Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Football Plays at Third-Ranked Georgia Saturday
9/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Marshall Football Plays at Third-Ranked Georgia Saturday
9/13/2004
Marshall will conclude its rigorus non-conference schedule when it visits third-ranked Georgia on Saturday. The Thundering Herd, which is coming off a heart-breaking last second loss at ninth-ranked Ohio State, now must face another perennial national power on the road.
Georgia, a preseason favorite to contend for not only the SEC title, but a national title, opened the season with a 48-28 win over Georgia Southern and followed that up with a 20-16 victory at SEC rival South Carolina on Saturday.
The game will be televised live by WSAZ-TV in Huntington/Charleston, W.Va. and on a pay-per-view basis by CSS in the state of Georgia.
The Bulldog offense is led by senior quarterback David Greene, who has completed 28-of-52 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns in UGA?s first two games. Freshman running back Danny Ware leads the Bulldog rushing attack with 88 yards per game and three touchdowns on the year, however he will not play Saturday due to injury.
Defensively, UGA boasts one of the nation?s top units with defensive end David Pollack (a Nagurski Award, Rotary Lombardi Award, and Hendricks Award candidate), and free safety Thomas Davis (a Thorpe and Nagurski Award candidate) leading the way. Pollack has 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks to his credit in 2004, and Davis leads UGA with 20 tackles.
Marshall?s defense continued to shine in the Herd?s near miss at Ohio State last week. Among the biggest contributors are Jonathan Goddard, who caused a fumble and returned a fumble for a 27-yard touchdown against Ohio State and safety Chris Royal who recorded two interceptions against the Buckeyes to bring his season total to an NCAA-best four interceptions in two games. Goddard has been honored as this week's Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week on defense.
Marshall limited Ohio State to only 79 yards rushing and was in position to upend the Buckeyes, before a 55-yard last second field goal broke a 21-21 tie as time expired.
MARSHALL-GEORGIA NOTES:
Georgia Connections: Marshall?s roster features five Georgia natives. They are Ryan Baynes, Roger Garrett, Carlos Morgan, Emanuel Spann, and Damarcus Thomas. Georgia tight ends coach David Johnson was a Marshall assistant under Pruett from 1997-2000.
Earning Respect with the Big Boys: Marshall nearly stunned #9 Ohio State last week, before being edged on a last second field goal. Since 1997 (when Marshall moved to Division 1-A status) the Herd has gone up against schools from BCS conferences 11 times and posted a record of 3-8. Marshall?s BCS wins have come at the expense of South Carolina (24-21 at Columbia in 1998), Clemson (13-10 at Clemson in 1999), and Kansas State (27-20 at Manhattan in 2003). In addition to this, six of Marshall?s eight losses to BCS schools have been by 12 points or less with all of those games being played at the BCS school?s home field. In 1997, West Virginia rallied from a fourth quarter deficit to beat the Herd 42-31 in its first Division 1-A game, and Mississippi escaped Marshall in the Motor City Bowl, 34-31. In 2000, Michigan State edged Marshall 34-24 and North Carolina survived a 20-15 challenge. In 2003, Tennessee managed a 34-24 win over the Herd and in 2004 Ohio State survived Marshall with a 24-21 last second win.
Marshall?s SEC History: Marshall has faced off against SEC schools four times since moving to Division 1-A in 1997 and has posted a record of 1-3. The Herd downed South Carolina, 24-21, in 1998. Ole Miss topped Marshall in the 1997 Motor City Bowl (34-31), then #1 Florida topped the Herd in the 2001 opener in the Swamp 49-14, and then #11 Tennessee picked-up a 34-24 win over Marshall in Knoxville last season.
Pruett vs. UGA: Marshall head coach Bob Pruett has a 3-1 record against Georgia as an assistant. He was 1-1 as a DB coach at Ole Miss (90-91) and was 2-0 as the def. coordinator at Florida (94-95).
Getting Defensive: Marshall?s defense emerged as one of the finest units in the MAC last season. The Herd finished the season ranked #1 in the league in total defense (329.8 yards per game) and in pass defense (177.4 yards allowed per game), while limiting opponents to a conference-low 184 first downs, and a league-low third down conversion rate of 29.2%. Marshall returns eight of its top 10 tacklers and 10 players with starting experience off of that unit. Thus far, Marshall ranks as the MAC leader in rush defense and is second in the league in scoring defense.
Royal Start: Marshall junior free saftey was another bright spot for the Herd at Ohio State. Royal intercepted the first two passes of his career against Troy and finished the day with 42 yards in interception returns. Royal continued his hot streak with two interceptions at Ohio State. The Marshall junior now leads the nation with four interceptions in two games.
Freshmen Making Impact: Marshall has several freshman that are making an immediate impact. Ahmad Bradshaw, Emanuel Spann, Marcus Fitzgerald, and Bernard Morris are all making contributions. Against Ohio State - Bradshaw rushed for a team-high 77 yards and Spann led the Herd in receiving and amassed 48 yards on two punt returns. Fitsgerald also so considerable time at receiver and caught three passes, while Morris recorded a 15 yard run.
Twenty in a Row: Marshall?s 8-4 record in 2003 gave the football program its 20th consecutive winning season - the longest streak in school history. Marshall has not posted a losing season in football since going 4-7 in 1983. The Thundering Herd?s current 20-season winning streak follows 19 straight losing seasons from 1965-1983, and is sixth longest consecutive non-losing seasons streak in major college football.
Pruett for the Record: Marshall head coach Bob Pruett is the nation?s winningest active major college football coach (min. six years) and enters the UGA game with an 0-2 record. The significance of this, is that in Bob Pruett?s eight plus seasons at Marshall - the Herd has never lost three games in a row.
