Marshall Football: Fast Facts, Southern Miss

1) Southern Miss is on a much publicized 19 game losing streak. Their last win came against Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl on December 24^th 2011. That victory occurred under Larry Fedora, the current head coach at North Carolina. Since Fedora’s departure, Southern Miss hired and fired Ellis Johnson and brought along current head coach Todd Monken. Prior to arriving in Hattiesburg, Monken served as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State.

2) True freshman quarterback Nick Mullens will get his second career start on Saturday. Making his debut last week against North Texas, Mullens completed 12 of 31 passes for 210 yards, three interceptions, and one touchdown. Coming out of high school, the Hoover Alabama product had scholarship offers from UAB and a few FCS schools.

3) Southern Miss splits carries between two running backs, sophomore Jalen Richard and senior Kendrick Hardy. Richard leads the team with 225 rushing yards. Despite missing the past two games, Hardy almost equals Richard’s production with 202 yards on 47 carries. Reports have indicated that Hardy will play Saturday. Freshman running back George Payne scored the teams only rushing touchdown of the season last week.

4) Three Golden Eagles receivers have recorded over 200 receiving yards,  Rickey Bradley, Tyre’oune Holmes, and Markese Triplett. Holmes has caught the most passes (34) and Triplett is tied for the team lead with two touchdown receptions.

5) The Southern Miss offensive line has surrendered 19 sacks, allowing the 9^th most among Conference USA teams.

6) In total, the Golden Eagles offense is scoring just over 12 points per game while averaging 77 rushing and 209 passing yards per outing.

7) Safety DeBarriaus Miller leads the Southern Miss defense with 36 tackles. He is also tied for the team lead with one interception.

8) After sitting out the 2012 because of eligibility issues, defensive tackle Octavious Thomas has recorded a team high two sacks. Among USM’s defensive lineman, Thomas leads the group with 33 tackles. Defensive end Adam William’s seven tackles for loss are also a team high.

9) Linebackers Terrick Wright, Alan Howze, and Dylan Reda have recorded at least 37 tackles. Wright is the most active with 55 total tackles, good enough for second on the team.

10) Southern Miss is allowing a C-USA worst 42 points per game.

11) The Golden Eagles defense has experienced an equal amount of trouble stopping their opponents rushing and passing attacks. They allow 193 rushing and 221 passing yards per game.

12) Junior kicker Corey Acosta has had a rough season. He is 5 for 12 of field goal attempts, three of which have been blocked.

13) Three different players have punted for Southern Miss this season. The best appears to be Matthew Moseley, he has handled a team high 18 punts, averaging 40.9 yards per attempt.

 14) Now this is a great stat, the Golden Eagles have only returned five punts this year.

15) Wide receiver Justin Sims is the lead kick returner, he is averaging 21.9 yards per attempt.

16) Southern Miss last recorded a road win against Marshall in 2009. At that time the Golden Eagles were piloted by quarterback Martevious Young who would later play indoor football for the short lived Huntington Hammer. 

FAU Football Coach Carl Pelini Resigns

Florida Atlantic head football coach Carl Pelini and defensive coordinator Pete Rekstis tendered their resignations to athletic director Pat Chun Wednesday. The resignations come amid reports that both coaches attended a off campus social event where they used illegal drugs.

In Pelini’s absence offensive coordinator Brain Wright has been named interim head coach. Linebackers coach Jevan Dewitt will take on the responsibilities of defensive coordinator.

Pelini leaves FAU with a 5-15 record over one and a half seasons. One of those losses occurred 18 days ago when Marshall defeated the Owls 24-23 on a last second field goal by kicker Justin Haig.

During a press conference earlier today Chun announced that the search for Pelini’s permanent replacement has already begun. 

Marshall in the NFL: Week 8

Weekly review of Marshall University alumni playing in the NFL. 

1. Ahmad Bradshaw, Running Back, Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts placed Ahmad Bradshaw on injured reserve October 8^th after he suffered a neck injury that required season ending surgery. For the season Bradshaw played in three games, rushing for 186 yards on 41 attempts with two touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 42 yards.

2. Chris Crocker, Safety, Cincinnati Bengals

In a game where Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton tossed five touchdowns against the New York Jets, it is easy to forget about the contributions of Cincinnati’s defense. Bengals safety Chris Crocker had the defensive play of the game, picking off former WVU quarterback Geno Smith and returning the ball 32 yards for a touchdown. Cincinnati defeated the Jets 49-9. 

