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MARSHALL SPORTS
MU Notebook: The Herd is healthy, but can they block and tackle?
In recent days, it's become the most-asked query surrounding Marshall University football.
"Is the defense going to be ready to hit and tackle?"
From the barber shop to Pullman Square, restaurants and on, the preceding has been topic No. 1 -- by far. Thundering Herd supporters largely accept the reasoning to lessen full contact during this preseason camp, but there are real concerns among the faithful.
It's fair. It's legitimate. Marshall head coach Mark Snyder conceded as much last weekend.
"You guys know we haven't been tackling much," Snyder said following Saturday's scrimmage. "Those are some of the things that me and (first-year defensive coordinator) Rick (Minter) have discussed as things that we have to live with early if we want to get into our first game healthy."
Thundering Herd players sporadically have been let loose, but tackling has been limited. On the eve of preseason camp's close, the strategy has worked. Marshall has avoided serious and/or season-ending injuries through August.
Speed and aggressiveness aren't questioned under Minter, but how about the tackling? Will there be a few arm tackles or technique breakdowns during the Aug. 30 season opener against Illinois State?
"I have no problem believing we're going to be ready to hit," junior defensive end John Jacobs said. "It's hard for us. We like to keep each other up, but we love football. We love to hit.
"That's why you play football. You want to tackle people so it's more like holding the dogs back when we're out there thudding."
Junior weak side linebacker, Mario Harvey, among the team's biggest hitters, also offered an easing take for Thundering Herd fans. Indeed there's a lot of "thudding" (contact without taking ball carriers to the ground) going on at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, but big picture dividends could result with a deep, healthy defense.
"We're going to be ready," Harvey said. "The coaches wanted to keep us healthy through the camp, because last year we had a lot of injuries before the first game of the season.
"Yes we're doing a lot of thud but our minds are going to be ready to make some licks."
Besides, it's not as though Marshall has played flag football through 21 practices.
"When it comes time for us to be live, we've gotten in enough live periods to remind us that hey, football is tackling," Jacobs said. "It's not tagging off. It's taking to the ground. It reminds us so we don't get in that daze of not tackling.
"We do tackling drills every single day because we weren't going to be tackling hardly at all this whole camp. In our individual periods, all the players tackle every single day."
Worst case scenario, Harvey said, tackling might emerge an as issue during the season's opening snaps.
"We're probably going to be a little rusty in the beginning," Harvey said. "But probably in the first couple of series we're probably going to snap back and go back to the fundamentals."
Harvey's most telling response was saved for last. Bottom line, will you, individually, be ready to hit come Aug. 30?
The player known as 'Thumper' simply laughed.
HEALTH, HYDRATION COMING TO MU: With sodas gradually going the way of VHS players, Marshall's game day concessions menu is adding healthier drink choices.
Life Water, Gatorade, G2, Propel and Diet Green Tea are among items offered this season at Edwards Stadium.
"With the market trend changing we think that will be a big hit," said David Bosch, Marshall's general director for concessions company Sodexho. "Sodas have gone away more and more. People are drinking water and we're supplementing that with some of the flavored, healthier drinks."
Otherwise, the menu largely is unchanged.
"Our concentration mainly is on customer service and product quality," Bosch said. "We're kind of cutting down on some of the multiple quantities. It can speed up productivity, increase the transaction time and make people a little happier not standing in line and actually see what they're here for."
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.
