you have any more problems--she was already started on many of these particular issues--I said if you have any problems, give me a call."

"In about two weeks she called me back, I noticed the hesitation in her voice and I said, "Look. I'll fly up there on my own expenses. I'll take care of all of my hotel, don't worry about that. I'll spend a couple of days with you." Which I did--I met with the students, I met with the 9th and 10th grade for an hour, then the 11th and 12th grade for an hour. Then I met the faculty, met all of the coaches for an hour, had lunch with them. Then I met with the parents of the children that had survived and the parents of the children that were killed in the crash. Then I met with the coach and the remainder of his family and I met with some townspeople, etc. One of the things I said--I wasn't expecting a press conference--but I told them they ought to stop (driving) vans. The most prized possession is they ought to have a 24 passenger bus with a certified driver. Within two months later, they dropped all fans in New Brunswick and so we did affect one change for them and they got buses instead. So I've kept in touch with them. I still get e-mails from the principal, etc."

HerdNation: How closely are you in contact with the people at Marshall University these days?

Jack Lengyel: "Oh, very close. I e-mail Reggie (Oliver), Mike Hamrick is a close friend of mine. I recruited him when I was a coach there, Red Dawson, Bobby Pruett, all of them are very close. Bob Markum the former AD. Dan Shoemaker--he used to live in town there--with ESPN. I come back for the camp, Troy Brown and that group. So I'm very close. I still have a lot of friends that still live there (Huntington) and I look forward to seeing them."

HerdNation: Looking at pictures of you in your younger days at Marshall and looking at pictures of Bob Pruett, I think it's amazing how striking the resemblance is between you guys. Have you gotten a lot of comments from people saying you looked like Bob Pruett back then?

Jack Lengyel: "No, you're the first guy that's ever said that."

HerdNation: "(Laughs) It's funny because looking back at the pictures, it's remarkable how much you guys look alike."

Jack Lengyel: "Well thank you. It's an honor because he's a great one."

HerdNation: Where are you living these days, Coach?

Jack Lengyel: "I live in Phoenix, Arizona."

HerdNation: What's your profession out there?

Jack Lengyel: "Well, I'm Vice President of a technology company and I'm on the Board of Trustees at the Naval Academy, Board of Trustees of the United States Sports Academy. I chair the awards committee for the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame. It sounds like a lot, but it's all football related just calling my friends."

As always remember that HerdNation is your premiere source for Marshall football coverage! Wade Peery is the Publisher of HerdNation.com and can be reached by e-mail at wadepeery@yahoo.com. All comments and feedback are welcome.