Marshall in the NFL, Week 17

Weekly review of Marshall alumni in the NFL. 

1. Ahmad Bradshaw, Running Back, New York Giants

Finishing the season in style, Ahmad Bradshaw lead the Giants with 107 rushing yards on 16 carries with a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 41 yards. New York beat the Philadelphia Eagles 42-7.

2. C.J Spillman, Safety, San Francisco 49ers

On his way to the playoffs, 49ers special teams standout C.J Spillman recorded one tackle in San Francisco's 27-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals. 

3. Doug Legursky, Guard/Center, Pittsburgh Steelers

When Pittsburgh Steelers rookie right guard David DeCastro left the game with a shoulder injury, Doug Legursky took his place in the starting lineup, closing out a 24-10 win over the Cleveland Browns.

4. Byron Leftwich, Quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich was inactive for Sundays’ game as he recovers from a rib injury. 

5. Albert McClellan, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

With a playoff spot already in hand, the Baltimore Ravens rested many of their starters including Albert McClellan who did not record a tackle. Baltimore fell to the Cincinnati Bengals 23-17

6. Lee Smith, Tight End, Buffalo Bills

Although he did not catch a pass, Bills tight end Lee Smith did make a special teams tackle in Buffalo's 28-9 win over the New York Jets.

7. Randy Moss, Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Targeted four times, Randy Moss caught two passes for 28 yards during San Francisco's win over Arizona. 

8. Vinny Curry, Defensive End, Philadelphia Eagles

In the culmination of a frustrating rookie season, Vinny Curry did not record a tackle during limited playing time in Sunday's loss to New York.

9. Mario Harvey, Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts

A linebacker by trade, Mario Harvey had a new role during Indianapolis's 28-16 win over the Houston Texans, playing fullback in the Colts goal line package. He also made a special teams tackle.

11. Chris Crocker, Safety, Cincinnati Bengals

After suffering a quad injury early in the first quarter, Chris Crocker was held off the stat sheet during Sunday's win over Baltimore. 

12. Omar Brown, Safety, Baltimore Ravens

Active for the third straight game, Omar Brown recorded a tackle in the Ravens regular season finale against Cincinnati.   

13. Daniel Baldridge, Offensive Tackle, Tennessee Titans

Including yesterday's 38-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Daniel Baldridge was inactive for all four games spent on the Tennessee Titans 53-man roster. 

Marshall Football: Jeremiah Benjamin Commits to Herd

Per Rivals.com, McArthur High School (Fla.) linebacker Jeremiah Benjamin has given a verbal commitment to Marshall University.

Standing six-foot-two, 220 pounds, Benjamin is rated the 20th best linebacker prospect in the class of 2013 by ESPN.com. Besides Marshall, Benjamin had scholarship offers from many other schools including WVU, Purdue, Texas A&M, Kentucky, and FAU.

For more on Benjamin follow the links below.

1) Rivals.com profile
2) ESPN.com profile
3) Elite Scouting Services profile
4) Highlight video (1)
5) Highlight video (2)

Marshall in the NFL, Week 16

Weekly review of Marshall alumni in the NFL. 

1. Ahmad Bradshaw, Running Back, New York Giants

Playing through a knee injury, Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 39 yards on nine carries. He also caught one pass for eight yards during the New York Giants 33-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

2. C.J Spillman, Safety, San Francisco 49ers

In a 42-13 blow out loss to the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers safety C.J. Spillman did not register a tackle. 

3. Doug Legursky, Guard/Center, Pittsburgh Steelers

Participating in a reserve role, Doug Legursky appeared in special teams and goal line packages during the Pittsburgh Steelers 13-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. 

4. Byron Leftwich, Quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich was inactive for Sundays’ game as he recovers from a rib injury. 

5. Albert McClellan, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

Albert McClellan sat out yesterday's win over the Giants while recovering from hamstring and shoulder injuries.

