Former UNLV AD is a popular guy at Marshall

Sometimes a change of scenery can do a guy a lot of good.

Mike Hamrick, the former UNLV athletic director who was not exactly revered by a lot of people around here, apparently is revered by a lot of people around Marshall.

It has been announced by the Marshall people that director of athletics Hamrick — as well as Thundering Herd football coach John “Doc” Holliday — will receive six-year contract extensions that will pay them more money than what they are being paid now.

It would seem the best way to make an impression on people — or get them all riled up — is to secure funds for a new soccer stadium. That was listed among Hamrick’s top Marshall accomplishments, in addition to him once having played linebacker for the Herd.

A new athletic training and football practice complex also was mentioned, as were home-and-home football games against Purdue, Louisville, North Carolina State and Pittsburgh.

The news release said the Marshall players also are getting better grades since Hamrick returned home, but only after the new soccer stadium was mentioned.