Editor’s Note: This list consists of Defensive Linemen that played only during the FBS Era, which is 1997 – Present! All-time greats like Billy Lyon, Cecil Fletcher, Tony Bolland, and others that played before 1997 are not eligible to be ranked because they did not play in this timeframe that Trace Johnson is using for the rankings. This is part of a series where Trace Johnson is ranking all positions from 1997 through now. Here are links to the Quarterbacks , Running Backs, and Wide Receiver lists.
Controlling the trenches is one of the most important aspects of a football game and you can’t put a price on having a strong defensive line. Marshall has had some outstanding defensive line play over the years that feasted on opposing quarterbacks and running backs. The FBS era has seen its fair share, but how do these fantastic defensive linemen rank? Here are the top 10 defensive linemen in the FBS era of Marshall football based on a mixture of career numbers, personal accolades, impact on the program, longevity, and sustained success.
#10 – Owen Porter
No Marshall player in recent memory has summed up what it means to be a member of the Herd quite like Owen Porter. The former Spring Valley Timberwolves standout decided to stay home for college and developed into one of the best Marshall defensive linemen in school history. Porter’s five years with the program from 2019-2023 saw steady improvement every season and his presence on the team continued to grow and grow.
He had seven total tackles and one tackle for loss in 2019, but continued to get better from there, racking up 14 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks in 2020. Porter’s 2021 season was solid as he finished with 39 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. His 2022 campaign, however, saw him take his game to another level. Porter finished with 60 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery to earn first-team all-conference honors.
He decided to come back for the 2023 season and it paid off, accounting for 62 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks, and two forced fumbles to earn first-team all-conference honors again. Porter finished his Marshall career with 182 total tackles, 42 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, one interception, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He was the epitome of consistency for the Marshall defense and made the most out of every snap he played, creating a lasting legacy in the process.
#9 – Ralph Street
The Herd’s defensive line, like everything else at the time, was stellar in the late-90’s and early-2000’s. There was supreme talent all over the field, and Ralph Street was a prominent member of the Herd in his own right. Street was an anchor of the defense for four years from 1998-2001 and just kept finding ways to make plays and improve. He dealt with having to earn playing time early on given the depth and talent the defensive line had, but he started making an impact, nonetheless.
Street had a solid 1999 season and led the Herd in sacks with 5.5 while helping lead Marshall to its best season in school history. He continued to improve from there with another stellar season in 2000, finishing with 14 tackles for loss and once again leading the team in sacks, this time with eight. Street’s final season with Marshall in 2001 was his best as he accounted for 72 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 16 quarterback hurries to earn first-team all-conference honors.
All in all, Street ranks among the best in Marshall history in multiple categories. He is number 18 all-time in Marshall history with tackles for loss with 33 during his career. Street is also number 13 all-time in sacks with 17. And wouldn’t you know it, he returned to where it all started long after his playing days and has served as the Herd’s defensive line coach over the past three seasons. There’s no denying Street has made a big difference to Marshall football and he continues to give back at a high level to this day.
#8 – Ryan Bee
He came out of nowhere as a freshman and four years later, Ryan Bee had his legacy cemented as one of the best defensive players in program history. Bee emerged mid-season in 2015 as a starter and never looked back as he made life difficult for C-USA offenses for years. He racked up 59 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, and three fumble recoveries during his freshman season to earn a spot on the conference all-freshman team.
Bee continued to impress in 2016, finishing with 54 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery to earn an all-conference honorable mention honor. He kept the momentum going in 2017 as he finished with 51 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks to earn second-team all-conference honors. Bee’s senior season in 2018 closed out his stellar career in style with 36 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles to earn second-team all-conference honors again.
During his four years with the Herd, Bee accounted for 200 total tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, 18 sacks (12th most in program history), two forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries. Not many players were as consistent as what Bee was, and that level of consistency hasn’t been forgotten in Huntington.
#7 – Paul Toviessi
here weren’t many Marshall defensive players as feared or respected as Paul Toviessi. From 1997-2000, Toviessi ran roughshod over opposing offenses and blazed a trail through Huntington while impacting the program significantly. Despite dealing with injury issues over the course of his career, he managed to put up all-time great numbers for the Herd in multiple categories.
Toviessi struggled with injury early in his career, but he persevered nonetheless and developed into a true force on the defensive line. He had a big season in 1999, highlighted with 11 tackles for loss and earning first-team all-conference honors. Toviessi went on with a bang during his senior season in 2000, putting together another impressive season.
