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SPORTS
Chuck Landon: Marshall, WVU in need of a football physician
Calling Doctor Lou!
If ever two schools needed a football physician, it's West Virginia University and Marshall.
The alarming part is the Mountaineers and Herd are both suffering from the very same disease -- "Specialitis."
Somebody alert the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Ask for the pigskin division. Tell 'em it's apparently contagious.
Since Doctor Lou -- otherwise known as ESPN commentator Lou Holtz -- is a West Virginia native, I'm hoping he will make a house call.
Goodness knows, we need his healing touch.
WVU is ailing from such an advanced case of "Specialitis," the Mountaineers' kickoff return defense actually is ranked No. 119 in the country.
That's dead-last.
The Mountaineers have allowed 1,093 yards on 35 kickoff returns for a disastrous average of 31.2 yards.
Meanwhile, the Herd's case of "Specialitis" has spread from the place-kickers to the punter and punt-return team during the last two games.
Which means both of West Virginia's football teams are at risk Saturday if this special teams malady isn't cured.
Marshall (4-6, 3-3 Conference USA) has no chance of upsetting high-octane C-USA West Division power Rice (7-3, 5-1) at 3:30 p.m. EST Saturday in Rice Stadium at Houston, if the Herd's sickly special teams performances persist.
And WVU (6-3, 3-1 Big East) will have a difficult time defeating Louisville (5-5, 1-4) at noon Saturday in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky., if the Mountaineers allow UL kick returner Trent Guy to run wild.
Nobody realizes those facts of "Specialitis" life better than Marshall head coach Mark Snyder and WVU head coach Bill Stewart.
That's why special teams have been an emphasis in both Huntington and Morgantown heading into Saturday's matchups.
That has been particularly the case at WVU since an open date gave the Mountaineers two weeks to fix their kickoff coverage problems.
Of course, there's another reason it's a priority at WVU. The Mountaineer special teams are coordinated by none other than ... Billy Stewart himself.
"We've worked on coverage diligently these last two weeks," said Stewart. "We've banged around pretty good ... live.
"I've changed some people. The scheme, I've tinkered with just a little bit. We have a good kicker and I expect him to hang the ball.
"I've just done some fine-tuning ... because we needed to. It hasn't been as good as we'd like."
Wow, that's an understatement even Doctor Lou couldn't cure.
"I think their special teams, watching them they are very explosive," said Stewart. "I worry about that because of our kick coverage and punt coverage ... everybody knows.
"Trent Guy ... my God, I thought he was a graduate student by now. He catches those kickoffs and goes.
And Doug Beaumont does a super job, not only as a receiver but as a punt returner. I'm certainly impressed with No. 27. He is absolutely lightning back there.
"I watched them (Guy and Beaumont) against Kansas State and they did not take one step backwards. We're going to have our hands full."
Those hands had better be full of football antibiotics in both Louisville and Houston.
After all, even Doctor Lou isn't a miracle-worker.
Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.
