Marshall signs WVU's Holliday to five-year deal

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick says West Virginia assistant John "Doc" Holliday has signed a five-year contract to coach the Thundering Herd.

Hamrick says Holliday will be paid $600,000 per season. The school has scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. ET Thursday to introduce Holliday.

Holliday, 52, replaces Mark Snyder, who resigned Nov. 29 after going 22-37 in five seasons.

It's the first head coaching job for Holliday after three decades as an assistant, most of them with the Mountaineers. He has the task of restoring respectability to a program that hasn't had a winning season since 2003.

Defensive coordinator Rick Minter will coach Marshall (6-6) in the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 26.