6. Lee Smith, Tight End, Buffalo Bills

Lee Smith was held off the stat sheet as the Buffalo Bills were beaten by the Miami Dolphins 24-10.

7. Randy Moss, Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Targeted six times, Randy Moss caught three passes for 44 yards in Sunday's loss to Seattle.

8. Vinny Curry, Defensive End, Philadelphia Eagles

Playing in a defensive end rotation, Vinny Curry did not record a tackle during the Philadelphia Eagles 27-20 loss to the Washington Redskins.

9. Mario Harvey, Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts

Activate for the Indianapolis Colts 20-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Mario Harvey did not register a tackle on Sunday. 

11. Chris Crocker, Safety, Cincinnati Bengals

Chris Crocker made four tackles and defended a pass in the Bengals win over Pittsburgh.

12. Omar Brown, Safety, Baltimore Ravens

Omar Brown recorded his first NFL regular season sack and tackle during Sunday's win over the Giants.

13. Daniel Baldridge, Offensive Tackle, Tennessee Titans

Including yesterday's 55-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Daniel Baldridge has been inactive for all three games he has spent on the Tennessee Titans 53-man roster. 

Marshall Basketball: Kentucky Blows Out Herd 82-54

Unable to contain the defending national champions, Marshall (7-6, 0-0) was blown out by Kentucky (8-3, 0-0) 82-54 Saturday afternoon in Rupp Arena.

Most of the Wildcats points came from guards Ryan Harrow and Archie Goodwin. The underclassman cut into the lane at will, helping Kentucky to 54 points in the paint. Harrow was especially effective, scoring 23 points on 17 field goal attempts. Goodwin made his biggest contribution at the charity stripe, converting a team high ten of 11 free throws on his way to 18 points.

Marshall had a chance to make the game competitive. Trailing 33-24 coming out of halftime, the Herd scored seven straight points, bringing Kentucky's lead down to two. The Wildcats would respond, going on a 9-2 run over the next five minutes, putting the game permanently out of reach.

Elijah Pittman lead Marshall with 20 points, converting seven-of-17 attempts from the floor while making a three point shot and all five of his free throws. Dennis Tinnon also reached double-digits, scoring 14 points. Making a big contribution on the boards, Nigel Spikes grabbed 16 rebounds.

The Herd continued to struggle with turnovers, committing 17. When they held onto the ball, Marshall did a poor job sharing it, only registering six assist.

Marshall returns to action on Wednesday January 2nd in the Cam Henderson against Delaware State, tip-off is scheduled for 7pm ET.

For more on today's game, follow the links below.

Box score

Charleston Daily Mail

Marshall men's basketball: Kentucky blitzes Herd, 82-54

HerdZone.com

Marshall Falls to No. 23 Kentucky 82-54

Charleston Gazette

Kentucky powers past Marshall

Marshall Football: C.J Crawford Transfers to Charlotte

Former Marshall tight end C.J. Crawford has transferred to the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Crawford graduated last week and decided to leave the Thundering Herd football program. In three seasons, he caught 34 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns.

Charlotte will compete as a FCS independent in their inaugural football season next year. The 49ers head coach is former Marshall assistant Brad Lambert.

As he is transferring down a level, Crawford will be eligible to play immediately. He has one year of eligibility left.

Marshall Basketball: Herd Beats Savannah State 64-48

Marshall earned a convincing win over Savannah State in the Cam Henderson Center Wednesday evening, taking down the Tigers 64-48.

The Herd only lead by two at halftime but a strong second half performance, including a late 17-5 run, resulted in a 16 point victory.

After only scoring two points in last Saturday’s loss to Cincinnati, senior Dennis Tinnon had a strong bounce back performance, chipping in 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting. He also grabbed six rebounds. Continuing his strong shooting from the three point line, D.D. Scarver converted 3-of-6 attempts on his way to a team high 18 points.

