40th Anniversary: Interview with Reggie Oliver

When he was recruited to Marshall University as a quarterback back in 1970, Reggie Oliver had no idea about the challenges he was about to face over the next few years.

As the signal-caller for the Druid Dragons in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Oliver was one of five players from Druid High School who chose to take their football talents to Huntington, West Virginia to play for the Marshall Thundering Herd.

One player that joined him from Druid was "Joltin" Joe Hood--a 6'1, 197 pound star running back that seemed to glide across the field.

As former MU player Ed Carter said in the documentary, "Ashes to Glory," "he was like a streak."

Then in an instant, Oliver lost Hood and four of his other Druid High School teammates and many others Marshall teammates in a horrific plane crash on November 14, 1970.

The crash killed all 75 members on board.

The tragedy to this day is the worst in the history of collegiate athletics.

With most of their football team gone, the Young Thundering Herd looked to their calmly confident signal-caller for leadership and guidance.

Oliver was a drop back quarterback at Druid High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but head coach Jack Lengyel decided to run the option with him in 1971.

The staff eventually learned to utilize Oliver's talents as a passer. He was instrumental in leading the Young Thundering Herd to one of the most important wins in school history, a magical 15-13 win over Xavier in Old Fairfield stadium.

After it was all said and done, Oliver would etch his name all over the Marshall record books, shattering nearly all of the Herd's passing records.

He is one of the biggest legends in Marshall football history and one of the most influential figures in the history of the MU program.

HerdNation's Wade Peery caught up with the former trigger-man of the Young Thundering Herd to discuss his thoughts on the 40th anniversary of the plane crash, working with Jack Lengyel, and working with Red Dawson, among other topics.

This is the first article in our three article 40th Anniversary Series here at HerdNation.com.

Below is the interview.

Interview with QB Reggie Oliver

HerdNation: What are your feelings every year when this time of the year comes around for you?

Reggie Oliver: "Well, it's a special time of year, not necessarily a sad time of year. It's a time of year for reflection and remembering. This happened to be the 40th time we'll do that and remember those people that gave their life for the program at Marshall."

HerdNation: What do you remember most about working with Jack Lengyel?

Reggie Oliver: "Well, as a player working with Jack, I thought Jack took on a heck of a challenge that I had seen several other coaches turn down, reject, didn't want to be a part of. So he took on a monumental challenge. Playing for him, I enjoyed the opportunity I had to play for him. (He) was always fair with me. He probably succeeded at doing something that a lot of people wouldn't have been able to do: to mold the team of young players together to be able to compete on the level that we did."

HerdNation: Reggie I saw in the documentary "Ashes to Glory," how one time when the buffalo (Marco) got out of the cage. Were you laughing when that happened?

Reggie Oliver: "(Laughs) Sure. I mean we never had seen that. Just seeing them chasing him around and see people that didn't really want to catch him act like they were trying to catch him, that was pretty funny. It was a good moment to laugh and be a little loose in Fairfield stadium. Plus, you know, I'm sure Marco hadn't seen astroturf because at that time, not a lot of people had astroturf and he thought it was grass."

HerdNation: That was definitely one of the funnier parts of the movie. Describe that final drive when you guys won that first game against Xavier.

Reggie Oliver: "Well it was one of those deals--now or never. With the time remaining on the clock, we knew it was probably going to be the last drive. The game had its ebbs and flows. I called on my old neighorhood mindset and probably as a young kid, all of us have dreamed about that last drive and leading the team down the field for a come from behind victory. I had the opportunity to play that out, but talking to my teammates in the huddle, the focus was (to) concentrate and let's go get it done."

"I had no doubt that we could. You look into the eyes of ten other players and they seemed to have the same mindset. I was the trigger man. I knew I could do it and I had those types of successes in high school. I think the high school that I came from and four other players that were on that plane, came from Druid High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. We had been in those type of games before and I had been a part of a lot of wins that I was at the helm of. So there was time on the clock, let's go get it done!"

HerdNation: Did you run the option (veer) a lot in high school?

