The yellow-rimmed glasses, the cocked eyebrow of disappointment, the vein that looks like it’s about to burst from his forehead — all of the things one may notice about Gregg Marshall before thinking, “My God he’s a good coach.”

It can be easy to get caught up in the whirlwind that is Shocker basketball, constantly praising or insulting the actions of Marshall, who is always in the limelight.

Like other community figures, coaches can be held to a higher standard that includes how successful they are both in sport and character.

Andru Hull, a student and basketball fan at Wichita State, weighed in on how a coach’s actions and personality can affect fans.

“I think it’s important, especially for the non-diehards,” Hull said. “The coaches are the fixture for the university, while the players cycle out every four years. So it’s going to matter way more.”

This comment stirred up an intense debate among Hull and his friends, begging the question of what matters more: winning or character.

Regardless of which judgment one chooses, Marshall seems to have quite a fan base, including those who have known him personally, such as coaches and players who seem to champion for him.

One former Shocker basketball player, Jamar Howard, was not only thrilled for Marshall and WSU’s success, but was also very pleased in how Marshall — who had never coached him — treated Howard.

“I’ve talked to Marshall a few times before,” Howard said. “He’s a great guy. He’s a people person. I love him.”

Howard said that not only did Marshall help him feel welcome in coming back to Wichita, but also helped him get back in school in order to receive his criminal justice degree.

The accolades for Marshall don’t stop there.

In the transition from Mark Turgeon to Marshall eight years ago, Marshall’s coaching style could have been felt as abrasive rather than tough for the players that experienced this evolution.

P.J. Couisnard, who was one of those players, reflected on his time with Marshall and his relationship with the coach.

“Playing for Coach Marshall, I loved every minute of it,” Couisnard said. “The offseason was crazy, but he was like Coach Boyle with so much energy and so much passion for the game.”

Because Couisnard’s time with Marshall was brief, he said he would have appreciated extra time with the coach.

“I would’ve loved to have played for him a couple more years,” Couisnard said.

Couisnard had one of his best years of scoring under Marshall. He mentioned if Marshall had not shaken things up after Turgeon left, WSU wouldn’t be as advanced as they are now.

Despite WSU acquiring a national face and audience, it is up to Marshall to maintain the image that Shocker basketball has projected to America.

Furthermore, Marshall is a representation of WSU and will be remembered for his coaching and his character.

A pristine example of this lack of division between coach and university could be the association of Indiana and coach Bob Knight or Duke and coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Beneficial for Marshall, citizens across Wichita praise his respectability and inclusion of fans, his work with local and national charities and his ability to bring a entire city together.

In the end, Marshall’s past players confirm what most of us already know: he is a great coach and an even better person.