Two season long struggles, turnovers and free throws, continued to hamper the Herd. Marshall coughed up the ball 19 times and shot 61.3% from the charity stripe, only hitting 19-of-31 attempts.

In a touching gesture, Marshall head coach Tom Herrion wore a green sports coat throughout the game to honor the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.

For more on yesterday’s game, follow the links below.

Box Score

HerdZone.com

Second Half Scoring Leads Herd to 64-48 Win

Video: Tom Herrion post game press conference

Charleston Daily Mail

Marshall basketball: Strong defense propels Herd

Charleston Gazette

Herd notches victory over Savannah State

Herald Dispatch

Herd stymies Tigers

Chuck Landon: Herrion pays tribute to Newton with jacket

Marshall Football: Notes from Holliday’s Postseason Press Conference

Marshall head football coach Doc Holliday sat down for a press conference yesterday afternoon that touched on numerous subjects. The professional scribes provided re-caps here, here, here, here, and here. Not to be forgotten, you can watch a video of Holliday’s press conference by clicking this link.

If you are looking for a cliff notes version of yesterday’s proceedings, I have included one below.

1) Two junior college players, Arnold Blackmon and Taj Letman sent letters of intent to Marshall yesterday. Both will enroll next semester and participate in spring practice.

In a related note, prep school prospects like Fork Union’s  Angelo Jean-Louis and Stefan Houston can transfer to Marshall in January but, they can’t sign letters of intent until February.

2) After injuring his knee in the season finale against ECU, quarterback Rakeem Cato did not require surgery and will be a full participant in spring practice.

3) Expect a decision on Marshall’s next defensive coordinator during the second week of January.

4) Fullback Devon Johnson will move back to linebacker.

Marshall in the NFL: Week 15

Weekly review of Marshall Alumni in the NFL.

1. Ahmad Bradshaw, Running Back, New York Giants

Held out with a sprained knee, Ahmad Bradshaw did not participate in the New York Giants 34-0 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

2. C.J Spillman, Safety, San Francisco 49ers

C.J Spillman assisted on one special teams tackle in the San Francisco 49ers 41-34 win over the New England Patriots.

3. Doug Legursky, Guard/Center, Pittsburgh Steelers

With Steelers rookie offensive lineman David DeCastro inserted into the starting lineup, Doug Legursky was back to playing a reserve role during Pittsburgh’s 27-24 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

4. Byron Leftwich, Quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich was inactive for Sundays’ game as he recovers from a rib injury.

5. Albert McClellan, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

Albert McClellan had a standout game, recording his first NFL sack and five tackles as his Baltimore Ravens fell to the Denver Broncos 34-17.

6. Lee Smith, Tight End, Buffalo Bills

Lee Smith was held off the stat sheet as the Buffalo Bills were steamrolled by the Seattle Seahawks 50-17.

7. Randy Moss, Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Playing against his former team, Randy Moss caught two passes including a 24 yard touchdown reception during Sunday’s win over New England.

8. Vinny Curry, Defensive End, Philadelphia Eagles

Receiving limited playing time in the Philadelphia’s Eagles defensive line rotation, Vinny Curry recorded one tackle in Thursday night’s 34-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

9. Mario Harvey, Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts

Activate for the second time in five weeks, Mario Harvey made a special teams impact during the Indianapolis Colts 29-17 loss to the Houston Texans, registering two tackles.

11. Chris Crocker, Safety, Cincinnati Bengals

Chris Crocker made four stops and recovered a fumble in the Bengals win over Philadelphia.

12. Omar Brown, Safety, Baltimore Ravens

Playing in his first NFL game, primarily on special teams, Omar Brown did not record a tackle in Baltimore’s loss at home to Denver.

13. Daniel Baldridge, Offensive Tackle, Tennessee Titans

Daniel Baldridge was on the inactive list during the Tennessee Titans 14-10 win over the New York Jets.

