INSIDE SLANT
Marshall’s coaching search continues, but the running game is no longer missing in action with the return of junior tailback Darius Marshall and several blockers from late-season injuries.
The two-time 1,000-yard rusher, who leads the Thundering Herd with 11 rushing touchdowns, missed the last two games of the regular season with a sprained left ankle, but should be close to 100 percent against Ohio in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 26.
The offensive line is intact, too, with tackles Brandon Campbell and Daniel Baldridge, guards Ryan Tillman and Jimmy Rogers and center Chad Schofield.
“To see all of those five out there again, having fun, it’s great,” junior tight end Lee Smith told the Huntington Herald-Dispatch. “When you’ve been working together that long, having them all back together, it’s going to be exciting watching them play on the 26th.”
Marshall makes its first postseason appearance since the 2004 Fort Worth Bowl. Defensive coordinator Rick Minter has served as interim head coach since Mark Snyder’s resignation at the end of the regular season. Minter coached Cincinnati in this bowl, then known as the Motor City Bowl, in 2000 and 2001. Four players for the Herd (6-6) earned first-team all-league honors.
Ohio (9-4) is playing in just its second bowl game since 1968. The Bobcats produced a school-record 12 all-conference selections this fall and lost to Central Michigan in the MAC title game. Under the direction of former Nebraska coach Frank Solich, Ohio leads the nation in turnovers forced (36) and ranks in the top 10 in fumbles recovered, interceptions and turnover margin.
The programs were both members of the Mid-American Conference from 1997-2004 and will be meeting for the 53rd time (Ohio leads 29-17-6). The campuses of the two schools are located just 80 miles apart.
NOTES, QUOTES
• It’s a familiar destination and a familiar foe for Marshall, which is headed to the Dec. 26 Little Caesars Bowl at Detroit’s Ford Field to face MAC runner-up and longtime rival Ohio.
The Thundering Herd (6-6) is a four-time participant and three-time winner of the bowl, which was previously known as the Motor City Bowl. Marshall is 17-29-6 all-time against the Bobcats (9-4), but has won 10 of the last 12 meetings. The Herd won four consecutive MAC titles (1997-2000) before joining C-USA following the 2004 campaign.
Marshall is under the direction of interim head coach Rick Minter, who replaced Mark Snyder after a 52-21 loss at UTEP in the regular-season finale. This is the Herd’s first bowl since 2004.
“We are going to take the ball and run with it,” Minter said. “It is a great reward for the seniors and the younger players realize the investment we have in them. This is a great day for Marshall football and we hope the fans will come out.”
Added quarterback Brian Anderson, “It feels really good for the players and coaches to get back to a bowl. I hope our fans will come out and support us in Detroit.”
Marshall faced seven bowl-eligible teams in 2009, including Virginia Tech and West Virginia. Ohio played six bowl-bound programs, including narrow fourth-quarter losses against Tennessee and Connecticut.
Ohio is coached by former Nebraska head coach Frank Solich, who has guided the Bobcats to two bowl games in five seasons. The program’s only other bowl appearance was in 1968. Ohio is playing its second straight game at Ford Field, having lost to Central Michigan, 20-10, in the MAC championship on Dec. 4.
Scouting The Offense: Marshall averages 21.8 points, 138.8 rushing yards and 216.5 passing yards per game. The Thundering Herd has committed 21 turnovers (13 interceptions) and allowed 23 sacks. They have scored just 19 touchdowns on 38 red-zone penetrations and have struggled out of the gate, averaging just 2.8 first-quarter points.
Scouting The Defense: Marshall ranks 99th nationally in pass defense, allowing 247.4 yards per game, including a season-high 517 yards in its last game against UTEP. Since giving up 444 rushing yards to Virginia Tech on Sept. 12, only one opponent has rushed for more than 200 against the Herd.
Matchup To Watch: Marshall QB Brian Anderson vs. Ohio FS Gerald Moore—Moore has six of the Bobcats’ 20 interceptions this season, which they have returned for a jaw-dropping 338 yards (16.9 average) and three touchdowns. Anderson threw three picks in the regular-season finale at UTEP and has six in his last four games.
Other Key Matchups:
• Marshall K Craig Ratanamorn vs. Ohio K Matt Weller—Both teams are in good hands/feet if this game is decided by a field goal. Weller is a freshman All-American who tied a school record with 20 field goals this season, including 50- and 52-yard bombs. Ratanamorn earned first-team All-C-USA honors by making 15-of-16 field goals and 31-of-31 PATs.
• Marshall CB DeQuan Bembry vs. Ohio WR Terrance McCrae—McCrae is a 6-4 junior who is coming off a seven-catch, 141-yard effort against Central Michigan in the MAC title tilt. Eight of his 33 receptions this season have been touchdowns. Bembry earned honorable mention all-conference recognition and has two picks and nine pass breakups.
• Marshall special teams vs. Ohio return specialists—Bobcats LaVon Brazil (15.0 punt-return average) and Chris Garrett (27.0 kickoff-return average) are both ranked in the top 20 nationally and combined for four return TDs this season. Opponents averaged 9.3 yards per punt return and 23.9 per kick return with two scores against the Thundering Herd.
Quote To Note: “It was a real tough time when he resigned. It was tough for everybody. There was a bit of sluggishness, like, ‘Is this really happening?’ But with adversity, we have to come together as a team.”—Marshall receiver Aaron Dobson to the Huntington Herald-Dispatch on former head coach Mark Snyder.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Bowl Breakdown: Marshall vs. Ohio, Little Caesars Bowl, Dec. 26, Detroit—This is the Thundering Herd’s eight bowl game since moving to the FBS in 1997. The first four appearances were in the Motor City Bowl, which Marshall won three straight years (1998-2000) after a loss to Ole Miss in 1997. This is the Herd’s first bowl since a 32-14 loss to Cincinnati in the 2004 Fort Worth Bowl.
Players To Watch:
RB Darius Marshall—The junior ranks 13th nationally with 117.1 rushing yards per game and ninth with 172.6 all-purpose yards per game. He ranks seventh in school history with 2,780 yards and needs 121 to pass John Zontini (1931-34) for sixth place.
WR Antavious Wilson—The redshirt freshman leads the Herd in receptions (57) and receiving yards (706) and has posted two of his biggest games in the past three contests, gaining 153 yards on 13 catches vs. Southern Miss on Nov. 14 and 153 yards on nine grabs at UTEP on Nov. 28.
LB Mario Harvey—The hard-hitting junior led Marshall with 107 tackles in 2008 and leads the team again with 105 stops in 2009. He has 6.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 5.0 sacks.
SS Ashton Hall—He leads the Herd with 53 solo tackles and is second with 83 total stops. The senior holds the team records in the broad jump and the vertical leap with a personal best of 44 inches, which broke Randy Moss’ 1997 record of 43 inches.
Roster Report:
• TE Cody Slate was lost for the season with a knee injury last month. The Mackey Award semifinalist had 50 catches for 607 yards and four touchdowns this season and finished his career with 199 receptions for 2,619 yards and 23 scores.
• If RB Darius Marshall’s ankle injury doesn’t heal in time for the bowl game, look for Martin Ward (318 yards) and Terrell Edwards-Maye (212 yards) to share the backfield burden. They combined for 249 yards on 47 carries in a 34-31 victory against SMU on Nov. 21.
