We Are Marshall
From the ashes we rose
Directed by	McG (Joseph McGinty Nichol)
Produced by	McG Basil Iwanyk
Written by	Jamie Linden
Starring	Matthew McConaughey Matthew Fox Anthony Mackie Kate Mara Ian McShane David Strathairn Kimberly Williams-Paisley Robert Patrick Brian Geraghty
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	December 22, 2006
Running time	124 minutes
Language	English
IMDb profile

We Are Marshall is a 2006 motion picture directed by McG dramatizing the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed most of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, the rebuilding of the program, and the healing that the community undergoes. It stars Matthew McConaughey as head coach Jack Lengyel, Matthew Fox as assistant coach William "Red" Dawson, David Strathairn as University President Donald Dedmon and Robert Patrick as ill-fated Marshall head coach Rick Tolley. Georgia governor George "Sonny" Perdue has a cameo role as an East Carolina University football coach. [1] The movie is rated PG. The movie was scored by Christophe Beck. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 404 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (525 × 778 pixel, file size: 40 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is of a poster, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher or the creator of the work depicted. ... Joseph McG McGinty Nichol (born November 30, 1968) is an American film producer and director. ... Joseph McG McGinty Nichol (born November 30, 1968) is an American film producer and director. ... Matthew David McConaughey (born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. ... Matthew Fox (July 14, 1966) is an actor and former model. ... Anthony Mackie (born September 23, 1979 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American actor. ... Kate Mara Kate Mara (born February 27, 1983) is an American television and film actress. ... Ian McShane (born 29 September 1942) is a Golden Globe-winning English actor. ... David Russell Strathairn (born on January 26, 1949) is an Academy Award-nominated American film and television actor. ... Kimberly Williams-Paisley Kimberly Williams-Paisley (born September 14, 1971) is an American actress. ... Robert Patrick (born November 5, 1958) is a Saturn Award-winning American film and television actor. ... Brian Timothy Geraghty (born 1975 in Toms River, New Jersey) is an American film actor. ... Warner Bros. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Please note that following the tradition of the English language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the United States and Canada in 2006; because they may have made most of their income in a later year, they may not be the top-grossing... // Please note that following the tradition of the English language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the United States and Canada in 2006; because they may have made most of their income in a later year, they may not be the top-grossing... Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... Joseph McG McGinty Nichol (born November 30, 1968) is an American film producer and director. ... Southern Airways Flight 932 was a chartered Southern Airways DC-9 commercial jet flight. ... Marshall University is a public university based in Huntington, West Virginia. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Matthew David McConaughey (born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. ... Jack Lengyel was the head coach of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team from 1971 until 1974. ... Matthew Fox (July 14, 1966) is an actor and former model. ... David Russell Strathairn (born on January 26, 1949) is an Academy Award-nominated American film and television actor. ... Donald Dedmon (August 13, 1931 - February 13, 1998) was born in Missouri. ... Robert Patrick (born November 5, 1958) is a Saturn Award-winning American film and television actor. ... The head coach in sports coaching is the coach who is in charge of the other coaches. ... Rickey D. Tolley was the head coach of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team during the 1969 and 1970 seasons. ... This is a list of Governors of the state of Georgia, including governors of the British colony of Georgia. ... George Ervin Sonny Perdue III (born December 20, 1946) is the current governor of the U.S. state of Georgia. ... East Carolina University (ECU) is a public, coeducational, research intensive university located in Greenville, North Carolina, USA. ECU is the third largest university in North Carolina with an enrollment of over 24,300 students and the fastest-growing campus in the University of North Carolina system. ... The MPAA film rating system is a system used in the United States and territories and instituted by the Motion Picture Association of America to rate a movie based on its content. ...