3. Vinny Curry, Defensive End, Philadelphia Eagles

Vinny Curry was limited to just 14 defensive snaps during the Philadelphia Eagles 15-7 loss to the New York Giants. It was the first game this season that Curry was active but, did not record any stats.

4. Aaron Dobson, Wide Receiver, New England Patriots

It looks like Aaron Dobson has established himself as the Patriots top outside receiving threat. On Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, Dobson caught a team high four passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. Dobson’s Patriots beat Miami 27-17.

5. Mario Harvey, Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts

Bye week.

6. Albert McClellan, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

Bye week.

7. Doug Legursky, Guard/Center, Buffalo Bills

Doug Legursky continued to start at left guard for Buffalo, helping the Bills accumulate 299 yards of offense during Sunday’s 35-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

8. Lee Smith, Tight End, Buffalo Bills

Playing a season low 11 snaps on offense, Bills tight end Lee Smith did not record any stats during Buffalo’s loss at New Orleans. 

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

Across the pond in London England, C.J. Spillman and the San Francisco 49ers meet the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. Spillman recorded his only tackle on a 40 yard punt return by Jacksonville’s Jordan Todman, preventing a touchdown in the process.

Marshall Basketball: New Look Herd Dominates Concord 94-60

Marshall basketball coach Tom Herrion debuted his new look team yesterday evening at the Cam Henderson Center, defeating Concord 94-60 in a exhibition game. Featuring a roster with nine new faces, redshirt freshman lead the Thundering Herd with a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Four other Marshall players, Kareem Canty (15), Shawn Smith (15) Elijah Pittman (14), and Chris Thomas (14) all reached double digits in points.

The Herd starts the regular season on Friday November 8^th as they host South Carolina State for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off.

Stats

Charleston Gazette

Marshall rolls to 94-60 win in exhibition vs. Concord

Basketball bloggery: Exhibition game

Charleston Daily Mail

Marshall basketball: Rookies see plenty of action in exhibition

Huntington Herald Dispatch

Herd earns statement win

Gallery: Herd thumps Concord 94-60 in exhibition basketball game

WV Metro News

Newcomers shine in exhibition

HerdZone

Marshall Dominates Concord in Exhibition Play, 94-60

Commitment of the Week: Reese Wooten

A new feature on the Thundering Blog, we are reviewing the weekly performances of Marshall's verbal commitments and anointing one football recruit our 'Commitment of the Week'.

Football coaches are always looking for tall, quick players and Marshall commitment Reese Wooten certainly fits the bill. The 6-foot-2 wide receiver has recorded a lightning quick time of 4.39 seconds in the forty yard dash.

Wooten’s Cairo (Ga.) Syrupmakers squared off against Americus-Sumter (Ga.) Friday night and came away with a dominate, 35-7 victory. With the game tied at seven in the first quarter, Wooten carried the ball 34 yards for a touchdown, putting the Syrupmakers up for good. Later on he added an 11 yard gain to increase his rushing total to 45 yards for the night.

The victory was a milestone in Cairo High School history as the football program recorded its 600^th win. We are adding a little syrup on top by naming Wooten our ‘Commitment of the Week’. 

Commitment of the Week
Week 1: Hyleck Foster
Week 2: Trayvon Williams
Week 3: Cole Garvin
Week 4: Keion Davis
Week 5: N/A
Week 6: Frankie Hernandez
Week 7: Hyleck Foster
Week 8: Alex Cason

Week 9: Ryan Yurachek

Week 10: Reese Wooten

Marshall Football: This Week in C-USA 10/27/13

Now that Marshall is firmly entrenched in league play, we are going to take a weekly look at Conference USA football, reviewing last Saturday's results while also looking ahead to this weeks important match-ups. 

Last Weeks Results
Marshall 49 - MTSU 51
UTEP 7 - Rice 45
Tulsa 7 - Tulane 14
UAB 31 - UTSA 52
La.Tech 23 - FIU 7
N.Texas 55 - Southern Miss. 14
FAU 10 - Auburn 45

East Standings
1) ECU: 5-2, 3-1
2) Marshall: 4-3, 2-1
3) MTSU: 4-4, 2-2
4) UAB: 2-5, 1-2
5) FIU: 1-6, 1-2
6) FAU: 2-6, 1-4
7) USM: 0-7, 0-3

East Division Game of the Week

Maybe you thought it was a nightmare but, Middle Tennessee State used a last second touchdown as time expired to beat Marshall 51-49 at home Thursday night. 