Marshall Football: Comprehensive Recruiting Update

Yesterday, HerdZone.com columnist Jack Bogaczky penned an article about Marshall’s football recruiting efforts. As HerdZone.com is the official website of Marshall University’s athletic department, Bogaczky could not specifically mention prospects the football staff is pursuing. Fortunately, we don’t have that restriction at the Marshall Thundering Blog.

Below, I have taken passages from Bogaczky’s column and provided additional information about specific players.

Before you read on, make sure you check out the original story here.

HZ: Marshall’s football program expects to start its next growth spurt today.

The midyear signing period for junior college players opens, and the Thundering Herd will be watching the football office fax machine for the first signees for 2013.

“Hopefully, we’ll get at least two,” JaJuan Seider, Marshall’s recruiting coordinator and running backs coach, said. “If we get more than that (during the early period), it will surprise us, too.

“We should fill one of our needs at safety, and hopefully we’ll get a defensive end out there to help us.” Seider called that player “a pass rusher, somebody who can come in a little more mature who can get to the quarterback.

“We might expect more (signees) than that, but things happen; kids go other places.”

MTB: The two players running backs coach JaJuan Seider expects to receive letters of intent from today are JUCO prospects Taj Letman and Arnold Blackmon. Letman, a three star safety according to Rivals.com, hails from Holmes Community College and has three years of eligibility remaining. From his spot at defensive end, Blackmon lead the Southwest Junior College Conference with 21 tackles for loss this season.

The Thundering Herd also has verbal commitments from two prep school players, four star wide receiver Angelo Jean-Louis and safety Stefan Houston. The duo from Fork Union Military Academy could sign letters of intent during the early JUCO period or wait for national signing day in February.  

HZ: Coach Doc Holliday’s program has 11 verbal commitments to date, according to recruiting service websites. Holliday will have an offseason press conference at Edwards Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, and if the NLIs are in by then, he will discuss the signees.

MTB: Marshall’s current verbal commitments.

1) Kevin Anderson, Quarterback
2) Mark Barr, Wide Receiver
3) Arnold Blackmon, Defensive End
4) Cody Collins, Offensive Lineman
5) Stefan Houston, Safety
6) Justin Hunt, Wide Receiver
7) Angelo Jean-Louis, Wide Receiver
8) Josh Knight, Wide Receiver
9) Taj Letman, Safety
10) Michael Selby, Offensive Lineman
11) Gerald Wright, Offensive Lineman
12) Aaron Plantt, Linebacker

HZ: Seider said Marshall expects to have a 2013 signing class total of “a range 21 or 22, maybe one more, depending on how things fall.”

That number includes “at least five” players, Seider, said, who were already enrolled this semester as academic non-qualifiers, and will count toward the 2013 class.

MTB: Here are the academic non-qualifiers Seider is referring to.

1) Kent Turene, Linebacker
2) Corey Tindal, Defensive Back
3) Gary Thompson, Linebacker
4) Josh Brown, Defensive Tackle
5) Larry Jefferson, Defensive End/Linebacker

HZ: Getting one of the available scholarships, too, is rising sophomore Tyler Williams, who was the nation’s top freshman punter (45.2 yards per kick) this season and set the Marshall school record for single-season punting average.

MTB: No further explanation needed but, congratulations to Tyler Williams for earning a scholarship, he certainly deserves it.

HZ: Seider said that when the signing class is finished, he expects the Herd will be able to fill its needs.

“We’ve got to get some guys who can play in the back end, safeties,” Seider said, as the Herd loses both safety starters in Boston College graduate transfers Dominick LeGrande and Okechukwu Okoroha. “That’s the No. 1 priority.

“Maybe another linebacker or two, depending on how stuff falls ... We haven’t got much left (beyond commitments and those who sat out and count this year), because the class is about full.

MTB: Like Seider said, Marshall is set at safety with Letman and Houston. The Herd is still pursuing a number of linebackers, chief among them three star prospect Jeremiah Benjamin who took an official visit to Marshall in October.

