—By Bill Cornwell
Conference USA football competition gets started Saturday night for Marshall and Western Kentucky in Bowling Green, Ky. as the Herd and Hilltoppers renew their rivalry.
Game time at Houchens-Smith Stadium is 7:30 p.m.
The teams come into the game heading in different directions — Marshall trying to rebound from last week’s 37-20 home loss to the North Carolina State Wolfpack, while WKU is hoping to maintain momentum after picking up its first win last Saturday at Ball State, 28-20.
Here are some things to watch for when the Herd and Hilltoppers clash on Saturday.
Can Marshall rebound from a loss?
The Herd suffered its first loss of the season last week. Will Marshall still be on a low or will it show an ability to rebound?
A lot will ride on the play of redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Green, who had to deal with plenty of pressure last week against the Wolfpack. He shouldn’t face as much pressure against the Hilltoppers, but he’ll need to show confidence to make plays with his arm, feet and eyes.
Marshall also needs a big game from its top receiver, Tyre Brady, who was stymied by double coverage last week. Marcel Williams is currently the Herd’s ‘hot’ receiver and will try to put up big numbers for a second straight game.
Ground game needs a spark
Marshall’s running game has been anemic in the last two games. After opening the season with 171 yards on the ground at Miami (Ohio), the Herd has followed it up with only 89 rushing yards against FCS opponent Eastern Kentucky and 54 yards against N.C. State.
Marshall’s tandem of running backs, senior Keion Davis and sophomore Tyler King, have combined for only 240 yards in the three games.
Head coach Doc Holliday made the running game a priority in this week’s practices to try to create more balance and take some pressure off of Green.
Holliday believes the Herd’s veteran line must step up its performance and open the way for Davis and King, no matter how opposing defenses scheme against Marshall’s attack.
Another way Marshall could potentially open up the running game is allowing Green to create plays with his feet. He has shown an ability to pick up key yardage on called runs as well as scrambles.
Get off the field
Marshall’s defense has shown ability to make big plays, hard hits and timely hustle in the defensive backfield.
Unfortunately, the ‘pop’ hasn’t shown up in key situations. Coach Holliday feels his defense is not making enough big plays on thirrd down, allowing opposing offenses to stay on the field and threaten to dent the scoreboard.
Opponents have been successful on 19 of 45 third down situations in the first three games, but the number took a big jump last week as veteran N.C. State quarterback Ryan Finley was able to convert 9 of 16 third down opportunities.
Holliday stresses that any team with a better than 50 percent success rate on third down conversions is cause for concern.
On the other side of the ball, Marshall’s offense needs to sustain drives longer by becoming more efficient on third down. Marshall was only 6 for 14 on thirrd downs against Miami and Eastern Kentucky and the number was equally bleak against N.C. State (6 of 17).
Notes
For the second time in just over a month, a legendary Marshall quarterback has died. Young Thundering Herd signal caller Reggie Oliver died at age 66 in mid-August and Thursday morning, 1992 national champion quarterback Michael Payton died due to cancer at age 48. Payton led Marshall to the 1992 NCAA I-AA championship in a game won over Youngstown State on Willie Merrick’s last-second field goal. Payton won the 1992 Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top player at the FCS level. Payton was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in January 2015. He also is a member of the Class of 1999 in Marshall University’s Athletic Hall of Fame … Senior linebacker Chase Hancock had a week of honor. The Beckley native was named a semifinalist for the William F. Campbell Trophy by the National Football Foundation, an award that recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation. The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 31, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 60th NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class.