East Division Game to Watch Next Week

Not a lot of great match-ups this upcoming week in Conference USA's Eastern division but, beyond ECU visiting Marshall the day after Thanksgiving are their any games worth watching?

Either way, we can't let a few bad options prevent us from picking the best of the worst. How about MTSU at UAB? No, the Blazers are not very good but, it will be interesting to see if Middle Tennessee can go on the road and stay within striking distance of Marshall and ECU for the division lead. 

West Division Standings
1) Tulane: 6-2, 4-0
2) Rice: 6-2, 4-0
3) N.Texas: 5-3, 3-1
4) La.Tech: 3-5, 2-2
5) UTSA: 3-5, 2-2
4) Tulsa: 2-5, 1-2
7) UTEP: 1-6, 0-4

West Division Game of the Week

Tulane continued to prove its a contender, defeating Tulsa 14-7 at home while becoming bowl eligible in the process. 

West Division Game to Watch Next Week

Make sure you are watching Fox Sports 1 Thursday night as North Texas host Rice. With a win the Mean Green would enter the division championship picture. On the other sideline, Rice has arguably been C-USA's best team this year but, they can ill-afford a loss as Tulane is also undefeated in conference play.  

Marshall Football: Last Second TD Dooms Herd in 51-49 Loss to MTSU

Marshall (4-3, 2-1) needed to make one more play. Middle Tennessee (4-4, 2-2) sat on the Thundering Herds 9-yard line, down 49-45 with three seconds left in the game. Barely a moment after the ball was snapped Blue Raiders quarterback Logan Kilgore found wide receiver Tavarres Jefferson in the front of the end zone for a touchdown. As MTSU celebrated a 51-49 victory in front of 19,898 fans at Floyd Stadium, a dejected group of Marshall players headed to the locker room, left to wonder what might have been.

 Stats

Huntington Herald Dispatch

Blue Raiders stun Herd

MT made play in the clutch

Chuck Landon: Herd won’t win until they play the right way

Like father, like son in Henry family

Grant Traylor awards game balls

Chuck Landon grades the Herd

Charleston Gazette

MTSU beats Herd on final play

Grades for MTSU game

WV Metro News

MTSU gashes Herd for 51-49 upset win

Charleston Daily Mail

Marshall football: Late score sinks Herd at MTSU

Marshall football: Spotlight now on Herd’s Hoskins

HerdZone

Marshall Drops Heartbreaker in Final Seconds

The Tennessean

Blue Raiders throw TD on final play for a win

Freshman Chris Brown block punt for MTSU touchdown

Marshall Football: Fast Facts, Middle Tennessee

1) Quarterback Logan Kilgore is one of the most prolific passers to ever put on a Middle Tennessee State uniform. One of four Blue Raiders quarterbacks to throw for over 6,000 career yards, Kilgore's 43 touchdowns rank second in school history.

2) In the season opener Kilgore suffered a injury to his throwing arm and it has hampered him ever since. Kilgore is still completing over 62% of his passes and thrown for 1,086 yards but, he has tossed more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6).

3) Speaking of Kilgore’s struggles, he was pulled in the first half of Middle Tennesse’s last game, a 34-7 loss to North Texas. His replacement, redshirt freshman Austin Grammer, ran for 106 yards on 15 carries but only completed six of 20 passes for just 36 yards and a interception. Kilgore’s removal had more to do with the offensive lines inability to protect him as opposed to his personal performance. Before being benched Kilgore had completed all eight of his pass attempts for 30 yards.

4) MTSU’s offensive line is a tale of two sides. On the left, tackle Darius Johnson and guard Josh Walker are legitimate NFL prospects. On the right, Middle Tennessee starts true freshman Daniel Stephens at guard. In the middle, third team center Nick Nunez has taken over first team duties although, second team center Jesse Graham (injured knee) might be available on a limited basis against Marshall. Starting center Josh Chester underwent foot surgery in late September and has not played since.

