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MARSHALL SPORTS
Snyder stresses faster starts for Herd
HUNTINGTON -- As Marshall University football illustrated for two decades, winning is contagious.
Confidence is evident from coaches and the fan base; incoming players catch on quickly. Of course the opposite environment also can stick, and it's often harder to shake.
The Thundering Herd's 0-5 opening signifies the big-picture slow start in a series of in-game slow starts. Marshall has been outscored 48-5 in the first quarter, with early turnovers proving to be the primary culprit
A solution, beginning Saturday at Tulsa, is simple, according to Marshall head coach Mark Snyder.
"Start fast," Snyder said with a chuckle before turning more serious. "We're going to have to because this team does start fast, the team we're playing. We really have no option this week.
"We have to break that habit. That's a bad habit to get into."
Snapping a five-game road losing streak dating to last season undoubtedly will require an improved opening quarter performance. Marshall has trailed entering the second period of each game this season.
The Thundering Herd (0-5, 0-1 Conference USA) tests that trend Saturday at Tulsa (3-2, 1-1). Kickoff at H.A. Chapman Stadium is 7 p.m. and WOWK will televise the game.
Targeting top downfield targets early is a priority. Tight end Cody Slate (31 receptions, 377 yards, three touchdowns) and wide receiver Darius Passmore (29-384-4) could spread the field early, conceivably placing safeties in reverse and opening lanes for Marshall's running game.
"It's like we sit there and spot them seven or 10 and then we're going to go play football, instead of going for the jugular right off the bat," Snyder said. "That's when we start picking it up. It's almost like, OK we're behind now. Let's go. Let's rock and roll. And it's like they turn it on and here we go.
"A little bit of that is philosophical. We have to change our mindset a little bit over the next seven weeks too, whether it be defensively blitzing early or offensively taking some shots.
"And if you don't hit them, at least you took some shots. We're not starting fast anyway, so over the next seven weeks we're going to do some of that."
Saturday's matchup likely will feature a back-and-forth series of downfield shots. Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith will test the Thundering Herd secondary, throwing deep to Trae Johnson (22-418-4) and Brennan Marion (11-454-4).
The Golden Hurricane is averaging 39.2 points a game, compared to 19.2 for Marshall.
"The reason we're not at 40 or whatever, in my opinion is we're not taking enough shots downfield," Snyder said. "And I think it goes back to what we were talking about earlier; we're not starting fast.
"And that's got to stop. Philosophically, that's what we've worked on these last nine days."
