— By David Walsh
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall got a 2-for-1 in football Saturday.
The Thundering Herd defeated Coastal Carolina 31-19 for the program’s first victory in that matchup in three tries, and it came in the Memorial Game where Marshall honors the 75 patrons who died in the plane crash on November 14, 1970.
In the process, the Herd (7-3, 5-1) took over first place in the Sun Belt Conference East Division. Troy beat Georgia Southern, co-leader in the East with Marshall at the start of the day, 28-20, to drop the Eagles a game behind the Herd.
The 6-0 home mark is the first perfect record for the Herd since 2015. It more than made the 24,175 fans at Joan C. Edwards go home feeling proud.
The game featured many big players right from the start. On its first possession, the Chanticleers fan a reverse, end around, throw back to the back on a wheel route down the sideline and score on a pitch on the option,
After that it was the defense and special teams who made the plays.
Marshall end Mike Green, who was named a Bednarik Award candidate last week, had a pair of sacks in the fourth quarter – one that forced a fumble that Chris Thomas recovered and returned inside the Coastal Carolina 5-yard line and another fourth-down sack later in the quarter with the Chanticleers in the red zone. His first sack-forcdd fumble led to quarterback Braylon Braxton’s 2-yard scoring toss to Toby Payne for a 31-10 lead for the Herd with 11:55 left.
Coastal Carolina would not quit. Ethan Vasko threw a 47-yard TD pass to Jameson Tucker to cut the deficit to 31-17. The Chanticleers got a safety when the Herd, on a punt attempt, had a high snap go into the end zone and punter Alec Clark raced back and kicked the ball out of the end zone.
That’s when the Herd defense stepped up.
The Chanticleers had first down at their 20 when Vasko got thrown for an 8-yard loss by Green who forced a fumble and Chris Thomas returned to the 2-yard line. He thought he scored, but got ruled short after review. On the next play, Braxton found Toby Payne for the score.
After the safety, Coastal Carolina got the ball at its 28 and moved to the Herd 16 behind Vasko’s passing. On 4th-and-12 at the Herd 16, Vasko tried to find Jameson Tucker, but Roberts, a Cabell Midland product, broke up the pass with 2:07 to play.
With 1:11 left, the Chanticleers got one last chance starting at their own 11 after a punt. Josh Moten would pick off a Vasko pass with 50 seconds left to seal the outcome.
Huff was happy to see the Herd special teams and defense step up after coming close on other occasions.
“We challenged them,” Huff said of special teams. “We’ve been so close. They invest so much time and come close long enough. You have to go out and make a play and they did. 6-0 at home … want to see winning football, come to the Joan. It’s because of these players. They’ve responded and answered the call.”
In the first half, Roberts, who wears No. 11, blocked a field goal that resulted in a 67-yard return for a score by Jacobie Henderson good for a 17-7 lead. That’s the Herd’s first field goal block for a score in 14 years.
“Special teams is always a big factor in the game,” Roberts said. “It seems I’m always in the right spot at the right time. I give glory to God. At the end of the day it’s make the right reads and make the right plays. That batted down ball I didn’t was that great a play. I saw it in the locke rroom and it looked pretty good>
The Herd had two No. 10s score in the second period. In addition to Henderson, wide out Chuck Montgomery snagged a 14-strike in the end zone from Braxton whose touch had the ball where only Montgomery could get it. With three TD passes, Braxton’s season output stands at 13.
Montgomery had 10 catches total for 67 yards, Montgomery six for 67 and Christian Fitzpatrick also had a 7-yard TD reception.
“I just went out there and did my job,” Braxton said. “If I’ve got to step up and make a throw or step up and extend a play, run, whatever, I’m going to do my job and get the ball to playmakers. That’s why we won. We had more big moments than they did.”
Green said he had a feeling the game would play out the way it did.
“I knew it would be who made more big plays,” Green said. “We have to make more big plays. Not everything goes in your favor. It we did we were going to win. That’s a testament to how well this team prepares. The turning point was the last (fourth down) stop. See that’s our theme. When it gets to cut time, we have to make the plays to get it done.”
Green recalls all the crowd noise after his sack and Henderson’s scoop and apparent score (only to be negated after review). He had the turnover belt in his possession on the sideline.
“I hear the crowd going crazy and Chris celebrating,” Green said. “I look over and see No. 7 with the belt. I’m proud of Chris. He’s come a long way. I hope he continues to do it.”
Huff also had praise for Chanticleers coach Tim Beck, hit staff and players who had ’75 stickers on their jerseys.
“Hats off to coach Beck,” Huff said. “That’s a class act. I didn’t know they were going to do that. I’m happy for the entire event. It shows the kind of respect they have. At that point, when another coach who has nothing to do with the event shows respect for the 75 souls we lost, it’s hat’s off to coach Beck and his entire team for doing that.”
Marshall returns to action next Saturday against Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ESPNU will carry the game live.
Coastal (5-5, 2-4) has to win one of its two remaining games to become bowl eligible. In addition to snafus on special teams, the visitors twice had receivers drop passes in the end zone in the fourth period. Coastal Carolina went 1-for-4 scoring in the red zone.
The Chanticleers also have injury issues. Defensive linemen Emmanuel Johnson and Will Whitson are done for the rest of the season. Starting linebackers Wyatt Gedeon and Shane Bruce left play Saturday with injuries. Right tackle Zovan Lindsay left with an apparent back injury.