5) The Blue Raiders use two very different runners in their rushing attack. The first is bruising, 6-foot-1, 207 lbs., junior Jordan Parker. He leads the team with 115 carries for 526 yards and four touchdowns. Parker has been limited the last two weeks, only recording 14 rushing attempts for 46 yards after sustaining a hip injury against BYU.

6) The other running back is 5-foot-7 speedster Reggie Whatley. The Georgia native has rushed for 343 yards on 57 attempts and three touchdowns.

7) Tavarres Jackson is MTSU’s leading receiver with 25 receptions for 320 yards and a touchdown. Marcus Henry (18 catches, 207 yards, 1 TD) and Kyle Griswould (24 catches, 191 yards, 2 TD) also factor heavily into the passing attack.

8) In total, Middle Tennessee ranks 11^th in total offense, 12^th in passing offense, and 6^th in rushing offense among Conference USA schools.

9) The Blue Raiders defense is best described as bend don’t break. They are at the bottom of C-USA in total defense (12^th, 450.4 yards allowed per game), pass defense (10^th, 194.5 yards allowed per game), and run defense (12^th, 195.4 yards allowed per game). What they excel at is causing turnovers. MTSU's 20 turnovers gained is tied with North Texas and Tulane for the conference lead.

10) Linebacker T.T. Barber leads the Blue Raiders with 76 tackles. His seven tackles for loss are also a team high. Not to be outdone, Barber is also tied for the team lead with three sacks.

11) MTSU starting middle linebacker Christian Henry is the son of Marshall athletics Hall of Famer Charles Henry. The elder Henry was the youngest member of the Young Thundering Herd in 1971.

12) Safety Kevin Byard is MTSU's best player in the secondary. His 62 tackles are second on the team and he is tied with Barber for the team lead in interceptions (2). Byard was placed on the preseason, Jim Thorpe Award (honoring college football’s best defensive back) Watch List.

13) No MTSU defensive lineman has recorded over 20 tackles.

14) Blue Raiders kicker Cody Clark has been inconsistent, only converting four of eight field goal attempts. His longest conversion this season was for 42 yards.

15) Punter Josh Davis is averaging 42.1 yards per attempt with 12 of his punts traveling over 50 yards.

16) Besides being the change of pace running back, Whatley also returns kicks. He is averaging 26.1 yards per kick return. Griswould serves as MTSU's punt returner, he returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown against Western Carolina earlier in the season.

Marshall Football: Deon Meadows Leaves Team

Speaking to reporters during his weekly press conference, Marshall football coach Doc Holliday announced yesterday that linebacker Deon Meadows has left the team.

Part of Holliday's first recruiting class, Meadows came to the Thundering Herd as a highly regarded three star recruit. Things started out well enough, Meadows played in six games as a true freshman and made three tackles. A injury ended his sophomore season after three games but he returned this year to record two tackles and a half sack.

In total, Meadows appeared in 22 games over three seasons, making 27 tackles, 2.5 for loss, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and a blocked kick.

Marshall in the NFL: Week 7

Weekly review of Marshall University alumni playing in the NFL. 

1. Ahmad Bradshaw, Running Back, Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts placed Ahmad Bradshaw on injured reserve October 8^th after he suffered a neck injury that required season ending surgery. For the season Bradshaw played in three games, rushing for 186 yards on 41 attempts with two touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 42 yards.

2. Chris Crocker, Safety, Cincinnati Bengals

Facing one of the NFL’s premier passing attacks, safety Chris Crocker and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Detroit Lions 27-24. Crocker made a big contribution, registering two tackles, one for loss, and a pass defended during the win.

3. Vinny Curry, Defensive End, Philadelphia Eagles

Playing in 26 defensive snaps, Vinny Curry registered one of the Philadelphia Eagles two sacks against Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Despite Curry’s sack Philadelphia fell to Dallas 17-3.

4. Aaron Dobson, Wide Receiver, New England Patriots

Targeted by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady seven times, Aaron Dobson hauled in three receptions for 43 yards in New England’s 30-27 overtime loss to the New York Jets.  

5. Mario Harvey, Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts

Linebacker Mario Harvey played a new position last week, lining up at fullback for the Colts during one offensive possession. He also made a special teams tackle, helping Indianapolis defeat the Denver Broncos  39-33.

Harvey did leave the game early after suffering a hamstring injury. He underwent an MRI examination yesterday but, the results have not been released.

