Timeline of MU Coach Bobby Pruett's life and career

1943: Pruett is born in Beckley, W.Va.

1961: Pruett graduates from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley and joins the Marshall University football team as a halfback for coach Charlie Snyder.

1962: Pruett moves from the offensive backfield to end. He catches 24 passes for 442 yards and four touchdowns over the next two years.

1965: Pruett graduates from Marshall University with a bachelor's degree in social studies and physical education. He signs with the Dallas Cowboys and plays for five years with the semi-pro Virginia Sailors (later known as the Roanoke Redskins).

1979-1980: Pruett serves as defensive backs coach at Marshall.

1981-1982: Pruett serves at defense coordinator at Marshall.

1983-1984: Pruett serves at defensive backs coach at Wake Forest.

1985-1986: Pruett serves as defense coordinator at Wake Forest.

1987: Pruett serves as defensive backs coach at Wake Forest.

1988: Pruett serves as defense coordinator at Wake Forest.

1989: Pruett serves as defensive backs coach at Wake Forest.

1990-1991: Pruett serves as defensive backs coach at Mississippi.

1992-1993: Pruett serves as defense coordinator at Tulane.

1994-1995: Pruett serves as defensive coordinator at Florida.

1996: Marshall names Pruett head football coach, and the Thundering Herd wins the NCAA Division I-AA championship with a 49-29 victory over Montana. Pruett receives both the Chevrolet and Frank Leahy National Coach of the Year awards and is named West Virginia collegiate coach of the year. Pruett becomes the second coach in history to post 15 victories and an undefeated and untied season during his first season as head football coach.

1997: The Herd wins the Mid-American Conference championship with a 34-14 victory against Toledo. He also is named national coach of the year by National Coach of the Year Clinics Inc. Pruett is named West Virginia collegiate coach of the year for the second straight year.

1998: The Herd wins the Mid-American Conference championship for the second consecutive year with a 23-17 victory -- its second -- against Toledo; the team goes on to take the Motor City Bowl with a 48-29 victory against Louisville. Pruett is named West Virginia collegiate coach of the year for the third consecutive year and Mid-American Conference coach of the year. The Herald-Dispatch names him citizen of the year.

1999: The Herd captures the Motor City Bowl championship for the second consecutive year with a 21-3 victory over Brigham Young; Pruett is inducted into Marshall's Athletic Hall of Fame, receives the Atlanta Touchdown Club's Frank Sinkwich National Coach of the Year Award and the All-American Football Foundation's Johnny Vaught Lifetime Achievement Award, is named Mid-American Conference coach of the year, The Herald-Dispatch sportsman of the year, the Charleston Gazette's West Virginia coach of the year, District VII coach of the year, and finalist for the Paul W. "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award. He is named West Virginia collegiate coach of the year for the fourth consecutive year.

2000: The Herd takes the Motor City Bowl championship for the third consecutive year with a 25-14 victory over Cincinnati.

2001: Pruett's Herd wins the GMAC Bowl with a cliffhanging, double-overtime 64-61 victory over East Carolina, moving Pruett past legendary coach Cam Henderson into the top spot in career football coaching victories all-time at Marshall.

2002: The Herd takes the GMAC Bowl championship for the second consecutive year with a 38-15 victory over Louisville.

2003: Pruett receives Marshall's College of Education and Human Services Distinguished Alumni Award.

2005: Pruett announces his retirement.