He finished that season with 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks to once again earn first-team all-conference honors. Over the course of his career, Toviessi racked up 42 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks, good for 11th and tied for 14th all-time in program history, respectively. Despite battling through adversity that would have broken some, Toviessi overcame and became one of the Herd’s best defensive players.
#6 – Jamus Martin
Marshall was deep with talent along the defensive line in the early-2000’s and Jamus Martin was a guy that always made plays. From 2001-2004, Martin put up all-time great numbers for the Herd and gave the defense a stellar playmaker week in and week out. It took some time for him to get on the field, but as a sophomore in 2002, he quickly showed he was a force on defense. Martin led the Herd in tackles for loss with 19, was third on the team in sacks with five, and was third on the team with 100 total tackles to earn second-team all-conference honors.
The 2003 season was much of the same, finishing third on the team with 15 tackles for loss and leading the team in sacks with 6.5 to earn first-team all-conference honors. Martin’s senior season in 2004 was another strong one as he accounted for 13.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks to earn a second-team all-conference honor.
Martin is number eight in program history with 47.5 tackles for loss and number nine all-time in sacks with 19.5. He is also tied for sixth all-time with seven forced fumbles. The common Marshall fan might not recognize just how productive Martin was over his four-year career in Huntington, but he played a key role in the defense for a long time that still holds up in the record books to this day.
#5 – Albert McClellan
Marshall was still a fresh member of C-USA by the time Albert McClellan arrived in Huntington, but the Herd found out quickly it had something special. McClellan’s first season with the Herd came in 2005 and even as a freshman, he made his presence known and that would be a sign of things to come. He finished his debut campaign with 40 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble while being named to the conference all-freshman team.
To say McClellan built on a solid freshman season would be an understatement as he had a career-best year in 2006. He accounted for 77 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles while being named a first-team all-conference performer and the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. Unfortunately, he was injured in preseason camp heading into the 2007 season and missed the entire season. However, he was ready to pick up right where he left off with a stellar 2008 season.
He finished with 59 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks to earn first-team all-conference honors again. McClellan wrapped up a fantastic Marshall career in 2009 by finishing the season with 54 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles to earn second-team all-conference honors. He went on to have a successful 10-year NFL career after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010.
McClellan finished his Herd career with 230 total tackles, 42 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, 11 passes defended, seven forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He is number 12 in Marshall history in tackles for loss, number eight in sacks, and tied for sixth in forced fumbles and was inducted into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020. McClellan was undoubtedly a dominant player for the Herd for a long time and parlayed it into a stellar, two-time Super Bowl Champion career in the NFL.
#4 – Giradie Mercer
He was there for the Herd’s most successful period in its football history and Giradie Mercer was a beast from day one. Marshall went 50-4 from 1996-1999 and Mercer was a major catalyst for the defensive success the team had during those years. He burst onto the scene in the Herd’s final season at the FCS level in 1996, but as the program made the transition to the FBS, his play continued to get better.
Mercer started becoming an all-conference player in 1998 when he led the team with 16 tackles for loss en route to a first-team all-conference season. His senior season in 1999 was special for not just the team, but for Mercer himself. He led the team with 26 tackles for loss (tied for third most in program history for a single season) and also added five sacks as well to once again earn first-team all-conference honors.
Over the course of his four years with the program, Mercer finished with 55 career tackles for loss, which is good for fifth all-time in Marshall history. He was inducted into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019. Mercer was an absolute force on the Marshall defensive line for four years and his time in Huntington won’t be forgotten any time soon.
#3 – B.J. Cohen
Statistically speaking, you could make the argument that B.J. Cohen is the greatest defensive lineman in Marshall football history. From 1994-1997, Cohen absolutely dominated like no other Herd defensive lineman before him and while most of his run was in the FCS era of the program, his lone season at the FBS level was just as outstanding.
It started out strong during Cohen’s freshman season in 1994 as he led the Herd in tackles for loss and sacks with 16 and 12 respectively, earning first-team all-conference honors. His 1995 season was big time as well, finishing with 103 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 16 sacks to earn first-team all-conference honors again. Cohen was a beast again in Marshall’s final season at the FCS level in 1996 with 113 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and nine sacks to earn first-team all-conference honors for the third straight season. Cohen was there as the program made the move to the FBS in 1997 and his game didn’t waver in the slightest.
He finished with a career-high 26 tackles for loss and 14 sacks to earn first-team all-conference honors for the fourth time in his career, but this time in the FBS. Cohen’s career was dazzling, finishing with 369 total tackles, 80 tackles for loss, 51 sacks, and six forced fumbles. He is number one all-time in program history in tackles for loss and sacks and was inducted into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. Cohen was the single most dominant defensive player of the 1990’s for Marshall and despite only playing in the FBS one season, his dominance carried over and he holds program records that may never be broken.