Full Division I-A Slate: Marshall?s 2004 schedule is the Herd?s first without a non-Division 1-A game since the school moved to Division 1-A status in 1997. The Herd?s opener with Troy will mark the first time that Marshall has opened the season at home against a Division 1-A opponent since 1988.
Conference USA on the Horizon: Marshall University is playing its final season of football as a member of the Mid-American Conference. The Herd will join Conference USA in 2005. The conference will consist of East Carolina, Houston, Marshall, Memphis, Rice, SMU, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UCF, and UTEP.
The MAC Standard: Marshall has established itself as the premier program in the Mid-American Conference since joining the league in 1997. Marshall has won five of seven MAC Championship games, won six MAC East titles, appeared in six bowl games (winning five), and produced a league-high 50 first-team All-MAC selections. The Herd has also produced 12 NFL draft picks and finished ranked in the final major Top 25 polls four times.
Davis Chasing Records: Marshall senior receiver Josh Davis is one of the top returning receivers in college football. Entering the Georgia game, Davis has 231 career receptions and 3,088 career receiving yards to his credit. The two-time All-MAC selection has 10 career 100+ yard games and stands within striking distance of the NCAA career receptions record (300) and several Marshall and MAC marks.
1,000 Game Approaching: Marshall will play its 1,000 football game when it hosts Miami on September 29th. The game will be televised by ESPN2. MU has an all-time record of 493-456-47 on the gridiron.
A Healthy Stan Hill Returns: Marshall senior quarterback is fully recovered from a knee injury that forced him to miss much of last season and he appears poised to continue the great line of Marshall quarterbacks that include Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich. In less than six games, Hill managed to pass for 1,767 yards and 15 touchdowns, complie a QB rating of 165.9 (2nd in the nation), a completion percentage of 69.6% (4th in the nation), and he averaged 9.25 yards per pass (6th in the nation). Thus far, Hill has completed 36 of 62 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns, with only one interception against two of the nation?s better defenses in Troy and Ohio State. He now must face yet another top defense - Georgia.
Home Sweet Home, Re-named: Marshall University Stadium was re-named in honor of long-time MU philanthropist Joan C. Edwards at halftime of the 2003 season finale with Ohio. Since first opening for the 1991 season, the Thundering Herd has been virtually unbeatable on its home field. The Herd has an all-time mark of 98-7 in the facility. Under Coach Bob Pruett the Herd is an amazing 53-3 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Rushing Attack Lead League in ?03: Marshall?s rushing attack emerged as a force to be reckoned with in 2003. Led by 1,000-yard rusher Earl Charles, the Herd averaged 196.3 yards per game on the ground last season to lead the MAC and rank 20th nationally. Charles, a Doak Walker Award candidate is poised to lead a strong Marshall running attack in 2004 that includes the addition of highly touted prep star Ahmad Bradshaw. Against Ohio State, the Herd rushed for 150 yards, while limiting the Buckeyes to only 79 rushing yards. Bradshaw recorded 77 yards on the ground and Charles added 72 yards and a touchdown.
Collins joins Experienced Staff: Marshall?s coaching staff welcomed coaching veteran Jim Collins aboard this Spring. Collins brings 30 yards of coaching experience at all levels with him. Most recently he served under Steve Spurrier with the NFL?s Washington Redskins. Prior to that he was an assistant at the University of Florida from 1990-2002 and he has been a part of seven collegiate conference championship teams at Duke and Florida. Marshall?s coaching staff now has, combined, 211 years of collegiate coaching experience.
Herd Full of Award Candidates: Marshall?s roster is dotted with several players that are on preseason national award watch-lists or are candidates for national honors. Senior quarterback Stan Hill is a Davey O?Brien and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award candidate, senior wide receiver Josh Davis is a Biletnikoff Award candidate, senior Earl Charles is a Doak Walker Award candidate, senior defensive end Jamus Martin in on both the Butkus and Rotary Lombardi Award watch lists, and senior linebacker Kevin Atkins is on the Lombardi Award watch list.
Marshall?s Hunt Enters Hall: Marshall legend Jackie Hunt became the first MU player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004. In 1940, he rushed for 27 touchdowns - an NCAA record that would stand for 31 years. He is credited as being the first player in college football history to amass more than 3,000 career all purpose yards. The two-time All-American?s family will be recognized at the Sept. 29th game with Miami.
Marshall Receives AFCA Academic Award: Marshall was once again honored by the American Football Coaches Association with the AFCA Academic Honorable Mention award for posting a graduation rate of 70% or better. This marked the 6th time since 1998 that the Thundering Herd football program recieved this honor.
Marshall Makes its Mark in Manhattan: The Thundering Herd?s 27-20 win over then sixth-ranked, and eventual Big 12 Conference Champion, Kansas State in 2003 was a first for the Mid-American Conference and Marshall. It marked the first time ever that a MAC school had beaten a team ranked as high as sixth in the national rankings and it marked the first time ever that Marshall has beaten a team ranked in the AP Top 25.
The Turnover Issue: Marshall struggled with turnovers and finished 2003 ranked 114th out of the 117 Division 1-A schools with a turnover margin of (-1.58 per game). Marshall turned the ball over 34 times last season, which ranked 106th nationally, while only gaining 15 turnovers on the year to rank 110th. So far this season, Marshall ranks among the national leaders with a solid +4 on the year.
Rare Loss: Marshall?s perfect 13-0 record in season-opening games at Joan C. Edwards Stadium and streak of 20 consecutive home opener wins came to an end against Troy. The Herd previously had not lost a home opener since a 27-3 loss to Illinois State on September 10th of 1983. It also marked only the third time ever that a Pruett led Marshall team has lost at home.
