Marshall University Athletics
Herd Travels to Morgantown to Face 24th-Ranked Mountaineers
9/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 3, 2011
MORGANTOWN, W.Va.-The Marshall football squad travels to Morgantown Sunday for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff at 24th-ranked West Virginia at Mountaineer Field.
The Herd, who went 5-7 in 2010 under first-year head coach Doc Holliday, will start true freshman Rakeem Cato at quarterback, while featuring Conference USA's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Vinny Curry at defensive end. Curry, a first-team All-Conference USA selection a season ago, returns as one of the top defensive players in the country. As a junior, Curry led all defensive linemen in the FBS with 94 stops while accumulating 12 sacks, fifth in the nation. In August, Curry was named to the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski Awards.
The Mountaineers, who went 9-4 a season ago and were voted top atop the BIG EAST's 2011 preseason media poll, are led by first-year head coach Dana Holgorsen. Holgorsen is armed with quarterback Geno Smith, who threw for 2,763 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2010. The defense is paced by defensive end Bruce Irvin, who registered a BIG EAST-leading 14 sacks and cornerback Keith Tandy, who led the conference with six interceptions.
The game can be seen on ESPN with Joe Tessitore, Rod Gilmore and Quint Kessenich on the call.
Following this contest, the Herd will host Southern Miss at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday in a game that will be televised on CSS (Comcast Sports Southeast). The Marshall Athletics Ticket Office WILL be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ET Monday and can be reached at 1-800-THE-HERD. As always, fans may also purchase tickets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at HerdZone.com.
