— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall’s football players say they’re glad that an unplanned off week has passed as they prepare for a visit from North Carolina State.
The Herd (2-0) has wins over Miami (Ohio) and Eastern Kentucky, while the Wolfpack (2-0) beat James Madison and Georgia State. Both teams were indirect victims of Hurricane Florence last weekend — Marshall was to have played at South Carolina, while N.C. State was to have hosted West Virginia.
It’s highly unlikely either game will be made up this season.
Marshall junior safety Malik Gant says the unplanned off days weren’t wasted.
“We just took it as a couple of extra days to prepare for N.C. State,” Gant said. “It felt like a bowl game when you have some extra days to get prepared.”
Gant, who had 17 tackles against N.C. State last season in his first career start, says the Herd’s defense is readying for anything from the Wolfpack offense, led by senior quarterback Ryan Finley.
“They got us on a lot of trick plays last year, so we have to be ready for that,” Gant said. “They like to take advantage of people, especially if they’re undisciplined on defense.”
Marshall lost to N.C. State in Raleigh last season, 37-20, in a game the Herd led 20-10 at one point in the second quarter.
The Wolfpack leads the all-time series with Marshall 4-0, with all games before this week being played in Raleigh, N.C.
The 2017 game was the breakout performance for Herd senior wide receiver Tyre Brady, who had 248 yards and a touchdown against N.C. State, setting a record for most receiving yards by a Wolfpack opponent at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Brady expects to get plenty of attention from Wolfpack defenders on Saturday night.
“I would think they would double cover and bracket me,” Brady said. “We have a lot of guys on our team who can make plays so they have to account for them, so if they put too much attention on me, that should open them up for plays.”
Marshall defenders face a major challenge in slowing down Finley, considered by many a possible first-round selection in next year’s NFL Draft.
Herd senior linebacker Frankie Hernandez understands the challenge of stopping the veteran.
“We’ve got to slow him down by sending people on him,” Hernandez said. “We get people to him and he’ll try to make tough plays.”
Finley has a solid supporting cast, including senior tailback Reggie Gallaspy Jr. and receivers Kelvin Harmon, Stephen Louis and Jakobi Meyers.
Other than his first start, Saturday’s contest is the first big test for Marshall’s redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Green, who is hoping to grow a bit more in the position this week.
“I just need to be consistent on my reads, making sure I’m picking up the blitzes and protecting myself,” Green said. I’ve got to get the ball in the hands of my playmakers and let them make plays.”
N.C. State is the first Power 5 conference opponent to visit Huntington since Purdue came to Joan C. Edwards Stadium in 2015. The Boilermakers lost that game to Marshall 41-31 in front of more than 38,000 fans.
Another large crowd is expected at “The Joan” on Saturday, which excites Gant, but he knows his team can’t get too excited.
“I think that everybody is on the edge of their seat and are ready to get back on the field,” Gant said. “It’s going to be a big game and everybody is anxious to play it.”
Tight end departs
Marshall’s tight end numbers have decreased by one as Point Pleasant native and redshirt sophomore Cody Mitchell has decided to leave the program.
Mitchell started against Miami and saw playing time in both games this season, but he caught no passes while fellow tight ends Xavier Gaines and Armani Levias made a combined seven grabs against Miami and Eastern Kentucky.