HZ: “We need to try and get older at offensive tackle, because we’re going to lose three guys there next year (Garrett Scott, Jordan Jeffries, Gage Niemeyer), so if we can get one in, then we can continue to let the young kids grow up.

MTB: Marshall has zeroed in on Arizona Western Community College offensive tackle Jaylen Hunter. A two star prospect, he had an official visit on December 7^th.

HZ: “I think we did a good job filling inside (interior offensive lineman) with young kids early; we’ve got some commitment kids we are really high on, think we did a really good job of addressing needs on the offensive line – real blue-collar guys who want to work, tough kids.

MTB: As it currently stands, the Herd has three verbal commitments from high school interior lineman, Selby, Wright, and Collins.

HZ: “We’ve got some receivers who we really like. Everyone we have committed right now, we really, really like. We had a need there. We knew we had to sign at least three wide receivers because we lost three seniors. We like to stay at 12 scholarship guys there, especially the way we play up-tempo, you end up playing 100 plays a game, you’ve got to rotate those guys.

MTB: Two high school wide receivers, Knight and Hunt are verbally committed along with prep school prospect Jean-Louis.

Marshall Football: Aaron Plantt Commits to Herd

Florida linebacker Aaron Plantt has given a verbal commitment to Marshall per Scout.com.

Plantt committed to Utah State over the summer but he began to waiver in the fall, taking visits to Liberty and Appalachian State. One of the leaders on Hallandale High Schools defense, Plantt stands at six-foot-one, 202 pounds.

Rivals.com list him as a two star prospect.

For more on Plantt follow the links below.

1) Rivals.com profile

2) Scout.com profile

3) ESPN.com profile

4) Highlight video

Marshall Football: Arnold Blackmon Commits to Herd

Navarro Junior College (TX) defensive end Arnold Blackmon has verbally committed to Marshall University.  

Standing at six-foot-one, 218 pounds, Blackmon was a undersized defensive end coming out of Bellaire High School (CA). Since enrolling at Navarro two years ago, he has grown an inch and added 20 pounds to his frame.

This season, Blackmon led the Southwest Junior College Conference with 21 tackles for loss and was second in the league with eight sacks.

Besides Marshall, he also had a scholarship offer from future Conference USA member ODU. As a junior college player, Blackmon can sign a letter of intent tomorrow and enroll at school in January.

For more on Blackmon follow the links below.

1) Rivals.com profile

2) Scout.com profile

3) ESPN.com profile

Marshall Football: Justin Hunt Commits to Herd

Marshall has added another wide receiver to its 2013 recruiting class. A two star prospect according to Rivals.com, Justin Hunt committed to Doc Holliday and his staff yesterday.

Finding football stats for Hunt proved difficult but, his track career is well documented. Competing in last years Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Associations outdoor championships, Hunt finished fourth in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 38.78 seconds. Also, he has recorded a personal best of 11.24 seconds in the 100 meter dash.

Hailing from Memphis’s Whitehaven High School, Hunt is a physical presence, standing six-foot-one, 182 pounds. Besides Marshall, he also had scholarship offers from Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State, and Arkansas State.

From more on Hunt follow the links below.

1) Rivals.com profile

2) ESPN.com profile

3) Scout.com profile

4) Highlight video

Marshall Football: Stefan Houston Commits to Herd

A former Maryland signee, Fork Union Military Academy linebacker/safety Stefan Houston has given a verbal commitment to Marshall University.

As a senior at Maryland’s Clarksburg High School Houston played offense and defense, catching 38 passes for 698 yards and 12 touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Houston recorded 85 tackles, eight sacks, three interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns. His impressive numbers earned him a second team All-Met selection by the Washington Post and three star rating by Rivals.com

Standing six-foot-three, 200 pounds, Houston played safety for Fork Union this fall and is project to play that position at Marshall.

