MARSHALL UNIVERSITY TO FACE OHIO UNIVERSITY

IN 2009 LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA BOWL

As told by Raymond Rolak, past President of the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association

DETROIT— At Ford Field this past week, the festivities got in full swing for the promotion of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. As part of the December meeting of the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association, Lloyd Carr helped kick off the Little Caesars Bowl preview luncheon. “I am so proud to help generate energy for this event today, as this will be so special for these football players. Remember, the college football bowls are a reward for the participants. Football bowl games are celebrations. We salute the players for their excellence of effort. They deserve our acknowledgements,” said Carr. The former University of Michigan coach is now President of the Board of Directors of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

All local Little Caesars Pizza outlets are running contests for luxury packages to the game. The Marshall University Thundering Herd will play the MAC East Champion Ohio University Bobcats on Saturday, December 26, at 1:00 pm at Ford Field.

“This will be the in place for a post Christmas destination,” said Will Tieman, president elect for the DSBA. He added, “These teams, the rivalry and new events make it easy for anyone to be an ambassador for Detroit and this event.”

The Ohio Bobcats will be making their first appearance in the Bowl, after having played at Ford Field in their conference championship game against Central Michigan last week. The Thundering Herd will be making their fifth appearance in the Detroit area Bowl.

“The schools’ campuses are less than 90 minutes apart, and from what I have already heard, the teams, supporters and alumni are enthusiastic about renewing their rivalry. Detroit is also a great destination for visitors. We have new activities and it is so convenient for football fans in Ohio, Illinois, and Ontario. For all of the Mid-West, Detroit is an easy destination. Plus we have the new hotels,” said Bowl Executive Director Ken Hoffman.

Ohio Director of Athletics, Jim Schaus, announced a new six year scheduling agreement for football starting next season with Marshal. The two schools are one of the storied rivals in NCAA history in all sports because of their proximity. Whatever the Ohio vs. Marshall athletic contest is, men’s or women’s, it is always an intense event.

“We couldn’t be more ecstatic about coming back to Detroit, and getting to play a longtime rival – Marshall, in the bowl that we most wanted to play in. It’s very close to our base. We have more than 120,000 Ohio alumni within a five-hour drive of Detroit,” added Schaus. I can’t think of a better way to kick off our new scheduling agreement than at Ford Field,” he continued.

Bowl CEO, George Perles said, “This is a real compliment to the Detroit Metro Convention Bureau and the Detroit Sports Commission and Ford Field. We are all working together.” 2009 also marks the bowl’s thirteenth consecutive year in metro Detroit.

Little Caesars Pizza, which is celebrating its 50 th anniversary this year, is in its first year as title sponsor for the bowl. For the first 12 years, the game was called the Motor City Bowl.

“We are eager to watch these talented players compete in the first Little Caesars Pizza Bowl,” said David Scrivano, president of Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. “Little Caesars looks forward to enhancing the experience for the players and the fans with special events and national promotions. We are promoting the game all over the country thru our stores. Pizza and football make a great combination,” added a smiling Scrivano.

The big announcement was the pregame festivities that will be at adjacent Comerica Park. “We will have the largest Pizza-Party next door with all kinds of entertainment and reduced prices on refreshments,” said Scrivano. Both Marshall and Ohio marching bands will be performing at Comerica.

The MAC East Champion Bobcats bring a 9 - 4 record, the Mid-American Conference’s number three pass defense, and the conference’s top positive turnover margin, into the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. The Thundering Herd brings a

6 - 6 record and Conference USA’s fourth-rated defense into the game.

At the luncheon, Ohio’s Taylor Price and Marshall’s Albert McClellan were the featured players.

The MAC East Champion Bobcats are led by Price, the university’s all-time leader in career catches. Also, LaVon Brazill, the MAC’s top punt returner and running back Chris Garrett, who led the MAC in kickoff return yardage.

Ohio is coached by former Nebraska Head Coach Frank Solich. During the question and answer period, Solich said, “Price is the best wide receiver that I have ever coached and he will be a top pick in the NFL next year.” Solich smiled and added, “And don’t think while I am here in Detroit that I won’t do some recruiting. This is fertile football land. We are so very happy to be here. We love this Detroit exposure. We are so excited to represent the MAC.”

The enthusiasm was high for the other team also. “We’re excited to play in a bowl that we participated in many times, during its years at the Pontiac Silverdome,” said Marshall Director of Athletics, Mike Hamrick. “Our teams and our fans have had great experiences here in the past. And this year, getting to compete against our big rival in Detroit, on national TV . . . it will be great Christmas fun for our program and supporters.”

McClellan, a defensive end, is a past Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. T he Thundering Herd are also highlighted by tight end Cody Slate and running back Darius Marshall, who had 11 touchdowns on the season.

Marshall will be coached by Interim Head Coach Rick Minter. “This is our big rival, we have the experience and I look forward to the task. We will be ready,” said Minter.

The Herd played seven bowl-eligible football teams in 2009, including the nationally-ranked Virginia Tech and West Virginia. The Bobcats played six bowl-bound football teams in 2009, including SEC power Tennessee and the University of Connecticut, from the Big East.

MAC Champion Central Michigan chose to play in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Last year, Florida Atlantic beat Central Michigan 24 – 21, before 41,399 fans.

Gates at Ford Field will open at 11:30 a.m., on game day. Pre-game festivities will begin at 12:30p.m.

The pre-game Pizza-Party at Comerica Park will open at 11:00 a.m. Both school’s marching bands will attend.

Tickets are also on sale at the Ford Field Box Office and at the Ohio and Marshall University athletic ticket offices.

Doug Chapman, current ESPN PLUS and former Minnesota Vikings running back summed it up saying, “My visits to Detroit with Marshall to play in this Bowl are some of my best football memories.” Native Detroiter and play-by-play partner Michael Reghi concluded, “I have been to Bowl games all over the country and I take the greatest pleasure, coming to this game.”

Press Release Published on December 23, 2009