6. Albert McClellan, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

After not practicing all week while nursing a shoulder injury, Albert McClellan played in the Baltimore Ravens 19-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, registering one special teams tackle.

7. Doug Legursky, Guard/Center, Buffalo Bills

Doug Legursky started his second straight game at left guard for the Buffalo Bills, helping his team defeat the Miami Dolphins 23-21.

8. Lee Smith, Tight End, Buffalo Bills

Primarily known for his blocking and special teams play, Bill’s tight end Lee Smith got on the offensive stat sheet by catching one pass for 18 yards against Miami. The catch was his second of the year.

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

C.J. Spillman saw action with the 49ers first team defense when starting safety Donte Whitner left the game with a ankle injury. Despite playing defense and special teams Spillman did not register any stats during San Francisco’s  31-17 win over the Tennessee Titans. 

Commitment of the Week: Ryan Yurachek

A new feature on the Thundering Blog, we are reviewing the weekly performances of Marshall's verbal commitments and anointing one football recruit our 'Commitment of the Week'.

After missing six games while recovering from a leg injury, Carolina Forest (Sc.) tight end Ryan Yurachek returned to the gridiron Friday night, catching a team high six passes for 39 yards in a 59-0 loss to South Florence. Prior to the injury, Yurachek had caught five passes for 78 yards.

We have decided to celebrate Yuracheck’s return from injury and impressive performance by naming him our ‘Commitment of the Week’.

Commitment of the Week
Week 1: Hyleck Foster
Week 2: Trayvon Williams
Week 3: Cole Garvin
Week 4: Keion Davis
Week 5: N/A
Week 6: Frankie Hernandez
Week 7: Hyleck Foster
Week 8: Alex Cason

Week 9: Ryan Yurachek

Marshall Football: This Week in C-USA 10/20/13

Now that Marshall is firmly entrenched in league play, we are going to take a weekly look at Conference USA football, reviewing last Saturday's results while also looking ahead to this weeks important match-ups. 

Last Weeks Results
Southern Miss 14 - ECU 55
North Texas 28 - La.Tech 13
Rice 45 - New Mexico St. 19

East Standings
1) Marshall 4-2, 2-0
2) ECU: 5-2, 3-1
3) UAB: 2-4, 1-1
3) FIU: 1-5, 1-1
4) MTSU: 3-4, 1-2
5) FAU: 2-5, 1-4
7) USM: 0-6, 0-2

East Division Game of the Week

The only game within the East division last week, ECU took down winless Southern Miss 55-14. Pirates quarterback Shane Carden completed 30 of 37 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns.

East Division Game to Watch Next Week

Trust me, this is not a hometown homer pick but, Marshall at Middle Tennessee State is the best East division match-up next week. Coincidentally, it is also the only game between two Conference USA East division teams next week. 

Anyway, Marshall will attempt to win back-to-back road games for the first time under Doc Holliday. On the other sideline, MTSU is coming off three straight losses after winning three of the seasons first four games.

West Division Standings
1) Tulane: 5-2, 3-0
2) Rice: 5-2, 3-0
3) N.Texas: 4-3, 2-1
4) La.Tech: 2-5, 1-2
5) Tulsa: 2-4, 1-1
4) UTSA: 2-5, 1-2
7) UTEP: 1-5, 0-3

West Division Game of the Week

North Texas continued to show its a force in the West division, taking down Louisiana Tech 28-13. The Mean Green's defense caused three turnovers including two interceptions by Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Higgins.

 West Division Game to Watch Next Week

Arguably the biggest surprise in C-USA, Tulane looks to keep its impressive season going at home against Tulsa next week. Headed into the season, the Golden Hurricanes were expected to compete for a league title but, poor defense and shaky quarterback play has handcuffed the team. 

Marshall Football: Rayjon Simes Commits to Herd

Scout.com is reporting that defensive end Rayjon Simes has given a verbal commitment to Marshall.

Despite not playing high school football until his senior year, Simes picked up scholarship offers from Kentucky, Louisville, South Alabama, Virginia Tech, and the Thundering Herd. In his first three games on the gridiron he compiled 17 tackles, five sacks, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. 

Simes boast impressive length, standing 6-foot-6, 230 lbs. Although he is new to football, Simes has played for the basketball and track teams at Stone Mountain High School (Ga.).

