Print |
E-mail to a friend
FEATURED
Chuck Landon: In many ways, the Herd will have two opponents today
Pogo has Marshall's season-opener pegged perfectly.
As the comics character once philosophized, "We have met the enemy and they are us."
So it is with the Herd's game against Illinois State at 4:30 p.m. today at Edwards Stadium.
Oh, sure, the schedule says Marshall is opening the 2008 season against a former I-AA team from the renamed Missouri Valley Football Conference.
But in so many ways, the Herd actually is playing against itself.
I mean, let's be honest.
Is Marshall head coach Mark Snyder more worried about the Redbirds or the green Herd?
The answer is the Herd.
This game isn't important because Marshall is playing Illinois State. What makes this contest crucial is Marshall has to begin establishing its identity on offense, defense and as a team today.
That is vital.
And that's because the Herd has hired new offensive and defensive coordinators who have installed new schemes on both sides of the ball.
Today is the coming out party. Illinois State just happens to be the dance partner.
The bottom line is the MU coaching staff is a lot more interested in how the Herd handles its own offense and defense than how the Herd handles Illinois State.
So, yes, the Herd is playing itself.
Right, Rick Minter?
"Oh, absolutely," said the Herd's first-year defensive coordinator. "My philosophy is I really don't get too much into the logos on the helmets. It's more about us always.
"It's more about us than who we're playing. Illinois State just happens to be the team in our way, in our path right now. It's our challenge.
"I have great respect for Denver Johnson (veteran ISU head coach) and what he's done and what he tries to bring to the table. Which is a hard-core, run-ball type attitude with their team.
"That's what we expect."
As for the Herd, fans can expect to see both the offense and defense play fast, fast, fast.
"I'd love to see us play fast and play with energy and enthusiasm and do a majority of things right," said Minter. "We've done a lot of things with this defense in the spring and fall and it's time to hit somebody else besides our guys.
"I'm excited about what we can see and what we hope to see, but I really want them to play fast and have fun playing."
That's the paradox the Herd defense faces in this game. Although the goal is to play fast, the defense also has to be prepared for a toe-to-toe slugfest.
Imagine Muhammad Ali playing defensive end against a bruising running back named Joe Frazier.
Philosophically, Minter wants to hear Steve "The Voice of the Herd" Cotton say, "Down goes Frazier, down goes Frazier."
"We've got to find out if we can take it when we get hit in the chin," said Minter. "They say everybody has a game plan until you get hit in the mouth.
"We just hope to withstand the physical onslaught they're going to try and bestow upon us and keep our poise.
"And we have to overcome the first-game jitters from everybody. ... coaches, players, fans. Everybody has a lot of anticipation."
What I anticipate is Marshall handling most if not all of its opening-game issues. In fact, I expect the Herd to have its most successful season opener ever under Snyder.
Marshall will beat Illinois State convincingly, 34-10.
Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.
