Print |
E-mail to a friend
MARSHALL SPORTS
Chuck Landon: New 'Marshall plan' designed to strengthen foundation of Herd nation
Back in the day, a Marshall history professor tried to teach me the philosophy of the "Marshall Plan."
He failed.
So did I ... almost. I took my "D" and skedaddled back to the academic safety of journalism.
Who would have guessed that all these years later, I finally would figure out the "Marshall Plan"?
But that's what happened after the Herd's 35-10 win over Illinois State Saturday at Edwards Stadium.
While interviewing MU sophomore sensation Darius Marshall, he explained how running backs coach Jared Smith had encouraged him to dedicate his summer to the weight room.
The "Marshall Plan" was for Darius to build a stronger foundation, so he could help rebuild the Herd nation.
The premise hit me like a Thunderclap.
The "other" Marshall Plan was just like this Marshall Plan. It was about rebuilding and creating a stronger foundation for the allied countries of post-World War II Europe.
Deja MU.
And just to prove history really does repeat itself, Marshall Plan '08 started out just as successfully as Marshall Plan '47.
Darius Marshall had the first 100-yard rushing performance of his collegiate career, gaining 115 yards in the Herd's season-opener.
I haven't enjoyed history this much since high school. And it's all because of Marshall ... Darius, not George.
"The offensive line just did a great job," said Marshall. "They opened up the seams and the receivers blocked at the second level. I was able to see a couple holes and I just hit them.
"I used my talent after that."
Actually, it wasn't quite that simple. The real roots of Marshall's breakout performance extend back to last summer.
The compact 5-foot-10 sophomore never had been the sort of work-horse running back that could wear down an opposing defense. His collar was white, not blue. He was flash and dash, not wham and bam.
"Coach was on me about that all summer," said Marshall. "In order for me to be better, I had to get a little more strength and be powerful and more physical in the hole. So, as the game goes on, the other team wears down.
"Now, I understand what coach was talking about. As the game progressed we started to wear them down. They got tired and, basically, we could run the ball any way we wanted."
That's because Marshall has added 11 pounds of muscle and improved his bench press from "200-something" to 375 pounds.
As a result, Marshall actually got stronger during the game despite the high humidity and muggy conditions. That allowed him to shoulder a much bigger work-load, getting a career-high 20 carries.
"I would love to get another 20 carries against Wisconsin," said Marshall, who will face the Big Ten opponent at noon Saturday in Camp Randall Stadium at Madison, Wis.
"But if I don't get 20 carries, I would just like to contribute to the team and help us win. To me, it's all about the winning aspect.
"It doesn't matter to me if we throw 50 balls, as long as we win. I'm not greedy. I just want to win. My first year here we had a losing season. We have a point to prove.
"We've started 1-0 and we just want to continue that."
It's all part of the Marshall Plan.
Hey, I wonder if it's too late to get my grade changed to a "C."
Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.