Houston will finish the fall semester at Fork Union and enroll at Marshall in January. He will be able to sign a letter of intent on national signing day (February 6th). 

For more on Houston follow the links below.

1) Rivals.com profile
2) Scout.com profile

3) ESPN.com profile

4) Highlight video

Marshall Basketball: Amayo to Join Team Thursday

Per the Twitter account of Charleston Gazette reporter Doug Smock, transfer Kelvin Amayo will officially join Marshall University's basketball team on Thursday. 

Amayo transferred from Towson to Marshall last November after he was declared academically ineligible at the Maryland school.

A 6-foot-5, 200 pound point guard, Amayo was rated a three star prospect by Rivals.com coming out of NIA Prep (Newark, NJ). Besides Towson, Amayo also had scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Arizona, Oklahoma State, and Rice among many other schools. 

Per NCAA transfer rules, Amayo has not been able to practice with the Herd. Given his long layoff, it is doubtful he will play in Saturday's game against Kentucky. Once ready, Amayo could be the ball handler Marshall is looking for while DeAndre Kane recovers from his hand injury.  

Marshall Football: Angelo Jean-Louis commits to Herd

Per Palm Beach Post reporter Jeff Greer, wide receiver Angelo Jean-Louis verbally committed to Marshall University during his official visit this weekend.

Jean-Louis signed a letter of intent with Miami out of Florida’s Palm Beach Central High School but did not have the grades to qualify for admittance. One of ESPN’s top 150 recruits, he attended Fork Union Military Academy this year although, reports indicate grades are still an issue and Jean-Louis might have to sit out another season before gaining eligibility.  

Standing six-foot, 185 pounds, Jean Louis was one of the top prospects in the class of 2012. Rivals.com ranked him as the 22^nd best player in Florida and 8^th among athletes nationwide.  

According to Greer, Jean-Louis will enroll at Marshall this upcoming semester.

For more on Jean-Louis, follow the links below.

1) Rivals.com profile

2) ESPN.com profile

3) Scout.com profile

4) Highlight video

Marshall Football: Crawford & Power Among Those Off Roster

Per Charleston Daily Mail reporter Derek Redd, the following football players are no longer on Marshall’s roster, tight end C.J. Crawford, long snapper James Power, offensive lineman Billy Rone, defensive back/half back Travon Van, and defensive back Derek Robinson.

Crawford and Power graduated this semester but, both still had a year of eligibility remaining. Power joined the Herd in Doc Holliday’s first recruiting class but never gained hold of the long snapping job. A Huntington High School graduate, Crawford came to Marshall without a position but quickly found a home at tight end. Over three seasons he recorded 34 receptions for 321 yards and two touchdowns.  

Billy Rone arrived on campus this August as a junior college transfer from Glendale Community College (AZ). Listed as a three star prospect according to Rivals.com, Rone could not crack the two-deep and was redshirted. It appears that he will transfer.

As we told you earlier this month, Van has left for Montanan where he will have a chance to play running back.

A seldom used walk-on, Robinson quit the football program. He redshirted in 2010 and did not accrue any statistics the past two seasons.

For an updated roster click here.

Marshall Basketball: No. 11 Cincinnati Downs Herd 72-56

Marshall (6-5, 0-0) had a tough Saturday afternoon in the Charleston Civic Center, losing to 11th ranked Cincinnati (10-0, 0-0) 72-56.

In the Thundering Herd's first game without leading scorer DeAndre Kane, Marshall received 20 point efforts from junior college transfers D.D. Scarver and Elijah Pittman. The rest of the team came up short, only contributing 16 points. 

In what has been a theme this season, the Thundering Herds post players continued to struggle. Dennis Tinnon, Robert Goff, and Nigel Spikes barely made an impact, scoring six points and contributing 16 rebounds.

Cincinnati was lead by guard Cashmere Wright, the senior scored 14 points and registered 3 assist. Other Bearcats scoring in double-digits included Sean Kilpatrick (13) and Justin Jackson (10).