Reggie Oliver: "No, no (laughs) I didn't run the option. I was a drop back quarterback. We had Joe Hood at tailback, with a guy like that was just a terrific player and the caliber of player that we had. I dropped back, threw it to receivers, I handed it off to one of the best running backs to ever play the game and that's how we did it. The option was something that Jack (Lengyel) came up with because of the talent that we had. I think that was kind of interesting in the movie how they came out with that. They had to find something that we could run where you really didn't have to block anybody (laughs). And you know the recipient of all of that not blocking anybody--usually ended up being Reggie (laughs). That part of it wasn't funny (laughs). That was something that he instituted there and they went around and tried to find out how it was done, who did it, and who did it the best. That's where Bobby Bowden came in at--in the West Virginia program. But, no I was not an option quarterback. My idea of an option was snap it to me, I'll run down the line and pitch it.. (laughs)."

HerdNation: Did you ever talk to coaches then and say, hey guys let me drop back and sling one deep instead of running this veer?

Reggie Oliver: "They saw that. That's what it evolved to. Winning the game against Xavier and as we went through my career there, they finally saw what they had and realized that our best chance to win was to shore up the blocking up front a little bit and let's throw it around the field a little bit more. I ended up leaving there having the record for attempts, completions, interceptions. I had all the passing records when I passed--when I left there."

HerdNation: Have you ever had the chance to meet some of the other Marshall legends? Guys like Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich?

Reggie Oliver: "Oh yeah, yeah we're all a part of that family, you know. We get back there as much as we can and I'm sure I get back there than those guys do, but they're back. Once you wear the Green and White, you know, you're there and part of the family. So yes, not all of them, but I've met most of all of those guys."

HerdNation: Talk about your thoughts and feelings when you first saw the movie, "We are Marshall."

Reggie Oliver: "Well, you know, it brings back a lot of memories. Being critical and analytical because I consulted on it some. See, being there and knowing the facts, knowing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and then seeing it portrayed in a slightly different way--seeing Hollywood take certain liberties. And then try and come to grips with the fact that a lot is attempting to be told in two hours. It's damn near impossible, but you know, they did a pretty good job. I didn't like the way several scenes were portrayed but I like what Jack Lengyel's wife, Sandy said when we were together after seeing the movie."

"We were there together down in Huntington at the Hall of Fame Cafe and Jack and I and some of the other guys were still complaining about the way the movie ended and the 213 bootleg screen play. She humbled all of us by softly saying, 'Hey guys, look. At the end of the day, seven million Chinese won't know the difference in that being the play and the play that you actually ran.' (Laughs) That's kind of a humbling statement coming from his wife and the reality of it is just that--for a lot of people the winning play was what they saw in the movie when those of us that were there and participated in it or saw it unfold in front of you know that it was a little bit different than that."

HerdNation: How it was different?

Reggie Oliver: "Well, you know, it was a beautifully called play. Red (Dawson) called a great play, we had run the play earlier in the game and gotten some yards off of it and hit a couple of passes downfield on it. So the play itself had several options to it. The play was executed to perfection, with the time running out, and the excitment of it all. Once the ball was snapped, gun goes off, (I) faked the dive into the line, bootleg away, strong look downfield, and drew the coverage downfield with my eyes that way. (I) took a double drop, a couple steps back, looked to the left, and there was Terry Gardner sitting over there waiting on the ball all by himself with Jack Crabtree out in front to throw a block."

"Then it was just a matter of, 'Terry please catch it, don't drop it. (Laughs) Don't drop this one!' He caught it, tilted his head back, and took off for the corner of the end zone. Then Crabtree threw a key block. That's how he kind of got the name "Key Block", (we) called him Jack "Key Block" Crabtree. He got a beautiful block and Terry Gardner was in the corner of the end zone. You know, they could've used the play just like it was and it would've been Hollywood enough. But it is what it is, they did it like they did it. You know I guess paid enough money I guess to take some liberties. In the flight of the ball in the movie, they almost retold the whole movie. You know, I understand what they were doing."

