Marshall University Athletics
MCGILL: Pass D the key as Herd faces Charlotte
11/19/2021 11:29:00 PM | Football, Word on the Herd
C-USA East still within reach for Marshall
By Chuck McGill
HerdZone.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – When the Marshall football team limits opposing passers, a favorable result awaits.
That may seem obvious, but sometimes a quarterback's performance doesn't guarantee victory. Just last week, Charlotte QB Chris Reynolds – whom the Thundering Herd will face this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. here in Charlotte in a game televised by Stadium – put up monster numbers.
The 49ers fell to Louisiana Tech, 42-32.
That said, Marshall has limited opposing quarterback to a rating below 100.00 five times this season – at Navy, vs. North Carolina Central, Old Dominion, at North Texas and FIU. The Herd is 5-0 in those games.
Overall, Marshall is 6-4, and with a 4-2 record in Conference USA, the Herd remains in contention to win the East Division crown and compete for a conference title. First, though, Marshall has to beat Charlotte on the road this weekend, and limiting Reynolds might be the key that keeps the Herd in position for a title in Charles Huff's inaugural season on the sideline.
"Their quarterback is scrappy, as call can be; makes some really good throws; makes some unorthodox throws with timing," Huff said. "His receivers do a good job of fighting back for the ball or running by the DB when needed."
Marshall's pass defense ranks No. 9 nationally in yards per game allowed (180.9), and the Herd is one of 10 teams that has allowed single digit touchdowns through the air this season. The other nine teams on that list: Georgia, Washington, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Boston College, Notre Dame, Clemson and Penn State.
Reynolds will provide a stiff test. The fourth-year signal caller has completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 2,277 yards and 21 touchdowns against six interceptions. His QB rating has never dipped below 100.00 in any game, and last week Reynolds threw for 448 yards and averaged 10.7 yards per completion.
He also has 178 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Only Marshall's Grant Wells and ODU's D.J. Mack Jr. have more rushing TDs among Conference USA quarterbacks.
"When you have a quarterback who can create with their feet, you have got to make sure you have rush lane integrity," Huff said. "You can't just go 'Hey, I'm going to go get a sack,' because if you get out of a lane he's smart enough to step up and take off."
Marshall and Charlotte (5-5, 3-3 C-USA) did not play last season, but in 2019 – the Herd's last visit to Charlotte – Reynolds rushed 25 times for 145 yards in a game won by the 49ers, 24-13.
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The game can be found on Channel 133 for those with Comcast in Huntington and 125 on Suddenlink in Charleston. It can also be viewed online at the following link:Â https://watchstadium.com/live/marshall-at-charlotte-2/.
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Even after last week's loss to defending conference champion UAB, Marshall ranks among the Top 15 teams nationally in scoring margin. The Herd is No. 15, outscoring opponents by an average of 12.4 points per game.
Among the 14 teams ranked ahead of Marshall in scoring margin, 11 were voted as one of the Associated Press' Top 25 teams this week. The Herd's four losses have come by 4, 1, 6 and 7 points.
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Marshall remains one of the most explosive offenses in college football, ranking No. 13 in total offense, No. 10 in passing offense and No. 7 in rushing touchdowns.
On plays from scrimmage, the Herd ranks No. 11 nationally with 18 plays of 40-plus yards. That's an impressive statistic, to be sure, but did you know that NINE different players have contributed at least one of those plays?
The full list, along with number of 40-yard plays, is as follows: Willie Johnson (4), Rasheen Ali (3), Sheldon Evans (2), Xavier Gaines (2), Corey Gammage (2), Talik Keaton (2), Shadeed Ahmed (1), Jayden Harrison (1) and Stone Scarcelle (1). This does not count special teams plays.
The more you know.
Chuck McGill is the Assistant Athletic Director for Fan/Donor Engagement and Communications at Marshall University and a nine-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).
