WVU visits Marshall for the first time since 1915
MORGANTOWN — West Virginia (1-0) remained a solid 24-point favorite over Marshall (0-1) on the eve of Saturday’s Friends of Coal Bowl football clash of state rivals in Huntington.
More than 40,000 fans, the largest crowd ever at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, are expected for the 11:10 a.m. kickoff. This will be only their seventh meeting in the on-again, off-again series and just the second down there.
The action will be televised nationally by ESPN2.
WVU coach Rich Rodriguez, who just signed his seven-year contract extension worth more than $13.6 million plus incentives, scoffed at the suggestion that the No. 3-ranked Mountaineers might take MU lightly.
“Marshall is a quality I-A program,” he said. “I think our guys understand what Marshall is. They knew last year. We know we’ll get Marshall’s best shot.”
Mark Snyder, the Thundering Herd’s third-year coach, is tired of hearing all the hype.
“Let’s stop talking about this game and get out there and play it,” he said earlier in the week.
“(The Mountaineers) are playing hard, defensively, and they are playing with a lot of emotion. Offensively, they are very, very explosive. And they’re very sound in the kicking game.”
While WVU romped to a 62-24 rout of Western Michigan in its season’s opener, Marshall dropped a 31-3 decision at Miami. Four pass interceptions curbed the Thundering Herd’s offensive efforts.
“It was more Miami making plays,” Rodriguez said. “I have always been impressed with (MU quarterback) Bernard Morris. He has a strong arm. They have got as good a skill group as anyone.
“Some of the wideouts are spectacular, and the tight end is impressive. I think the difference for them was the Miami defensive line.”
Morris, a 6-4, 211-pound senior, completed 16 of 26 passes for 162 yards. Darius Marshall caught five passes for 17 yards, Court Edmonson three for 58 yards.
The Thundering Herd couldn’t put together an effective ground game, netting just 51 yards rushing. Morris gained 57 but lost 28 on 17 keeper plays.
Defensively, MU’s chief challenge will be trying to contain All-America tailback Steve Slaton and quarterback Patrick White. Those two Heisman Trophy candidates accounted for 464 of their team’s 542 yards against Western Michigan.
Each also accounted for four touchdowns.
White connected on 10 of 18 passes for 192 yards and added 98 yards rushing. Steve Slaton rushed 16 times for 109 yards and caught two passes for 61 yards.
Linebackers Mortty Ivy, Marc Magro and Reed Williams are WVU’s leading tacklers. Defensive backs C.J. Spillman, Aaron Johnson and Ashton Hall head MU’s defensive cast.
WVU has won the previous six meetings, including a 42-10 contest a year ago.
Marshall’s sophomore tight end Cody Slate and senior center Doug Legursky were both Conference USA first-team selections last year. The Thundering Herd was 5-7 overall in 2006.
The Mountaineers will face a short week after this game. They visit Maryland next Thursday night. Marshall will stay home to play New Hampshire next Saturday.
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