Marshall University Athletics
MCGILL: Depth chart reveals potential, competitions and glimpse of the future
8/27/2019 11:38:00 PM | Football, Word on the Herd
Marshall football opens Saturday night
By Chuck McGill
HerdZone.com
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – As Doc Holliday's years at Marshall hits double digits – Saturday's season opener at home against VMI will begin year No. 10 in charge of the Thundering Herd – the depth chart's uncertainty reached double figures, too.
That uncertainty lies in the "ors." Left tackle: Will Ulmer or Josh Ball. Tight end: Armani Levias or Xavier Gaines. Cornerback: Chris Jackson or Steven Gilmore. Overall, there were a dozen "ors" on the depth chart Holliday released Tuesday afternoon before discussing Saturday's regular season opener against the visiting FCS program.
"Sometimes when you have a lot of 'ors' in there – that's a great thing," he said. "That means you have several players who can play that position. Other times, you're not sure who that guy is. In our case, we have 'ors' on offense and defense because we think they're good players who can help us win."
Here is a breakdown, by position, of what Herd fans will see starting at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night.
QUARTERBACK
Sophomore Isaiah Green is the undisputed starter. Green played in 10 games last season – nine starts – and finished 7-2 with losses to ACC schools North Carolina State and Virginia Tech. Green set a school record for passing yards per game by a freshman, but had his touchdown pass streak stopped in the Gasparilla Bowl. Fear not, Herd fans, Holliday said Tuesday that the bowl game was Green's next step in the progression to becoming a more complete quarterback.
"That bowl game he played his best game," Holliday said.
The only other QB listed on the depth chart is Alex Thomson, a redshirt senior who is in his second year in the program. Thomson started four games last season in place of the injured Green.
RUNNING BACK
Here is one of the "or" spots on the depth chart.
Marshall returns its top two rushers from 2018 – sophomore Brenden Knox and junior Tyler King. Oddly, Knox and King have never carried the ball in the same game. It was King's late-season injury that cleared the way for Knox's emergence, and now the duo will lead in the backfield. King might be the Herd's most electrifying player, and Knox is such a revered teammate in the locker room that he will be one of the team's four game captains this Saturday … and he's only been a regular on offense for five career games.
Keep in mind: Knox and King combined for six 100-yard rushing games last season, and both players averaged more than 6.0 yards per carry. Watch out.
TIGHT END
Back in the spring, first-year assistant Kyle Segler reveled in his complete toolbox at his new school. Nothing changed in preseason camp this month, and senior Armani Levias will team with junior Xavier Gaines and sophomore Devin Miller to form one of the deepest and most versatile position rooms on the team.
Levias and Gaines are listed in the "or" camp, so who knows if VMI will see one, the other or both when the offense approaches the line of scrimmage for the first time this Saturday. Whatever the case, it's clear this position will be heavily involved in the passing game. Late last season, Levias reeled off a three-game stretch that included 10 receptions and 153 yards. Gaines made two catches in an eight-game stretch before exploding for 105 receiving yards and a touchdown against Virginia Tech and in the Gasparilla Bowl.
WIDE RECEIVER
Two of the top pass catchers from 2018 – including 1,000-yard receiver Tyre Brady – are gone. Now, Saturday's listed starters include Obi Obialo, who had 42 receptions a year ago, and two players who didn't play for the Herd last season.
Also on the depth chart are Stone Scarcelle, a 6-1, 201-pound sophomore who dazzled throughout camp this month, and Broc Thompson, a 6-2 true freshman. Scarcelle is listed behnd Obialo, and Thompson behind Kentucky transfer Tavin Richardson.
In the slot, redshirt freshman Talik Keaton is ahead of junior Simino Walden and senior Artie Henry.
This is, clearly, a position in transition. It's also a position loaded with athleticism, potential and opportunity.
OFFENSIVE LINE
OK, welcome to the most experienced part of the Marshall offense. The Herd returned 103 career starts between its offensive linemen, and then added massive tackle Josh Ball to the mix. Ball started the final nine games of his freshman season at Florida State.
The addition of Ball creates an "or" situation at both tackle spots, where Ulmer is listed first at left tackle and junior Tarik Adams on the right. Ulmer and Adams are both third-year starters, but will receive needed rest at times with Ball helping them share the load. That can only be a plus for the offense. Alex Mollette is back after an injury ended his 2018 season prematurely, although he has shifted to left guard in place of the graduated Jordan Dowrey. At right guard is Cain Madden, who might have been the Herd's best offensive lineman at season's end.
Of the nine offensive lineman listed on the two deep, only one – all-conference center Levi Brown – is a senior.
DEFENSIVE LINE
No "ors" here. Potential oozes from both defensive end spots, where sophomore Darius Hodge is ahead of fellow sophomore Koby Cumberlander and graduate transfer Fermin Silva. On the other side, senior Marquis Couch is ahead of Sam Burton and Owen Porter.
Inside, senior Milan Lanier leads the way at nose tackle, ahead of senior Joey Maddox and freshman Arak McDuffie. At defensive tackle, annual bowl standout Channing Hames leads a pair of sophomores – Rodney Croom and Jamare Edwards.
Overall, there are 12 defensive lineman listed on the depth chart.
LINEBACKER
This position was hit hard by graduation, but senior Omari Cobb will team with juniors Jaquan Yulee and Tavante Beckett as starters. Here, a couple true freshmen will see action: J'Coryan Anderson and Eli Neal. State natives Tyler Brown and Domenick Murphy, the latter of whom was recently awarded a scholarship, fill in the depth chart for first year coordinator and linebackers coach Brad Lambert.
CORNERBACK
The leader of the "ors." At one cornerback spot, senior Chris Jackson or sophomore Steven Gilmore will start. At the other cornerback spot, Kereon Merrell or Jaylon McClain-Sapp will start. When there are five defensive backs on the field, Merrell will shift to nickel … or perhaps Gilmore or safety Nazeeh Johnson.
Herd fans should feel secure that this position is more deep than uncertain entering the opener.
SAFETY
The unexpected departure of Malik Gant to the National Football League wasn't ideal, but returnees Brandon Drayton (strong safety) and Nazeeh Johnson (free safety) help ease the sting. Plus, transfer Derrek Pitts, who is listed as Drayton's backup, gained immediate eligibility to help replace Gant's production.
A pair of true freshmen – Micah Abraham and E.J. Jackson – back up Johnson.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Last year's primary kicker – Justin Rohrwasser – will handle kickoffs, but Holliday mentioned Tuesday that placekicking duties are still up in the air. Rohrwasser is trying to hold off a challenge from freshman Shane Ciucci there.
"It's been a great competition up to this point," Holliday said. "Anytime you have guys competing against each other I think it's healthy. Those guys have competed. We'll see how it shakes out this week and make a decision prior to Saturday. They've both kicked well at times.
Robert LeFevre (punter), Jackson White (holder) and Matt Beardall (long snapper) are familiar names.
Junior Willie Johnson is atop the kickoff return depth chart, and the dynamic Keaton is the leader to return punts.
"We're going to play – there's going to be four or five true freshmen who play significant roles," Holliday said. "J'Coryan Anderson … he's a young guy who was here in the spring we like a lot. Eli – he wasn't here in the spring – but he's got that it factor. We like Micah Abraham at safety. There's going to be a lot of young players … couple of running backs we like as freshmen. Receiver, Broc Thompson, has played well. There's going to be a lot of young faces out there and I'm anxious to see how they go play."
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).
