We Are Marshall (2006)

When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the team's new coach and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive.

Director:

McG

Writers:

Jamie Linden (screenplay), Cory Helms (story)

Stars:

Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew McConaughey	...	Jack Lengyel
Matthew Fox	...	Red Dawson
Anthony Mackie	...	Nate Ruffin
David Strathairn	...	President Dedmon
Ian McShane	...	Paul Griffen
Kate Mara	...	Annie Cantrell
January Jones	...	Carole Dawson
Kimberly Williams-Paisley	...	Sandy Lengyel
Arlen Escarpeta	...	Reggie Oliver
Brian Geraghty	...	Tom Bogdan
Tommy Cresswell	...	Gene Morehouse
Christian Kanupke	...	Young Keith Morehouse
Nina Jones	...	Mrs. Morehouse
Kevin Atkins	...	George Olson
Mark Patton	...	Bill James

Storyline

In November, 1970, virtually the entire football team and coaches of Marshall University (Huntington, W.V.) die in a plane crash. That spring, led by Nate Ruffin, a player who was ill and missed the fatal flight, students rally to convince the board of governors to play the 1971 season. The college president, Don Dedman, must find a coach, who then must find players. They petition the NCAA to allow freshmen to play, and coach Jack Lengyel motivates and leads young players at the same time that he reexamines the Lombardi creed that winning is the only thing. The father and the fiancée of a player who died find strength to move on. Can Marshall win even one game in 1971?

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Plot Keywords:

football | university | coach | marshall university | football team | 

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Taglines:

He took a position nobody else wanted, for a team nobody else believed in. Together, they pulled off a miracle nobody else could stop talking about.

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for emotional thematic material, a crash scene, and mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Marshall University Football Project

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,114,264, 24 December 2006

Gross USA:

$43,545,364

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,545,364

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Thunder Road Pictures, Legendary Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

131 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film premiered in Huntington, WV, on December 12, 2006, followed by a Hollywood premiere on December 14. Both used a green carpet, the Marshall University school color, instead of the traditional red. Stars in attendance included: Basil Iwanyk, director McG, writer Jamie Linden, Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie, Arlen Escarpeta, Kate Mara, and Dalton Polston. Real-life coaches Jack Lengyel and Red Dawson also attended.

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Goofs

When Nate Ruffin and a varsity player talk on the roof of a campus building, the new Library and Football Stadium, built in the 1990s, are visible in the background. The stadium appears only once, and is edited out of subsequent shots. It doesn't appear in the DVD version.

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Quotes

Red Dawson: We got a huge problem on the O line, Coach.
Jack Lengyel: Mm-hmm. I don't think it's because the defensive line is... so spectacular.
Red Dawson: No. No.

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits, not even a title.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Matthew McConaughey Performances (2012)

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Soundtracks

The Love You Save
Written by Berry Gordy, Fonce Mizell (as Alphonso Mizell), Freddie Perren and Deke Richards
Performed by Jackson 5
Courtesy of Motown Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Good flick

As sick as I am of football flicks this year I must admit I rather enjoyed this film. Mainly because of the great performance of its lead. He does a great job as the weird coach that is so offbeat and positive that this town that is healing from the biggest tragedy it has ever known,just does not know have to take him. Mcg also proves he can direct something that is not flashy and slick. It will be a great film for families to see together and it does a good job pulling on the old heartstrings. Matthew Fox also does great as the assistant coach who lived through it all and has many demons to face. WE ARE MARSHELL is the best film of its kind since Remember the Titans.