Marshall University Athletics
MCGILL: Brady, Herd have attention of NC State, College Gameday
9/22/2018 11:45:00 AM | Football, Word on the Herd
ESPN crew mentioned Marshall receiver on Saturday morning show
By Chuck McGill
HerdZone.com
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall football program is undefeated and hosting a Power 5 conference team Saturday night at 7 inside Joan C. Edwards Stadium. The visitors, NC State, are also undefeated, and know from experience the Herd is capable.
The crew from the popular college football show, ESPN College Gameday, is aware, too.
"This is not a gimme (for NC State)," longtime analyst Kirk Herbstreit said Saturday morning. "Marshall can score points."
Night games for a road team are seldom smooth sailing, and NC State has the added challenge of stepping into a venue that has seen its share of wins by the home team. Marshall boasts the highest home winning percentage among FBS programs.
OK, so tonight's game is obviously big. It is nationally televised and the folks at ESPN knew not to dismiss the Herd. While Herbstreit mentioned Marshall freshman quarterback Isaiah Green, host Rece Davis made sure to remind NC State fans of senior receiver Tyre Brady, who shattered yardage records against the Wolfpack a season ago.
"They better watch out on defense," Davis said. "Marshall had a receiver, Tyre Brady, who put 248 yards on them last year."
The receiving yards were the most by a player, home or visitor, in the 52-year history of State's Carter-Finley Stadium. The yardage was the fourth most in Marshall's program history, the most by a Herd player on the road, the most by an MU player against an FBS program and the fifth most in the history of Conference USA.
Brady, who was named to the Biletnikoff Watch List in the preseason, an award given to college football's best receiver, will certainly receive attention from the Wolfpack defense Saturday night. But, the pieces around Brady are drastically different than 2017.
Obi Obialo, Marshall's second-leading receiver, did not play at NC State last season. Nor did Tyler King, Marshall's leading rusher last season and so far this season. Sophomore tight end Xavier Gaines, who has four receptions for 93 yards this season, was not an offensive weapon last year. Receivers like Marcel Williams and Willie Johnson were relative newcomers to the offense. Green was sitting out as a redshirt watching Chase Litton quarterback the team.
"They've got a few more weapons," NC State coach Dave Doeren said. "They're still featuring Brady. The other receiver across from him, No. 7 (Obialo), is off to a good start. Both of their running backs are running the ball. It's a different offensive coordinator, so the system is different than last year."
First-year offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey will be tasked with finding ways to get Brady the ball. Brady had receptions of 33, 15, 23, 38, 75, 23 and 16 yards against NC State in 2017, totaling 11 receptions – at least two in each quarter – for the game.
"I would think they would do double coverage, a bracket," Brady said anticipating NC State's game plan. "They might come out and do something else. They might play man-to-man. We have a lot of guys who can make plays on our team, so they have to account for them too. If they want to draw all of their attention on me, they are leaving my teammates one-on-one."
Through two games this season, Brady has 15 receptions for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He has 11 receiving touchdowns in 13 career games, and has caught a touchdown pass in three consecutive games dating back to the Gildan New Mexico Bowl last December.
The redshirt senior, who used to play in the ACC at Miami, will not be able to hide – from the Gameday crew or the NC State defense.
"I love big plays, no matter who gets it," Brady said. "It's going to be like a chess game."
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Marshall's offensive line enters Saturday's game with 98 combined starts. One of them includes Dowrey's start last season at NC State, although he saw only three plays before being sidelined with an injury.
The redshirt senior, who starts at left guard, is looking forward to another chance against a Power 5 program. He missed most of that game in 2017, and then had last week's game against South Carolina canceled because of Hurricane Florence.
The defensive front Dowrey will see Saturday night will be much different than what NC State had a year ago. The Wolfpack had seven players drafted from last year's team, plus another five who were signed as undrafted free agents. Four of those drafted players starred on the defensive line.
"There's players that they've got now that it's going to be a battle and it's going to be a good matchup for everybody," Dowrey said. "They're good players."
Added Marshall senior running back Keion Davis: "They still have amazing players."
Chuck McGill is the Assistant Athletic Director for Fan/Donor Engagement and Communications at Marshall University and a six-time winner of the National Sports Media Association West Virginia Sportswriter of the Year award. In addition to HerdZone.com's Word on the Herd, McGill is the editor of Thundering Herd Illustrated, Marshall's official athletics publication. Follow him on Twitter (@chuckmcgill) and Instagram (wordontheherd).