Plot

On the evening of November 14, 1970, Southern Airways Flight 932, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 which Marshall University chartered to transport the Thundering Herd football team to Greenville, North Carolina and back to Huntington, West Virginia clipped trees on a ridge just one mile short of the runway at Tri-State Airport in Ceredo, West Virginia and crashed into a gully. The team was returning from their game against the East Carolina University Pirates — an eventual 17-14 loss. There were no survivors. In all, seventy-five people lost their lives. The dead included the thirty-seven players, Tolley and five members of his coaching staff, Charles E. Kautz, Marshall's athletics director, team trainer Jim Schroer and his assistant, Donald Tackett, twenty-two boosters, and five crew members. November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Southern Airways Flight 932 was a chartered Southern Airways DC-9 commercial jet flight. ... The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 (initially known as the Douglas DC-9) is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. ... Nickname: Pro Town USA Location of Greenville shown within North Carolina Coordinates: Country United States State North Carolina County Pitt County Settled 1771 Founded 1774 (Martinsborough) Founded 1786 (Greenville) Mayor Don Parrott Area    - City 68 km²  (26. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... Huntington is a city located in the U.S. State of West Virginia along the Ohio River. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... Tri-State Airport (IATA: HTS, ICAO: KHTS) / Milton J. Ferguson Field is a public airport located a few miles southwest of Huntington, West Virginia serving the nearby areas where the borders of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia come together including Ashland, Kentucky and Ironton, Ohio. ... Ceredo is a city located in Wayne County, West Virginia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... East Carolina University (ECU) is a public, coeducational, research intensive university located in Greenville, North Carolina, USA. ECU is the third largest university in North Carolina with an enrollment of over 24,300 students and the fastest-growing campus in the University of North Carolina system. ...

In the wake of the tragedy, and having just been kicked out of the Mid-American conference the previous year for over 140 NCAA violations, President Donald Dedmon leans towards indefinitely canceling the football program, but he is ultimately persuaded to reconsider by the pleas of the Marshall students and Huntington residents, and especially the few football players who didn't make the flight. Dedmon hires a young new head coach Jack Lengyel, who, with the help of Red Dawson, manages to rebuild the team in a relatively short time. They were aided by the NCAA's waiver of a rule prohibiting freshmen from playing varsity sports (a rule which would be permanently abolished in 1972). The new team is composed mostly of the returning players and athletes from other Marshall sports programs. The "Young Thundering Herd" won just two games during the 1971 season; their first post-crash victory is a heart-stopping 15-13 home win against Xavier University in the first home game of the season. In reality, the play was a 13-yard screen pass from quarterback Reggie Oliver to freshman fullback Terry Gardner. When Gardner caught the ball, there was no time left on the clock. The extra point was unnecessary. In the film, the pass is longer. Jack Lengyel was the head coach of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team from 1971 until 1974. ... The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, often pronounced N-C-Double-A or N-C-Two-A ) is a voluntary association of about 1,200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... Xavier University is a private, Jesuit, co-educational Catholic university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. ... A screen pass is a type of trick play in American football, much like a draw. ... Navy quarterback Aaron Polanco sets up to throw. ... In American football, a fullback (FB) is a position in the offensive backfield. ...

Filming

Filming of We Are Marshall commenced on April 3, 2006 in Huntington, West Virginia, and was completed in Atlanta, Georgia. The premiere for the film was held at the Keith Albee on December 12, 2006 in Huntington; other special screenings were held at Pullman Square. The movie was released nationwide on December 22, 2006. April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Huntington is a city located in the U.S. State of West Virginia along the Ohio River. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... Hotlanta redirects here. ... Keith Albee is a theatre located along Fourth Avenue in downtown Huntington, West Virginia. ... December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 19 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... 3rd Avenue, one of Huntingtons wide, boulevard-style streets. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Please note that following the tradition of the English language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the United States and Canada in 2006; because they may have made most of their income in a later year, they may not be the top-grossing...

DVD Release

It is rumored that We Are Marshall will be released on DVD on September 18, 2007. September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Trivia

Memorial at Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington, West Virginia to the victims of the Southern Airways Flight 932 crash.

