ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Today, the circle becomes complete for Evan McKelvey and D.J. Hunter.
Those are the two veterans, the graybeards of Marshall’s football, and they are making their second visit to the St. Petersburg Bowl. They were redshirting freshmen in 2011, when a very young Marshall team took out Florida International 20-10.
They remember Aaron Dobson’s two touchdown catches, including a gutsy game-sealer on fourth-and-5 late in the game. They remember the unusual sight of Tyson Gale and others saluting Herd fans sitting behind home plate at Tropicana Field.
The Herd was playing — and winning — its second bowl as a 6-6 team in three years.