Marshall University Athletics
Herd Hangs On To Down Knights 26-21
9/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Herd Hangs On To Down Knights 26-21
9/20/2002
- Game Stats
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Marshall didn't need a perfect game from Byron Leftwich to spoil Central Florida's Mid-American Conference debut.
Leftwich threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns and Marshall made two late interceptions to preserve a 26-21 victory over Central Florida in their MAC opener Friday night.
Reserve Brandon Carey rushed for a career-high 142 yards as the Herd (2-1) solved their running woes and took some pressure off Leftwich.
"That might be the worst game I played my entire career, but thankfully Brandon and the defense bailed me out,'' Leftwich said. "That is why we call it a team. I don't have to win the game by myself.''
Leftwich entered the game as the Division I-A leader in total offense but was tested often by Central Florida (0-3), which Marshall coach Bob Pruett called perhaps the most athletic team the Herd ever played at home.
"They were exactly what I thought,'' Pruett said. "We knew they would be one of the best teams we would face all year.''
Leftwich overthrew several receivers and was forcing his passes early. He finished 28-for-49 with two interceptions and had his string of four consecutive games of at least 400 yards passing snapped.
"I'm not going to throw for 450 yards every game. It is just not going to happen,'' Leftwich said. "I missed a lot of deep balls, but when we do get those going, watch out.''
Marshall's receivers didn't fare as poorly as a week ago, when they dropped eight passes in a 47-21 loss at Virginia Tech. It was Leftwich who looked uncomfortable at times against Central Florida.
He had just 127 yards passing in the second half, including Marshall's only score -- a 36-yard TD toss to Josh Davis midway through the third quarter for a 26-14 lead.
But Central Florida only managed one touchdown and 177 total yards in the second half and couldn't capitalize on rare mistakes by Leftwich. His second interception gave Central Florida the ball at its 47 with 2:10 remaining in the game.
But Central Florida's Ryan Schneider was intercepted for the second consecutive series in Marshall territory, getting picked off by Terence Tarpley on fourth-and-3 at the Marshall 26.
Marshall then ran out the clock.
The Herd hoped to establish their running game early after gaining just 34 yards at Virginia Tech.
Carey entered in Marshall's third series after starter Butchie Wallace suffered a slight concussion and ran for just 12 yards on six carries.
"Butchie went out and I knew I had to step it up,'' said Carey, who topped a 104-yard effort against Youngstown State in the 2001 regular-season finale.
Carey rushed for 87 yards in the first half, including a 1-yard TD run to give Marshall the lead for good, 17-14, midway through the second quarter.
"I wasn't surprised he had some good runs,'' Central Florida coach Mike Kruczek said. "Anytime you've got a passing attack like Marshall, a guy that can pull the trigger and the weapons Marshall has outside, you've got to honor what they do. It spreads people and creates seams for them to run.''
Central Florida, which spent the past six seasons as a Division I-A independent, ranks last in the conference at 49 yards rushing per game, but Alex Haynes broke through for 106 yards in the first half.
In the second quarter, Haynes, who finished with 142 yards on 28 carries, broke two tackles and stiff-armed a third defender to score on a 58-yard run for a 14-10 lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, Marshall's Jonathan Goddard was penalized for taunting after an incomplete pass, giving Central Florida a first down at the Herd 14.
Two plays later, Schneider flipped a shovel pass to Haynes, who sprinted in for a 19-yard TD with 13:22 left. But Central Florida was held to two first downs the rest of the way.
"I had a good game, but we still came up empty,'' Haynes said. "We just didn't convert on the chances we had in big situations.''