HerdNation: What were your thoughts when you got to watch the movie, "Ashes to Glory?"

Reggie Oliver: "You know there "Ashes to Glory"--I thought that they did a wonderful, wonderful job there. I thought (it was) one of the greatest pieces of work that's been put together and they've been honored as such. It's an Emmy-Award winnng piece of work. But Debbie Novak and (John Witek)--that was real. You saw real footage. You saw real people and those of us that were still around that cared to express themselves and the impact that it had on them."

"So it was a lot of right on detail--it was the facts. You saw the real people. You saw the real Nate Ruffin, instead of an Anthony Mackie playing Nate Ruffin, although Mackie did a tremendous job of playing the character Nate Ruffin. But in the movie "Ashes to Glory," you can see Nate Ruffin. I wondered when I first met McG and Basil, the director and producer of "We Are Marshall," I asked them, 'What are you trying to do? What are you gonna do? How can you do anything better than what they did--Debbie Novak and John Witek' They said obviously, 'We're taking it to the big screen.' I guess that shut me up (laughs)."

HerdNation: I totally agree, "Ashes to Glory" was really good.

Reggie Oliver: "Yeah it was spot on. I mean, you can take that one and look back on it. From the introduction of the movie where you see the bridge looking down the Ohio River and everything starts to unfold. I thought they did a tremendous job. Then there's the full length movie and I think for TV purposes and the Academy purposes or whatever--they cut it down to make it, it's either 55 or 58 minutes in the second version. But I think the other version is about an hour and a half--the first original version. But if you haven't seen the first, you don't know what you're not seeing in the second one. I do I have them both (laughs)."

HerdNation: What was it like playing for Red Dawson?

Reggie Oliver: "Red was a tactician, a disciplinarian. He was young so he was just establishing his career. It was tough, but Red was a tough guy. Red was a tough guy. Now playing under Red, Red coached me that one year that he stayed in '71. I threw only six interceptions that year with Red as my coach. Over the next two years, I broke the record with interceptions (laughs). Now, you know, I don't know if Red had a whole lot to do with that but he would like to think that he did. I've got a picture that he autographed for me--we were down in Cincinnati a couple years ago, Marshall played UC down there. We were doing a promo for the alumni, signing some autographs, and taking some pictures. There was this one picture of me that he took, autographed it, and he gave it to me. I looked at it after he finished and it said, "To Reggie, I taught you everything you know and you still don't know a damn thing (laughs). So I enjoyed playing for Red, but more so than that I've enjoyed our friendship after Red got back into the fold, so to speak. As he's mentioned several times, he was away from it, stayed away from it, and distanced himself from Marshall and Marshall football. But he has since, back in the fold. It's that time that I've enjoyed the relationship with Red probably more so than when I was a player, because I was young and because of the circumstances he was only there for that one year."

"There are a certain category of memories that I have of him there (at Marshall). But to still be considered a friend of his and having gotten to know him in a different light. Me and Red are okay. I'm looking forward to seeing him and hope I see him. When I go to Huntington, I don't see him all the time, but most of the time I'll see him and he'll give me a little dig, give me that Red Dawson smile. You know I'll say something like, 'Yup, you taught me everything I know (laughs)." He'll laugh because he knows what I'm talking about. He would know other people standing around the stump. But Red is a good guy."

HerdNation: You've mentioned Nate Ruffin. He played such a huge role in the movie, "We are Marshall." What do you recall most about being teammates with Nate Ruffin?

Reggie Oliver: "Well, you know, Nate was an interesting guy. Tough player out of Quincy, Florida--very physical player. That type of play eventually--if you look at it and peel the onion all the way back, his style of play saved his life because he was such a hard hitter and he hit with his forearm. He developed calcium deposits in that arm. That eventually sidelined Nate and he couldn't play. But his leadership--he always lived with that idea that he actually should have been on that plane crash. Now, there were guys on the varsity that were not killed or that didn't feel like that or I would say didn't come across as feeling like that. Because you never know how anybody feels you know--what's inside of them. You could always feel Nate live with the guilt of not being a part of that team, but he provided ample leadership for us, me and the younger guys who were there--how to conduct yourself, what it was all about, and was one of the links between the '70 team and the '71 team."