• The name of the movie is based on a cheer performed by students and players at the university, which is also featured prominently in the movie. There is some argument about when the cheer actually began, but it is generally dated after the time period of the movie (post 1971).
• Georgia Tech assistant coach Dick Bestwick was initially hired as Rick Tolley's replacement. However, a week later, Bestwick backed out of the deal because some promises made during the hiring interview were not kept, and returned to Georgia Tech.
• Marshall began its football program November 14, 1895, exactly seventy-five years before the day of the crash.
• Before Jack Lengyel was hired to be head coach, Joe McMullen was appointed as the new Athletic Director in February 1971. McMullen was a former assistant under Joe Paterno at Penn State and a head coach for twelve years. McMullen knew Lengyel through their connection at University of Akron.
• On December 19, 2001 Marshall played East Carolina in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. The ECU Pirates had a commanding 38-8 lead at halftime. Marshall coach Bob Pruett reminded the Thundering Herd of the plane crash. In what was viewed as one of college football's greatest come-from-behind victories, Marshall defeated East Carolina 64-61 in double overtime. It remains the highest-scoring bowl game in college football history.
• Marshall University started a memorial fund to aid the families of the victims. Additionally, the Big Ten Conference contributed a portion of their Rose Bowl receipts, then-Baltimore Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom donated $50,000, and Wichita State University, which was dealing with the deaths of 29 players in a similar plane crash on October 2 of that year, offered to share a portion of their receipts. The benefit was telecast nationally and featured such names as Bill Cosby, Monty Hall, Kate Smith, George Gobel and other celebrities.
• In the movie, newspaper headlines are from the combined Sunday newspaper of Huntington WV, the Herald-Advertiser. The weekday afternoon Advertiser ceased publication in 1979 and the seven-day paper is now the The Herald-Dispatch. In one scene the paper is referred to as the Herald by a secretary.
• In the movie, Herndon Stadium in Atlanta was used for the football game scenes. From 1927 to 1990, Marshall played its football games at Fairfield Stadium, which has since been torn down.
• Coaching legend Bobby Bowden of Florida State University was the head coach at West Virginia University during the 1971 season. In memory of the victims of the crash, Mountaineers players put green crosses and the initials "MU" on their helmets. Bowden allowed Lengyel and his assistants access to game film and playbooks to acquaint themselves with the veer offense, a variation of the option offense which aids teams with weak offensive lines after Lengyel discovers that the team is unable to run the Power I formation he favored. Lengyel credits Bowden with helping the Young Thundering Herd recover. Bowden reportedly became emotional while viewing the movie, and has said that he was the original candidate for the Rick Tolley coaching job. http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/121906/spf_6895455.shtml]
• In the movie Bowden refers to a willingness to help Marshall since the Herd and WVU will not play each other that season. In reality the two teams did not meet at all in that era. Their 1997 game was the first football matchup between the two schools in over fifty years.
• In the movie, emergency vehicles are shown heading east on Fourth Avenue past the Keith Albee theater. In reality, Tri-State Airport is located west of Huntington. However, this may not be a true goof, as the on-ramp to Interstate 64, which was completed in the Huntington area in 1965, is located east of the theater and would be a plausible route to the crash site via the Ceredo/Kenova exit.
• In the end credits of the movie, clips are shown of some of the more prominent players in Marshall history, such as New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington, New England Patriots receiver Randy Moss, and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich.
• The real Red Dawson can be seen in the movie as the coach of Morehead.
• 1971 quarterback Dave Walsh can be seen in the movie as an assistant for Xavier.
• The 1970 Clint Eastwood movie Kelly's Heroes is shown as the headliner at the movie theater, just before the plane crash.
• In an episode of How I Met Your Mother Marshall is standing infront of the mirror repeatedly saying,"I am Marshall! I am Marshall!" Each time louder than before and with more excitement until it sounded like the cheer in the movie.
• The real Jack Lengyel had a cameo appearance in the movie. Another notable cameo was by Keith Morehouse, the current sports director for WSAZ-TV in Huntington and play-by-play announcer for Marshall broadcasts. He followed in the footsteps of his father Gene Morehouse, who was Marshall's play-by-play announcer when he was killed in the crash. Keith's future wife was left orphaned by the crash.
• in the movie, the kicker that made the field goal before halftime of the Xavier game was played by former University of Georgia kicker Billy Bennett, who is also the all-time leading scorer in the SEC.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1039 KB) Summary Self-made photo of the memorial to victims of the 1970 Marshall University football team plane crash at Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington, West Virginia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1039 KB) Summary Self-made photo of the memorial to victims of the 1970 Marshall University football team plane crash at Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington, West Virginia. ... Huntington is a city located in the U.S. State of West Virginia along the Ohio River. ... Southern Airways Flight 932 was a chartered Southern Airways DC-9 commercial jet flight. ... The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. ... Dick Bestwick (b. ... Year 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Joe McMullen was an American college football coach and collegiate athletic director. