SMU vs. Marshall

CUSA-fans.com has a new staff of team correspondents this fall to help bring you, the fan, more detailed Conference USA football coverage. Today, our SMU Correspondent, Rick Atkinson, gives you a preview of the SMU match-up with the Marshall Thundering Herd.

SMU vs. Marshall Game Info

Date: Saturday, October 14, 2006 @ 2:00 p.m. Central time

Location: Ford Stadium, Dallas, Texas (32,000)

Television: WOWK-TV, Huntington, West Virginia.

Season Records: SMU (3-3, 1-1 C- USA), Marshall (1-4, 0-1)

All-Time Series: Marshall leads, 1-0. The Thundering Herd prevailed last year at Marshall, 16-13, in overtime.

Injury/Personnel Report
SMU: DE Justin Rogers, sprained neck, DE Cory Muse, knee – questionable.
Marshall: No report

SMU vs. Marshall Overview

What a week for SMU.

Starting QB Justin Willis was suspended from the team a day before the UTEP game for an off-campus altercation with another student. Then, during Saturday’s game, starting DE Justin Rogers was taken from the field by ambulance with a neck injury.

Things got some better.

Rogers is OK and backup QB Corey Slater rallied SMU back from 17 down before the Mustangs fell to the Miners, 24-21.

Bennett said last week’s events were both distracting and emotional for the team, but now they must move forward.

“We’re gonna have to get reorganized this week,” he said. “We’re gonna have to get focused and come out and play well to have a chance to beat Marshall.”

Marshall’s 1-4 record is deceiving. Losses have come at #5 West Virginia, at #15 Tennessee, and at Kansas State. Another loss, last week to UCF, came on a last-second field goal.

“[ Marshall] is a dangerous team,” Bennett said. “They’re a team that we’ll have to be ready for.”

In the meantime, Willis’ situation is delicate.

“We’re trying to be fair to everyone involved,” Bennett said. “And sometimes that’s not easy.”

“Hopefully, it will be resolved, and hopefully … our players can learn from these mistakes. We all learn from mistakes.”

SMU has a four-game home winning steak. Five would tie SMU’s longest such streak since winning seven over the 1981-82 seasons.

Bennett is 14-38 in his fifth season at SMU.

Mark Snyder, in his second year at Marshall, has a record of 5-11.

Herd Facts:

- The Thundering Herd has more returning starters than any team in C-USA, (18).

- Marshall moved to Division I-A in 1997. Saturday, The Herd plays in Texas for only the third time.

- The movie “We Are Marshall”, starring Matthew McConaughy, is set for release in December. It’s based on the 1970 Marshall University plane crash that killed 75 football players, coaches and administrators.

SMU Offense versus Marshall Defense

Advantage: SMU

Stats lie.

Marshall has the ninth-ranked defense in the league, allowing over 405 yards per game, 171 on the ground - against stiff competition.

SMU is ninth in total offense, averaging 318 yards per game – without starting running back DeMyron Martin the last three weeks.

Things become clearer on Saturday.

As of Wednesday, Slater is SMU’s starting quarterback.

Slater (6-2, 215), a JUCO transfer in his first Division I-A start, threw two second half touchdowns at UTEP, finishing 10-20 for 132 yards, with three interceptions.

Bennett said Slater was understandably shaky at first, but made some plays in the second half.

“I think Corey can run our offense,” he said.

Martin, in his first game back since a foot injury, carried 17 times for 55 yards at UTEP. Martin still leads SMU in rushing yards per game, with 46.7.

WR Emmanuel Sanders has touchdown catches in four consecutive games, tying an SMU record held by Jerry LeVias (1966) and Emmanuel Tolbert (1977).

Marshall linebackers Dennis Thornton and Matt Couch each have one interception, The Herd’s only picks so far. Marshall’s leading tackler is SS Curtis Keyes (6-0, 195), with 38. DE Shavar Greer (6-0, 228) has a team-high four sacks.

Marshall Offense versus SMU Defense

Advantage: Even

Something’s gotta give.

Marshall leads C-USA in rushing (176.4 ypg) and SMU is tops at stopping the run, (82.8 ypg). But, the Mustangs may be hurt if starting DEs Rogers and Muse are unable to go.

The Herd is led by RB Ahmad Bradshaw (5-11, 197). Bradshaw ran wild last week against UCF, with 181 yards on 18 carries. He’s second in C-USA with 106 ypg.

“Ahmad Bradshaw could play probably anywhere in the country”, Bennett said.

Junior QB Bernie Morris (6-4, 220) is a dual threat, averaging 182 yards total offense per game. Last year, Morris rolled up 314 yards passing against SMU, completing 34 of 60 attempts.

In Week 2, Morris and Bradshaw each ran for over 150 yards in Marshall’s win over Hofstra.

SMU continues to lead C-USA in sacks (18) and tackles for losses (47).

The Mustangs are vulnerable to the pass, allowing 273 ypg, 11 th in the league. SMU has five picks, two by leading tackler SS Joe Sturdivant.

CB Jonathan Lindley returned a fumble 80 yards for a touchdown at UTEP.

The difference maker? Mustang DT Adrian Haywood should blow it up this week.

Special Teams

Advantage: SMU

SMU kick return specialist, Jessie Henderson, is second in the nation and first in the league with a 36.9-yard average. Emmanuel Spann averages 24 for Marshall.

Punter Thomas Morstead is tops in C-USA with a 43.9-yard average. Ian O’Connor averages 39 for Marshall.

Morstead is 6-8 in field goals with a long of 50 yards. Marshall’s Anthony Binswanger is 4-6, with a long of 50.

The Herd’s Spann leads C-USA in punt return average (14.2 ypg), with a long of 25. Blake Warren averages 8.1 for SMU, and has a long of 54.

Intangibles

Advantage: SMU

It’s SMU’s conference home opener and home cooking is just what this team needs after last week’s nightmare. And the Ponies haven’t forgotten last year’s bitter OT pill at Marshall.

Also, the Herd just might have a hangover from last week’s one-point loss at home.

Final Prediction

SMU rebounds from “Fear and Loathing in El Paso.”

The Mustangs are 3-0 when leading at the half and 0-3 when trailing. Here’s the halftime score: SMU 17, Marshall 6.