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MARSHALL SPORTS
Anthony Hanshew: Team taking stock with C-USA games on horizon
Through the football season's first half, Marshall University certainly is self-aware.
Minimal prodding is required when dissecting the positive and not so much after six games. The Thundering Herd (3-3, 2-0 Conference USA) is locked into self-evaluation mode during a needed off week prior to an Oct. 18 visit to UAB.
"We need to finish (strong)," Marshall cornerback DeQuan Bembry said. "We start good and then we sort of lag at the end. We all need to know how to finish."
Starting and completing in each of the game's phases are givens should the Herd remain atop C-USA's East Division and earn a postseason berth. UAB averages 22 points a game, but looming opponents are stockpiling Xbox numbers.
Tulsa, Marshall's regular season finale foe on Nov. 29, leads the nation, averaging 56.4 points and 596 total yards a game. Rice (Nov. 22) is scoring 39 points a game, ranking second in C-USA, followed by Houston (Oct. 28) at 37.2.
The Thundering Herd enjoys a second off weekend after facing UAB, hosting Houston on a Tuesday night ESPN2 showcase game.
"We're definitely going to be facing some offenses that can put some points on the board," junior defensive end John Jacobs said. "Not that we haven't faced teams that can't. I think Tulsa's tops in the nation in scoring and yards, and Rice can put up some points along with all of those teams.
"I'm excited. It's going to be a challenge on defense. It's a lot of fast-paced and throwing the ball around a lot except for maybe UCF.
"But we're getting ready to play a lot of different offenses."
Marshall's offensive perspective focuses primarily on priming the play of redshirt freshman quarterback Mark Cann and a potentially retooling offensive line. Following a 3-1 start, featuring conference victories over Memphis and Southern Miss, the Herd has managed just 13 points combined in consecutive setbacks to West Virginia and Cincinnati.
Cann, in particular, has adopted a back-to-basics approach this week, refining footwork, accuracy and decision-making.
"He takes coaching," offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach John Shannon said. "I get after him. I coach him hard. When he does good, I tell him he does good. If he does wrong, I tell him he does wrong and what he needs to do to improve it.
"He keeps taking up the information. And just like anybody, he's dependant on the guys around him to help him, whether it's up front or whether it's within the skill positions.
"You look through the first two or three games, he had no sacks. Why did he have no sacks? It was because the line but it was also because he was getting rid of the ball, because I told him to throw the ball away because we're not taking the sack."
Jacobs, a locker room leader, is stressing that teammates lock into the present and their unbeaten C-USA status.
"We've played some really good teams," Jacobs said. "We have to give them all the credit but if there is something that is our fault it's that we've obviously let little things, techniques, mistakes add up and we haven't kept them (in check) and they add up into big things."
Anthony Hanshew covers Marshall football for The Herald-Dispatch. He can be reached at 526-2766. His e-mail address is hanshew@herald-dispatch.com.