"I enjoyed our on the field time. Nate was a defensive back and I was a quarterback. It was a deal where Nate had played winning football where he was from. As we talked earlier, I was kind of a novelty. I was an African-American quarterback dealing with that. But then again, we had that situation here in the MAC. We also had Chuck Ealey in the MAC. He was one of the best quarterbacks to ever come through. So Nate and I had a very close relationship on and off the field. Nate was one of those guys that was married as a player. So Nate had to have as much fun as he could with us as players and doing what we do in college growing up and maturing. But then Nate had to leave us and then go home to his wife. That was a different life for him also. But I had the opportunity even after our playing days, I lived in Vienna, Virginia with another player Roy Tabb and his wife Pam."

"Nate moved to Vienna, so we helped Nate go househuntin', and we finally got a house and moved to Vienna from Jackson, Mississippi. His son was a high school player and Roy Tabb, Nate, myself would go to Friday night football games and watch his son play. Those were some of the funnest times I've had with him--in the stands, watching his son play, and his son playing well. I mean, outstanding. The three of us were just having a ball in the bleachers to the point where people go, 'You all must have a son out there or wherever.' But he was a heck of a guy, (he) would give you the shirt off of his back and enjoyed life, let me put it like that. I was his friend from I guess, well I knew him from August of 1970 right up until the day he died. I guess I could say that I was his friend for most of that time. You stop calling people friends I guess when you first meet them, but I'm sure after Nate got to know me and I got to know him there at Marshall, we became very, very good friends. We were friends for all those years and I have no complaints."

HerdNation: What were your thoughts on the memorial, the fountain, when you first got to see the design and everything of that?

Reggie Oliver: "Well, you know, I was still a player at the time. Let's see I'm trying to remember where we were coming from. We had played an away game that previous day, maybe coming from Western Michigan. Then we were having the services that next day and I can remember it was covered up in black plastic. Then as they pulled the plastic off of it, you're trying to look and at first glance, it's like, what is that? It looks like a giant tulip kind of, you know in it's design. You just kind of look at it and you look, and you look. You're trying to see what the sculptor had in mind. Then he explained and started to talk about there's 75 pipes that come up out of the top of the fountain. Did you know that?

HerdNation: Yes, I've read that.

Reggie Oliver: "There's 75 of those pipes and there's one for each person that was on the plane. So that gets to be explained to you. You know, in the years since then as the water was turned on and you see it in the day, then you see it at night. I've seen it with a lot of people around it, I've seen it with nobody around it. I've sat out there by myself. I've been out there in the midst of crowds. But probably the most special moment for me as being in the participation of the memorial service--when they turn the water off."

"The water's running and then there's the sound of the water, then there's the silence, then there's only the sound of the water. Then that sound slowly and slowly fades away until there's no sound. In that immediate area around there--in that student union and student center courtyard there--there's absolute silence. Now across the campus you might hear some noise here or there or maybe they're going down Hal Greer (Boulevard) or whatever. But when the water goes off, there's that silence. You know, you reflect and you hug and people tend to go their way from there. But just that moment, the moment when the water runs no more, you start to reflect upon the significance of that moment."

HerdNation: Reggie, you know, a person that writes for our website, Dick Ash. He said that you were actually a student teacher for his class in Huntington. You taught physical education to him. Do you remember that at all?

Reggie Oliver: "Huntington High School. That's where I did my student teaching and also was fortunate enough to have my first job. I started out as a teacher and a coach there, coached football and baseball. Football under Claude Miller and baseball under Toby Holbrook and I taught physical education there. So, yeah, if he was a student there at Huntington High School, I was his teacher."

HerdNation: What do you do now for an occupation and where do you live?

Reggie Oliver: "Living in Columbus, Ohio. I'm re-inventing myself like George Foreman. I'm looking for another challenge and I'm re-inventing myself as an insurance agent. Dealing in the seniors market--trying to help those people."

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.