Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
2-3 , 0-1
Middle Tennessee
2-3 , 1-0
MCGILL: Points elude Marshall in C-USA opening loss at Middle Tennessee
10/5/2019 7:01:00 PM | Football, Word on the Herd
By Chuck McGill
HerdZone.com
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Four times the Marshall offense marched inside the Middle Tennessee 25 during Saturday's second half, and four times the Thundering Herd came up empty-handed.
The points squandered loomed large in Middle Tennessee's 24-13 win against visiting Marshall. The Herd, the preseason pick to win the Conference USA East Division, departed Floyd Stadium with a loss in its league opener, and will carry a 2-3 record and 0-1 start in the conference into next Saturday's home game against Old Dominion.
The Marshall offense had a productive day moving the ball with 578 yards of offense – 300-plus through the air and 200-plus on the ground – but points were evasive. First half possessions ended in two punts, an interception and a lost fumble, and the first three second half possessions ended on downs. The last two ended in interceptions. Those five drives generated 304 yards of offense for the Herd, but no points.
Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee played mistake-free football, with just one penalty and zero turnovers. The Blue Raiders scored once in the second half, a 36-yard touchdown from quarterback Asher O'Hara to fellow sophomore Zack Dobson on a screen play on third-and-10. That 11-point cushion, 24-13, with 12:43 left of the fourth quarter was all the home team needed.
Marshall sophomore quarterback Isaiah Green had a big day of yardage – 365 through the air and a career-high 95 on the ground. He completed 24 of 40 passes with one touchdown against three interceptions, and also carried the ball 16 times. Green's 95 rushing yards are the third-most by a quarterback in 10 seasons under head coach Doc Holliday.
Green nearly out-rushed teammate Brenden Knox, who carried 19 times for 99 yards. Green spread the ball around, and 10 different Herd receivers caught passes. True freshman Broc Thompson had a career-high four receptions, and junior tight end also caught four passes. Senior tight end Armani Levias caught three passes for a career-high 94 yards.
After two fruitless drives, Marshall used a big – and acrobatic – play by one of its biggest offensive weapons to break into the scoring. Green, one play after an interception, looked to his left and found Levias in one-on-one coverage down the sideline for a 75-yard touchdown to make it 7-7 with 8:22 left of the first quarter. On the play, Levias initially bobbled the ball, but quickly collected it and then spun to his left to leave the Middle Tennessee defender behind.
The 75-yarder was the Herd offense's longest play to date this season, and answered a touchdown by Middle Tennessee in one play and 13 seconds.
The Blue Raiders opened scoring by converting a turnover into points. Sophomore running back Chaton Mobley scored on a 1-yard run to make it 7-0 with 8:35 left of the first quarter, five plays and 39 yards after MT safety Jovante Moffat intercepted Green.
Following the Green-to-Levias touchdown connection, Middle Tennessee regained the lead, 10-7, on a 21-yard field goal by Crews Holt with 4:22 left of the first quarter. Marshall answered with a 25-yard field go to even the score again, 10-10, with 10:45 left of the half.
The only other first half touchdown came with 3:42 left of the second quarter when O'Hara engineered a six-play, 53-yard drive in under two minutes, and then drove across the goal line from 4 yards out for the rushing TD.
Marshall trimmed the deficit with a 13-play, 68-yard drive that ended in a chip-shot field goal, but not without a chaotic series of event. On the 11th play of the drive, the Herd lined up for a 30-yard field goal attempt, but the snap was errant and the holder, Jackson White, raced to chase down the loose ball. White, under duress, threw the ball forward to teammate Devin Miller, who gained 6 yards on fourth down and 2 to give the offense a fresh set of downs with 11 seconds left of the first half.
After an incomplete pass by Green, Marshall lined up for another field goal – this one from 24 yards out – and senior Justin Rohrwasser nailed it with 3 seconds left and Middle Tennessee led, 17-13, at intermission.
Marshall outgained Middle Tennessee, 274-225, in the first half. The Herd offense generated 133 of those yards on the ground, including 90 rushing yards from Green, who surpassed his previous single-game career best of 50 rushing yards.
Chuck McGill is the Assistant Athletic Director for Fan/Donor Engagement and Communications at Marshall University and a seven-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).
Team Stats
MAR 0, MT 7
MT - MOBLEY, Chaton 1 yd run (HOLT, Crews kick), 5 plays, 39 yards, TOP 1:42
MAR 7, MT 7
MAR - LEVIAS, Armani 75 yd pass from GREEN, Isaiah (ROHRWASSER, J. kick) 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:13
MAR 7, MT 10
MT - HOLT, Crews 21 yd field goal 10 plays, 72 yards, TOP 4:16
MAR 10, MT 10
MAR - ROHRWASSER, J. 25 yd field goal 11 plays, 78 yards, TOP 5:15
MAR 10, MT 17
MT - O'HARA, Asher 4 yd run (HOLT, Crews kick), 6 plays, 53 yards, TOP 1:53
MAR 13, MT 17
MAR - ROHRWASSER, J. 24 yd field goal 13 plays, 68 yards, TOP 3:39
MAR 13, MT 24
MT - DOBSON, Zack 36 yd pass from O'HARA, Asher (HOLT, Crews kick) 8 plays, 76 yards, TOP 2:39
