HUNTINGTON - The billboard reaches out and grabs you.

With one hand. A backhand, at that.

Driving along, for example, U.S. 60 from St. Albans to South Charleston, you see an outstretched arm, with a hand palming a football. But that hand is behind the football, with the arm twisted in an unnatural position.

Had to be posed, right? You can't catch a football like that, right?

Wrong.

The picture, as most Marshall fans know, is Aaron Dobson's nearly impossible backhand catch last November against East Carolina. Not only did it help the Thundering Herd capture the winner-goes-bowling game against the Pirates, it has drawn more than 2 million views on YouTube.

Shoot, there are about 20 different YouTube clips of the same play, if you need them. And a more than a few copies of the still picture, one now on billboards pushing Marshall season tickets.

Dobson himself was startled when he saw it.

"I first heard about it on Twitter," said Dobson, the 6-foot-3 Dunbar native and former South Charleston High standout. "I'm like, 'Dang, that's me on a billboard.' I mean, just seeing a lot of billboards around and me being on one of them. It's an exciting thing to see."

The board's motto, if your eyes can jump above that backhand arm, is "Catch the Moment-um." That's more than a slogan for the Herd, and for Dobson.

Last year, Vinny Curry was on those billboards, and much was expected of him. He delivered, winning Conference USA's defensive player of the year award and making game-altering plays against Southern Mississippi (safety), Rice (forced fumble) and Louisville (blocked extra point).

Curry was further rewarded by his second-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, it's Dobson's turn.

Nobody expects Dobson to top that catch, but everybody expects him to top everything else he has done. Catching 49 balls for 668 yards and 12 touchdowns, as he did last year, may be considered a disappointment by some.

Then again, if he delivers half the intangibles and the leadership that Curry did, most Herd followers won't care.

Herd coach Doc Holliday wants the entire package.

"I told Vinny the same thing last year when he came back, and now it's Aaron's turn," Holliday said. "I thought he made great progress from his sophomore to his junior year. And I think we've got to see him take that next step from his junior year to his senior year. And if he does that, he's going to have a great year for us.

"We need him to have a great year on the field, but he's got to take more of a leadership role, because he is a senior and a good player."

By several indications, Dobson did a fair job of leading as a junior. Consider freshman quarterback Rakeem Cato, who came to Marshall last summer and started nine games and won some big ones, including those over Southern Miss, Louisville and the final three opponents.

Receivers such as Dobson had to help bring Cato along, and keep his confidence up.

"You've definitely just got to get in the freshman's ear," Dobson said. "My playing wide receiver as a freshman, it was tough just transitioning; I couldn't even imagine it for a quarterback. We had some older receivers in his ear telling him, 'It's going to be good, just keep your head.' It seemed to work."

Cato agreed.

"He never mistreated me, he never bumped me down, me being so young and making mistakes," he said of Dobson. "He always lifted me up, every time. I have a bad play, he's come over and lift me up and keep my mind on a positive mindset.''

Three years ago, Dobson was looking to stay positive after losing his redshirt unexpectedly. He constantly sought advice from veterans such as Cody Slate and Mario Harvey.

Now, he is one of the faces of the program, if not THE face. On those billboards, No. 3 is No. 1.

As his fourth preseason camp began Monday, he said he has accepted the challenge.

"While I was in the weight room this summer, I was looking around and, like, 'Man, I'm one that's been here the longest.' I remember being one of the young guys looking up to people and now, I'm the guy they look up to.

"It's definitely different, but I'm looking forward to taking that role."

Reach Doug Smock at 304-348-5130, dougsm...@wvgazette.com or follow him at twitter.com/dougsmock.