HUNTINGTON -- Mark Snyder and his family would prefer not to be home for Christmas.

Marshall University's fifth-year head football coach has had his share of spending holidays at his own residence, which equals no postseason berth. Bowl berths have escaped the Thundering Herd since 2004, a drought that could end with a victory Saturday.

Snyder's Herd, one win removed from bowl eligibility, takes on SMU at Edwards Stadium. Marshall (5-5, 3-3 Conference USA) takes on C-USA's West Division leader at 4:30 p.m. The game will not be televised.

Earning a bowl bid carries a subtle advantage beyond the obvious. An extra month's practice produces rollover momentum leading to spring practice, an annual luxury enjoyed by the program from 1991-2004.

Snyder, a former Marshall player, served as an assistant Youngstown State coach during Marshall's repeated Division I-AA championship game clashes with YSU in the early '90s.

"I was part of that at another school for five years of that and we used to just laugh because not only did we get another month of not only practice during the I-AA playoffs, but we were actually playing competition as we were getting those young guys ready," Snyder said. "We both went through it -- Youngstown and Marshall -- and that set us on our way. And then (Marshall) coach (Bobby Pruett) came in and kept that going and going to bowl games. You get that extra month of practice and it just helps tremendously.

"When you start the next year, that's when you really start to see the improvement because you get an extra spring. You're ahead of the curve.

"You're not learning and wondering the first three or four games, feeling your way through, exactly where you're at. As I look at a Southern Miss, an East Carolina, a Houston, they have that extra month we haven't had.

"And all things being relative, we've played some very close games and having had that extra month and had opportunities to win them. And would that extra month have helped? I don't know."

Snyder continued, pointing to importance of December practices for younger players, who receive added reps while veterans focus on the upcoming opponent.

"Would that have helped (redshirt freshman wide receiver) Antavious Wilson be a little better than he is right now?" Snyder asked. "Would it have helped (fellow wideout) Jamal Wilson? We could go on and on -- (tight end) Jamie Hatten, (linebacker) Kellen Harris, (defensive end) Vinny Curry -- what kind of impact would another month of coaching have helped those guys?

"Fortunately for us next year we're going to have a lot of guys coming back. Some of those freshmen are going to have to play, especially those offensive linemen.

"What a great time to get a lot of (younger players) a lot more reps. Then you get into spring ball. Then you start your season. And you know exactly where you are in all phases.

"That's a heck of an advantage."

Should Marshall reach six or seven wins, the Thundering Herd likely would land in the Dec. 29 EagleBank Bowl in Washington D.C., meaning the Snyders would not be home for the holidays.

"It would do wonders for them," Snyder said. "That gives a reward to not be home for Christmas again. That's been awful, and that's an awful thing to say. I just don't like being home for Christmas.

"The first was OK, because I hadn't been home for a long, long time for Christmas. But the second year it wears on you. Even my kids don't want to be home.

"They want a Christmas tree, in a hotel, somewhere, because that's the way they were brought up. I want that Christmas tree (in a hotel)."

Anthony Hanshew covers Marshall football for The Herald-Dispatch. He can be reached at 304-526-2766. His e-mail address is hanshew@herald-dispatch.com.

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