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The GMAC Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division 1-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,646-seat Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, since 1999. ... Nickname: The Azalea City Coordinates: Country US State Alabama County Mobile Founded 1702 Incorporated 1814 Government  - Mayor Sam Jones Area  - City 412. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  Ranked 30th  - Total 52,419 sq mi (135,765 km²)  - Width 190 miles (306 km)  - Length 330 miles (531 km)  - % water 3. ... A college football game between Colorado State University and the Air Force Academy. ... The Big Ten Conference is the United States oldest Division I college athletic conference. ... The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 (New Years Day) at the stadium of the same name in Pasadena, California. ... City Indianapolis, Indiana Team colors Royal Blue and White Head Coach Tony Dungy Owner Jim Irsay General manager Bill Polian Mascot Blue [1] League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1953–present) Western Conference (1953-1969) Coastal Division (1967-1969) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC East (1970-2001) AFC South... Carroll Rosenbloom (March 5, 1907 - April 2, 1979) was a colorful football owner of two teams, the Baltimore Colts and the Los Angeles Rams, now the St. ... Wichita State University (WSU) is an American state-supported university located in the middle-size city of Wichita, Kansas, in the south central part of the state. ... October 2 is the 275th day of the year (276th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... William Henry Bill Cosby, Jr. ... Monty Hall, born August 25, 1921 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as Maurice Halprin, is a Canadian-born actor, singer and sportscaster, but is best known for being the MC of popular American television game shows. ... Kate Smith on the cover of a posthumous 1991 collection 16 Most Requested Songs Kathryn Elizabeth Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986) was a Washington, D.C.-born singer best known for her rendition of Irving Berlins God Bless America. She greeted audiences with Hello, everybody! and signed... George Leslie Gobel (May 20, 1919 - February 24, 1991) was an American comedian, born in Chicago, Illinois, and known as Lonesome George. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... The Herald-Dispatch is a daily newspaper serving Huntington, West Virginia, and neighboring communities in southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky. ... Herndon Stadium named for Alonzo Herndon is on the campus of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. ... Fairfield Stadium was a stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. ... Robert Cleckler Bowden (born November 8, 1929 in Birmingham, Alabama), better known as Bobby Bowden, is the winningest coach in NCAA Division I football history with 366 career wins. ... Head Coach Bobby Bowden 31st Year, 293-81-4 Home Stadium Doak Campbell Stadium Capacity 82,300 - Grass Conference ACC - Atlantic First Year 1947 Athletic Director Dave Hart Website Seminoles. ... The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The option offense is a system of running plays in American football. ... The I formation places two backs vertically behind the quarterback. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Interstate 64 Interstate 64 (abbreviated I-64) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. ... City East Rutherford, New Jersey Other nicknames Gang Green, the Green and White Team colors Hunter Green and White Head Coach Eric Mangini Owner Woody Johnson General manager Mike Tannenbaum League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference... Chad Pennington (born June 26, 1976 in Knoxville, Tennessee) is an American football quarterback for the NFLs New York Jets. ... City Foxborough, Massachusetts Other nicknames The Pats Team colors Nautical Blue, New Century Silver, Red, and White Head Coach Bill Belichick Owner Robert Kraft General manager Bill Belichick Mascot Pat Patriot League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960–69) Eastern Division (1960–69) National Football League (1970–present) American Football... Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977 in Rand, West Virginia) is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots. ... City Jacksonville, Florida Other nicknames The Jags Team colors Teal, Black, White, and Gold Head Coach Jack Del Rio Owner Wayne Weaver General manager James Harris Mascot Jaxson de Ville League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1995–present) American Football Conference (1995-present) AFC Central (1995-2001) AFC South (2002... Byron Antron Leftwich (January 14, 1980 in Washington, DC) is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL. // Leftwich attended H.D. Woodson High School in Washington, D.C. and was a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Clint Eastwood (born Clinton Eastwood, Jr. ... Kellys Heroes is an offbeat 1970 war film about a group of enterprising World War II American soldiers. ... How I Met Your Mother is an Emmy-winning CBS sitcom that premiered on September 19, 2005. ... WSAZ-TV is a television station in Huntington, West Virginia. ... Head Coach Mark Richt 6th Year, 60-17-0 Home Stadium Sanford Stadium Capacity 92,746 - Grass Conference SEC - Eastern First Year 1892 Athletic Director Damon Evans Website georgiadogs. ... The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama which operates in the southeastern part of the United States. ...

References

External links

• Official web-site for 'We Are Marshall'
• 'We Are Marshall' at MySpace
• 'We Are Marshall' at Box Office Mojo
• Apple.com 'We Are Marshall' featurette
• We Are Marshall at Marshall University
• 'We Are Marshall' Reviews at Metacritic
• 'We Are Marshall: The Real Story' at the Herald Dispatch
• 'We Are Marshall' Theatrical Trailer