College Football News Preview 2020: Marshall Thundering Herd Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Marshall Thundering Herd Offense
The passing game has to be more efficient and more effective. There are receiving options for Isaiah Green, and RB Brenden Knox will certainly do his part, but the passing attack failed to click on more than 45% of its passes over the final three games last year and couldn’t generate much of anything down the field. Five of the 16 touchdown passes on the season came in the opener against VMI.
Biggest Key To The Marshall Thundering Herd Defense
Avoid getting pounded on. Marshall just doesn’t have a whole lot of size on the defensive front – more on that next – and it showed against the more physical teams. The Herd were able to get past Ohio despite giving up 223 rushing yards, but they were 0-5 against everyone else who ran for 140 yards or more. The program has won its last ten games when giving up fewer than 140.
Key Marshall Thundering Herd Player To A Successful Season
DT Rodney Croom, Jr.
All of the defensive tackles need to literally play big roles. There’s not a lot of size on the defensive front, but there’s excellent quickness and there should be a good rotation around the 6-3, 260-pound Croom.
The junior came up with 35 tackles and was able to get to the quarterback, but it would be nice for the run D is 282-pound JUCO transfer Esais Carpenter and 301-pound Kyron Taylor could bring the bulk.
Key Game To The Marshall Thundering Herd Season
WKU, Oct. 10
The Herd got by the Hilltoppers 26-23 last season, but this time around it’s a must-win to get off to a big start on a four-game run. After this is a trip to Louisiana Tech followed by a date with Florida Atlantic, followed up by a trip to FIU before getting a week off. Beating WKU four the fourth time in a row would take off a whole lot of pressure.
– Marshall Thundering Herd Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Marshall Fun Stats
– Field Goals: Marshall 18-of-21 – Opponents 13-of-20
– Kickoff Return Average: Opponents 28.6 yards – Marshall 18.6 yards
– 2nd Quarter Points Scored: 118 – 2nd Half Points Scored: 132