For more on Simes follow the links below.

1) Scout profile

2) 247 Sports profile

3) Rivals profile

4) Hudl profile (highlight video)

Marshall Men's Basketball: Herd Debuts New Team in Green & White Scrimmage

Marshall men's basketball coach Tom Herrion debuted his new look team Thursday night at the annual Green and White Scrimmage. Featuring a roster that includes eight newcomers, last seasons returning leading scorer Elijah Pittman lead all players with 26 points.

For more on Thursday's scrimmage follow the links below.

Box Score

Charleston Gazette

Newcomers put on a show in Herd basketball scrimmage

HerdZone

Marshall Basketball Showcases Talent at Green & White Scrimmage

Huntington Herald Dispatch

Gallery: Marshall teams make debut

Marshall Football: What Ever Happen to...

With Marshall’s second bye week in full effect, we figured it was a good time to catch-up with players that have left the football program and continued their careers at other schools.

1) Marques Aiken, Defensive Tackle, Cincinnati

Reunited with current Bearcats and former Marshall assistant Fred Tate, Marques Aiken has played in all of Cincinnati’s six games, registering 12 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a half sack.

2) C.J. Crawford, Tight End, Charlotte

Playing for UNC Charlotte’s first football team since 1948, tight end C.J. Crawford is the 49ers fourth leading receiver with 237 yards on 20 catches and four touchdowns.

3) A.J. Graham, Quarterback, University of Pikeville (Ky.)

A.J. Graham has found a home at the NAIA level with the University of Pikeville. The Bears starting quarterback, Graham has completed 62% of his pass attempts for 1,360 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. A dual threat, he has also rushed for 207 yards.

4) James Power, Long Snapper, TCU

After not playing a single snap in his Marshall career, long snapper James Power transferred to TCU and found a starting job with the Horned Frogs. It’s hard to quantify a long snappers effectiveness but, TCU has not suffered a block kick or punt this year.

5) Eddie Sullivan, Quarterback, Western Carolina

In his second season at Western Carolina, Eddie Sullivan is splitting snaps with fellow quarterback Troy Mitchell. Sullivan has appeared in six of the Catamounts seven games, making two starts while completing 25 of 53 attempts for 310 yards with no touchdowns and five interceptions.  

6) Travon Van, Running Back , Montana

Last seen playing cornerback for the Thundering Herd, Travon Van has found a home at running back with the Montana Grizzlies. Despite splitting carries, Van has rushed for 465 yards on 69 attempts, good for 6.3 yards per carry. Displaying soft hands out of the backfield, he is Montana’s third leading receiver with 172 yards. In total, Van has scored five touchdowns this season.

Marshall in the NFL: Week 6

Weekly review of Marshall alumni in the National Football League.

1. Ahmad Bradshaw, Running Back, Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts placed Ahmad Bradshaw on injured reserve after he suffered a neck injury that required season ending surgery. For the season Bradshaw played in three games, rushing for 186 yards on 41 attempts with two touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 42 yards.

2. Chris Crocker, Safety, Cincinnati Bengals

In a thrilling 27-22 win over the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals safety Chris Crocker did not record any stats.

3. Vinny Curry, Defensive End, Philadelphia Eagles

Vinny Curry played a season high 25 snaps in the Philadelphia Eagles 31-20 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, knocking down one pass attempt at the line of scrimmage.

4. Aaron Dobson, Wide Receiver, New England Patriots

Aaron Dobson was Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s favorite target in New England’s  30-27 win over the New Orleans Saints, catching a team high six passes for 63 yards.

5. Mario Harvey, Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts

After Colts starting middle linebacker Jerrell Freeman suffered a second quarter concussion, Mario Harvey took his place and recorded a team and career big 10 tackles. Despite the high tackle total, Harvey struggled in pass coverage pass coverage as San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers picked on the reserve linebacker. Indianapolis lost to the Chargers 19-9.

6. Albert McClellan, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

Playing exclusively on special teams, Ravens linebacker Albert McClellan did not record any stats during the Green Bay Packers 19–17 win over Baltimore.  

7. Doug Legursky, Guard/Center, Buffalo Bills

Fully recovered from a preseason knee injury, Bills left guard Doug Legursky started his first game of the season last Sunday. The Bills must have like what they saw as former starter Colin Brown was cut earlier today.