Cincinnati showed why they are the nations second leading team in rebounds, beating the Herd 40-31 on the glass. The Bearcats also held a huge advantage in turnovers, committing 11 compared to Marshall's 20.

The Herd returns to the Cam Henderson Center on Wednesday for a 7pm tip-off against Savannah State (5-5, 0-1).

For more on today's game follow the links below.

Box Score

The Charleston Daily Mail

Marshall men's basketball: Herd falls to No. 11 Cincinnati 72-56

HerdZone.com

No. 11 Cincinnati Defeats Marshall 72-56

The Charleston Gazette

Turnovers doom Herd

MU has to adjust, weather storm

Marshall Basketball: Cincinnati Preview

Marshall (6-4, 0-0) host the undefeated and 11^th ranked Cincinnati Bearcats (9-0, 0-0) tomorrow afternoon in the Charleston Civic Center.  The two teams met last year in Cincinnati with the Thundering Herd earning a 73-69 overtime victory.

Tomorrow’s game will mark Marshall's first without leading scorer DeAndre Kane who is out indefinitely with a right hand injury. Expect sophomore Chris Martin and freshman Tamron Manning to shoulder the load at point guard in Kane’s absence.

The Bearcats are lead by swingman Sean Kilpatrick. The junior is averaging 20 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Other double-digit scorers include guards Cashmere Wright (15 ppg) and JaQuon Parker (11 ppg).

As a team, Cincinnati dominates in two categories, points and rebounds. The Bearcats rank second among division one basketball programs, averaging 46.8 rebounds per game. They also score in bunches, pouring in 84.2 points per game, good enough for fourth in the country.

T.V coverage will be provided by the CBS Sports Network, tip-off is scheduled for 2pm ET. Tickets are still available for as little as $10 by contacting Marshall’s box office via phone (800-The-Herd) or online, HerdZone.com.  

For more on tomorrow’s game follow the links below.

The Charleston Daily Mail

Marshall Basketball: Rebounds key for Herd against No. 11 Bearcats

Chuck McGill: WVU, Marshall have big basketball weekend

The WV Metro News

Short Bench For Herd

HerdZone.com

Marshall to Play No. 11 Cincinnati in Charleston

Pittman, in Herd Camp Now, Facing Familiar Bearcats

The Herald Dispatch

Testing week for Herd

Tamron is next Manning up

The Charleston Gazette

Red-hot Cincinnati looking to avenge last year’s loss to Herd

C-USA Football: Holtz Named Coach at La.Tech

This morning Louisiana Tech will hold a press conference announcing Skip Holtz as their next football coach. Holtz takes over for Sonny Dykes who accepted the head coaching position at California-Berkley last week.

After a three year run at South Florida, Holtz was fired earlier this month. In his inaugural season (2010) Holtz lead the Bulls to a 8-5 record and bowl game victory. His last two years were not as successful, accumulating a 8-16 record and only two Big East victories.

Marshall fans should be familiar with Holtz, he served as head coach at East Carolina from 2005-2009, winning Conference USA championships in 2008 and 2009.   

La.Tech will join C-USA for all sports at the conclusion of this academic year.

Marshall Football: Kelly Switches Commitment to Syracuse

Pima Community College (AZ) safety Darius Kelly has switched his verbal commitment from Marshall to Syracuse. Kelly’s commitment became shaky when fellow junior college defensive back prospect Taj Letman gave a verbal pledge to the Thundering Herd last week.

If you had to chose between the two, Letman, a three star prospect according to Rivals.com and Scout.com, is perceived as the better player. Kelly is unranked by both scouting services. Also, because of a finger injury that sidelined him for the 2012 season, Letman has three years of eligibility remaining, compared to Kelly’s two.

Marshall in the NFL: Brown and Baldridge Promoted to Active Rosters

Two former Marshall University football players, defensive back Omar Brown and offensive lineman Daniel Baldridge, have been promoted to NFL active rosters.

