When the Howard University Bison football team takes the field each week, they arrive ready — uniforms pressed, helmets gleaming, every sideline detail in place. What most fans don’t see is the 45,000 pounds of equipment that gets them there — or the man who makes sure it all does. 

For the last five years, Eryk Marsh, a 56-year-old Washington, D.C., native and retired D.C. Fire Department lieutenant, has been the quiet force behind Howard University football. Marsh manages the team’s logistics — everything from helmets and shoulder pads to medical trunks, communications gear, benches, and kicking nets — basically everything needed from when the team arrives at a stadium to after the final seconds tick off the game clock. With his five-person crew, Marsh drives thousands of miles each season to ensure the team has everything it needs to perform. 

“If I don’t get there, there won’t be no game,” Marsh says matter-of-factly, but with a laugh. “You can imagine the stress that puts on me and my team to make sure that truck is secure, and we arrive on time.” 

This season has been especially grueling for Marsh. The Bison have yet to play a game at home in Greene Stadium, meaning every weekend has meant another haul: Miami, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Connecticut, and most recently Nashville. Marsh and his crew loaded up after last Thursday’s practice, drove through the night with a pit stop in Virginia and started driving to Nashville Friday morning. When they arrived that afternoon, they went straight to Nissan Stadium, where the Howard versus Tennessee State University game was played Saturday afternoon. The 20-hour roundtrip trek was Marsh’s second longest trip this season. In late August, they drove 16 hours each way to Miami for the Orange Blossom Classic.  

If I don’t get there, there won’t be no game.

The precision behind each trip borders on military strategy. Marsh’s team adheres to Department of Transportation regulations, plans rest stops, and coordinates with hotels and stadiums for secure overnight parking. 

“Safety is always first,” Marsh said. “Every destination is well planned. And, because we stay within DOT guidelines, I can proudly say that in five years we haven’t had a single major issue. That is a blessing” 

That reliability doesn’t go unnoticed. 

“Eryk is one of the people who make things go,” says Head Coach Larry Scott. “He and his team set the tone for professionalism. They make sure our players walk into every stadium ready to compete, with everything they need to perform like the champions we aspire to be.” 

Marsh’s sense of duty runs deep. A graduate of Eastern High School, he grew up near Hechinger Mall in Northeast D.C. and served 25 years in the D.C. Fire Department before retiring as a lieutenant. His transition to logistics was unexpected — born from a chance delivery to Howard’s equipment manager VanDyke Jones during the pandemic. 

“I made a delivery one day and VanDyke asked if I’d be interested in transporting the team’s equipment,” Marsh said. “That first year was a learning experience — setting up player bags, putting up kicking nets, knowing which position gets which warm-up gear. But I learned quick. It really has kept me going, kept me young.” 

Marsh has a small but mighty team — three drivers and two who travel by air or bus with the team — all part of the football program’s extended family.  

“It truly is a team effort,” Marsh said. “In the world I work in, there’s no ‘I’ in team, so we all rely on one another to get to our shared goal — creating an environment where the young men who play the game and even the young men and women who work in support roles with the team can feel like they are getting the opportunity to experience what it’s like on the professional level. We’re preparing them for success beyond their time on campus.” 

This season, the team has played in four NFL stadiums — Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, and Nashville’s Nissan Stadium — something that Marsh, a lifelong fan of the Washington Commanders, finds exciting. And even though some may think it’s cool that he gets to travel to so many different cities, Marsh admits that the responsibilities of his job and need for a quick turnover make it a challenge to enjoy the cities he visits.  

“The travel is both exhausting and rewarding. But the most memorable moment for me was when we played in the Celebration Bowl [in 2023],” Marsh said. “Standing on the same field where the pros play [Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium], meeting their staff, seeing how they operate — that was special. Every place we go, honestly, people treat us with respect. We’re very fortunate.”  

We want them to feel like professionals. That’s our goal — to help them be the best young men they can be

This week, Marsh and the team finally return home for the first game at Greene Stadium this season, fittingly enough for Homecoming. Since the first week of the season, Marsh has logged more than 5,000 miles — each one a testament to his dedication and precision. After all, for Marsh, it’s not just about moving gear. 

“We strive to make sure our players have everything they need so they can go out and perform,” he says. “We want them to feel like professionals. That’s our goal — to help them be the best young men they can be.” 

And with Marsh behind the wheel, Howard’s football team always stays on track — mile after mile.