8. Lee Smith, Tight End, Buffalo Bills

Lee Smith appeared in 12 offensive snaps during last week’s loss to the Bengals and did not record any stats.

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

San Francisco C.J. Spillam had another impressive outing, recording a tackle on Cardinals punt returner Patrick Peterson inside Arizona’s own three yard line. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 32-20.

Marshall Football: Home Date with Louisville Moved to 2016

Marshall has agreed to move its home football game against Louisville from September 27^th,  2014 to September 24^th, 2016. The change was made to accommodate Louisville’s impending move to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Under the previous arrangement, Louisville was only scheduled to host five home games in 2014. With the move, the Cardinals can schedule another game at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, giving them an even number of road and home dates.

Marshall will announce a replacement opponent for Louisville at a later date but, expect a home game against an FCS team.

Future Marshall Out of Conference Opponents

2014

8/30 – at Miami (OH)

9/13 – Ohio

9/20 – at Akron

2015

9/5 – Purdue

9/12 – at Ohio

TBA – at Kent State

TBA – Norfolk State

2016

9/17 – Akron
9/24 - Louisville

Commitment of the Week: Alex Cason

A new feature on the Thundering Blog, we are reviewing the weekly performances of Marshall's verbal commitments and anointing one football recruit our 'Commitment of the Week'.

One of the great rivalries in Georgia High School football, Valdosta met cross-town rival Lowndes in the annual ‘Winnersville Classic’ Friday night.

Playing in his final Winnersville Classic, Valdosta wide receiver and Marshall commitment Alex Cason caught a season high 11 passes for 135 yards. His performance was particularly impressive considering that Wildcats quarterback Seth Shuman only completed 20 passes for 171 yards.

After accounting for over half of his teams receptions and all but 36 receiving yards, Alex Cason is our ‘Commitment of the Week’.

Commitment of the Week
Week 1: Hyleck Foster
Week 2: Trayvon Williams
Week 3: Cole Garvin
Week 4: Keion Davis
Week 5: N/A
Week 6: Frankie Hernandez
Week 7: Hyleck Foster

Week 8: Alex Cason

Marshall Football: This Week in C-USA 10/13/13

Now that Marshall is firmly entrenched in league play, we are going to take a weekly look at Conference USA football, reviewing last Saturday's results while also looking ahead to this weeks important match-ups. 

Last Weeks Results
Marshall 24 - FAU 23
ECU 33 - Tulane 36 3OT
Rice 27 - UTSA 21
MTSU 7 - N.Texas 34
UAB 27 - FIU 24
Tulsa 34 - UTEP 20

East Standings
1) Marshall 4-2, 2-0
2) ECU: 4-2, 2-1
3) UAB: 2-4, 1-1
3) FIU: 1-5, 1-1
4) MTSU: 3-4, 1-2
5) FAU: 2-5, 1-4
7) USM: 0-5, 0-1

East Division Game of the Week

Trailing FAU 23-14 with ten minutes left on the clock, Marshall scored 10 unanswered points including a game winning, 41 yard field goal to beat the Owls. 

East Game to Watch Next Week

Sometimes the power of elimination works against you. Next week winless Southern Miss travels to ECU for the only match-up inside C-USA's East division. 

West Division Standings
1) Tulane: 5-2, 3-0
2) Rice: 4-2, 3-0
3) N.Texas: 3-3, 1-1
4) La.Tech: 2-4, 1-1
5) Tulsa: 2-4, 1-1
4) UTSA: 2-5, 1-2
7) UTEP: 1-5, 0-3

West Division Game of the Week

In a triple overtime thriller, Tulane planted it's flag as a conference championship contender with a 36-33 win over ECU. The Pirates loss coupled with Marshall's win over FAU gave the Thundering Herd sole possession of first place in C-USA's East division. 


West Game to Watch Next Week

Slim pickings in the West this week as North Texas at Louisiana Tech represents the only inter division matchup. LaTech's season could spin out of control with a home loss while the Mean Green tries to build off of last weeks big win over Middle Tennessee.

Marshall Football: Haig's Last Second Field Goal Grounds Owls, Herd 24 - FAU 23

It was not pretty but, a last second field goal by Marshall kicker Justin Haig gave the Thundering Herd a 24-23 win at FAU Saturday night. Haig's game winning kick put an exclamation point on a exceptional special teams performance by the Herd. Marshall recorded its first points of the night off a Devon Smith 77 yard punt return for a touchdown.  