Brown was selected to join the Baltimore Ravens 53 man roster after rookie cornerback Asa Jackson was suspended four game for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Brown was signed by the Ravens as a undrafted free agent this offseason. The former Marshall standout showed a real nose for the ball during the preseason, recovering five turnovers. Although he did not make the 53 man roster out of training camp, Brown did earn a spot on the practice squad.

If Brown is active for Baltimore’s game against the Denver Broncos this Sunday, expect him to contribute on special teams, especially punt and kickoff coverage.

Daniel Baldridge has bounced on and off the Jacksonville Jaguars roster for three seasons. Before last week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, Baldridge was signed from Jacksonville’s practice squad to the Tennessee Titans 53 man roster. A former undrafted free agent, Baldridge was not active for his first game with the Titans organization but, that could change this Sunday as Tennessee fights through multiple injuries across the offensive line.

C-USA Football: New Member Review

With four football programs, North Texas, Texas San Antonio, Louisiana Tech, and FIU joining Conference USA next year, we review each teams 2012 season and their situation heading into the offseason.

Louisiana Tech

Out of all the programs joining C-USA, La.Tech had the best 2012 season, accumulating a record of 9-3 while finishing third in the Western Athletic Conference. Despite their impressive record, the Bulldogs will not go bowling for what can only be described as odd circumstances.

When La.Tech plays their first C-USA game it will be under a new head coach. After leading the Bulldogs for three seasons Sunny Dykes was hired away by California-Berkley. Although a replacement has not been hired, candidates include Toledo’s Matt Campbell and Texas Tech offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

Whoever is selected as the next head coach, they will have a big job on their hands. La.Tech is losing 31 seniors to graduation including starting quarterback Colby Cameron who threw for 4,147 yards and 31 touchdowns this season.

Texas San Antonio

In their first season as a member of the WAC, Texas San Antonio put together a solid year, finishing with a .500 league record (3-3) and eight wins overall.

The Roadrunners were not particularly dominate in any one category but, they did a solid job across the board, ranking 47^th among FCS programs in points scored per game (31.2) and 70^th in points allowed (28.8) per game.

When UTSA enters C-USA they will do it with three players that were all WAC first or second team selections, linebacker Steven Kurfehs, offensive lineman Scott Inskeep, and defensive back Triston Wade. Starting quarterback Eric Soza also returns along with the running back duo of David Glasco II and Evans Okotcha.

Florida International

In a surprise move FIU fired head coach Mario Cristobal last week. Cristobal lead the Golden Panthers to the school’s first Sun Belt Conference championship in 2010 and two bowl game appearances (2010 & 2011). FIU entered this season with high expectations but, a porous defense and multiple injuries on offense resulted in a 3-9 record.

The new coach at FIU will have a pair of quarterback to choose from, sophomore Jake Medlock and freshman E.J Hillard. Staring nine games, Medlock completed 152 of 263 attempts for 2,127 yards and 13 touchdowns to only two interceptions. A dual threat, he also rushed for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Although he only threw a pass in four games, Hillard impressed in the season finale against Louisiana-Monroe, completing 22 of 31 attempts for 226 yards and two touchdowns.  

After finishing the season giving up an average of 31.7 points per game, the FIU defense needs a major overhaul. They also have a lot of holes to fill as the Golden Panthers are losing 12 defensive seniors to graduation.   

North Texas

North Texas had a difficult season, finishing 4-8 with a seventh place finish in the ten team Sun Belt Conference.

The Mean Green struggled on offense, only scoring 20.9 points per game. Taking every snap at quarterback, junior Derek Thompson threw just as many touchdowns, 14, as interceptions. The ground game was a bit better, returning running backs Brandin Byrd and Antoinne Jimmerson combine for 1,404 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

North Texas carries two Sun Belt all second team performers into C-USA, linebacker Zach Orr and defensive back Zac Whitfield.