#2 – Jonathan Goddard
No player dominated in the early-to-mid 2000’s quite like Johnathan Goddard. His career with Marshall from 2001-2004 was nothing short of sensational and he not only took the Herd and the MAC by storm, but he took the nation by storm as well. It took him a season to really get going, but Goddard started making a big difference in 2002 as he finished with 14.5 tackles for loss. His 2003 season was even better, accounting for 20.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and two fumble return touchdowns.
As good as he already was by the time he was a senior, Goddard’s senior season in 2004 could be argued as the single greatest season for a defensive player in program history. He finished with 28.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one fumble return for a touchdown, and one interception return for a touchdown to earn first-team all-conference honors, the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, a consensus first-team All-American, and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Over the course of his career, Goddard finished with 66.5 tackles for loss, 27.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and three fumble returns for touchdowns. He is number two all-time in program history in tackles for loss (the most for any player that only played in the FBS), number three in sacks, tied for first in forced fumbles, and tied for third in fumble recoveries. Goddard’s 28.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, five forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries in 2004 are good for second, tied for second, third, and tied for fifth respectively in program history for a single season. He is also number one all-time in fumble returns for touchdowns.
He was a generational talent on the defensive line and made his mark as good, or better, than anybody else in program history.
Honorable Mentions
Ron Puggi
In the late-90’s, Ron Puggi was a big-time focal point for the Herd’s defensive line. He was a guy that fit in perfectly with an already-stellar unit and he helped put it over the top. Puggi was consistent throughout his career for the Herd and earned two second-team all-conference honors in 1998 and 1999, but his 1998 campaign was arguably his best as he finished with 10 tackles for loss and a team-leading five sacks. He helped make the defensive line even better and Puggi had a lot of production for the Herd throughout his time in Huntington.
Orlando Washington
Man, West Virginia produced one of Marshall’s better defensive linemen of the early-2000’s in Orlando Washington. Washington was a true behemoth on the football field and carved out an impressive career in Huntington. He had a stellar 2001 season led by 11 tackles for loss to earn a second-team all-conference honor. Washington had more success in his final season in 2002 with 12 tackles for loss and a team-leading five sacks to earn second-team all-conference honors again. His 45 career tackles for loss are ninth in program history and his five career fumble recoveries are good for a tie for sixth in program history. Washington was a force for the Herd and one that could always be counted on to make plays.
Darius Hodge
He had a coming out party of sorts late in 2018 and two years later, Darius Hodge was one of the best defensive linemen in C-USA. Hodge had a seemingly modest 2018 season with 13 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks, but he was just getting started in Huntington. He had a stellar 2019 season with 41 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks to earn an all-conference honorable mention honor. Hodge peaked in 2020 with 63 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks to earn first-team all-conference honors. He ended his career with 117 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and 15.5 sacks to lay claim as being one of Marshall’s best defensive players in recent memory.
#1 – Vinny Curry
Occasionally, there are true ambassadors for a football program that come along and change life for their school. Without a moment of hesitation, Vinny Curry is one of those people for Marshall football. Curry’s rise to superstardom for the Herd from 2008-2011 was special to see play out and what he’s done for the program after his playing days is just as important and commendable. He saw limited action as a freshman in 2008 with nine total tackles and a half a tackle for loss.
However, he turned things up as a sophomore in 2009 with 59 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks while earning an all-conference honorable mention honor. Curry’s final two seasons with the Herd were straight domination, starting in 2010 with 94 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, and two forced fumbles to earn all-conference first-team honors for the first time. He took things to another level in 2011 when he closed out his four years in Huntington with a C-USA Defensive Player of the Year campaign.
Curry finished the 2011 season with 77 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and seven forced fumbles while being named a first-team all-conference performer and a consensus All-American. His incredible four years with the Herd ended with 239 career tackles, 49 tackles for loss (seventh in program history), 26.5 sacks (fourth in program history), 10 forced fumbles (third in program history), and two fumble recoveries. His seven forced fumbles in 2011 is the Marshall record for a single season.
The NFL came calling and Curry was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2012 NFL Draft where he has enjoyed a decade-plus long, Super Bowl winning career. He never forgets where he came from and always gives back to Marshall every chance he gets. The Vinny Curry Football Locker Room debuted in 2017 as a state-of-the-art locker room facility and is one of many examples of his giving nature. Curry was inducted into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022. Very few individuals have ever impacted Marshall football to the level that Curry has and he leaves an indelible legacy that is still being written in Huntington.
I’ll never forget the Rice game where he went off in 2011 I believe. Got to witness that game in person.