Stats

Charleston Daily Mail

Marshall football: Herd earns comeback win over FAU, 24-23

Huntington Herald Dispatch

Herd completes comeback

MU Notebook: Trip to FAU offers press box with view

Chuck Landon: Late win says Herd can be contender

Haig at home for win

Grant Traylor awards game balls

Chuck Landon grades the Herd

Gallery: Marshall defeats FAU 24-23

HerdZone

Haig's Field Goal Gives Marshall 24-23 win at FAU

Charleston Gazette

Last-second field goal send Herd over FAU

Notebook: Haig unfazed by FAU 'icing'

Grades for FAU game

WV Metro News

Haig field goal lefts Herd to win

Gallery: Marshall vs. FAU

Marshall Football: Fast Facts, FAU

Everything you need to know about FAU before Saturday’s matchup against Marshall.

1) Conference USA’s reigning offensive player of the week, FAU quarterback Jaquez Johnson is the Owls most dynamic playmaker. Last week against UAB he accounted for 404 of total offense. For the season, Johnson has completed 61% of his pass attempts for 873 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions. A dual threat, the 6-foot-1, 225 lbs., quarterback has also rushed for 336 yards and a team high four touchdowns.

2) Johnson’s favorite passing targets are wide receivers Daniel McKinney, William Dukes, and Jenson Stoshak. All three have caught at least 14 passes for over 200 yards. Williams leads the group and team with four touchdown receptions.

3) The Owls offensive line has surrendered 19 sacks, the second most in all of C-USA.

4) Senior Jonathan Wallace leads the team with 428 rushing yards on 82 attempts, good for 5.1 yards per carry.

5) Among the 14 football playing schools that make up C-USA, the Owls rank 9^th in total offense, 10^th in scoring offense, 6^th in rushing offense, and 9^th in pass offense.

6) Of FAU’s four starting defensive lineman, none weigh over 260 pounds. In fact, starting tackle Trevon Coley only stands 6-foot-2, 225 lbs.

7) Despite their small stature, the Owls starting defensive lineman have recorded nine sacks in six games.  Defensive end Brandin Bryant leads the team with four.

8) Linebacker Adarius Glanton has recorded a team high 49 total tackles, 30 of them solo. He has been also been credited with 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

9) Junior cornerback D’Joun Smith leads the secondary with three interceptions. His nine pass breakups rank second in the FBS.

10) The Owls will be without starting corner Keith Reaser on Saturday. The senior defensive back tore his ACL during last week’s win over UAB.

11) Safety Damian Parms is second on the team with 38 tackles. He has also show the ability to get into the backfield, recording 3.5 tackles for loss.

12) FAU has a stellar pass defense, they are surrendering a C-USA low 168.7 passing yards per game.

13) The run defense is a different story, the Owls are allowing 191 yards per game, and a average of 4.9 yards per carry.

14) Kicker Mitch Anderson is consistent within 30 yards, converting both of his attempts this season. Beyond 30 yards, Anderson has missed five of his eight kicks.

15) Owl’s punter Sean Kelly is tied for the conference lead with 36 punt attempts. On those 36 attempts he is averaging 41.9 yards per punt.

16) Sophomore wide receiver Robert Lohnes leads C-USA with 16 punt returns but, he is only averaging 7.6 yards per attempt. His longest return this year was 47 yards.

Marshall Football: Hip Injury Ends Jordan Jeffries Career

Marshall football coach Doc Holliday announced today that offensive lineman Jordan Jeffries has a chronic hip injury that will end his playing career.

The backup to starting left tackle Gagne Niemeyer, Jeffries appeared in three games this season after starting all 12 games last year.

Jeffries absence has caused the offensive line to reshuffle. After missing last week’s game with a concussion, Clinton Van Horn will backup starting right tackle Garrett Scott. When Scott is out of the game he will serve as Niemeyer's backup at left tackle. At guard, freshman Michael Selby is backing up the right and left side. Sophomore Cam Dees is also a reserve option at both guard spots and center.  

Despite not being able to play, Jeffries will still be part of the football program. Holliday said the redshirt senior will pick up a whistle and serve as an assistant coach.