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SPORTS
Cann may be out
Marshall football coach Mark Snyder talks about Marshall's upcoming game against Tulsa, Tuesday, November 25, 2008, during his weekly press conference at the Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
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HUNTINGTON -- Mark Snyder's lengthy Tuesday press conference was rolling along, conversing about a respected senior class and Saturday's matchup.
Toward the end of the back-and-forth, Marshall University's head football coach provided the story of the day and game week. Starting quarterback Mark Cann is questionable at best because of an injury for the season finale against Tulsa.
Senior Day kickoff between Marshall (4-7, 3-4 Conference USA) and the Golden Hurricane (9-2, 6-1) is 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Cann, the Thundering Herd's struggling redshirt freshman, has played and practiced through shoulder injuries. He did not practice Monday and Tuesday.
"He has a lot on his shoulders," Snyder said, absolutely informing the press without a pun in mind. "I'm not so sure he has not hit that freshman brick wall.
"He probably has not played as well as he would like or we would like and he's a little dinged right now. He didn't practice yesterday and won't practice today."
Cann has thrown for 1,767 yards and 14 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. Injuries obviously have compromised the first-year starter's progress, evidenced by last week's overthrow on a potential touchdown toss to wide-open tight end Lee Smith.
"We set that up," Snyder said. "It was set up beautifully and everybody on the sideline knew it was going to be a touchdown, Mark knew it was going to be a touchdown. We just didn't get it done and that's just deflating."
Cann slammed both hands on the Rice Stadium FieldTurf, illustrating his frustration. He entered the game with one injured shoulder and exited with damage to the other.
Sophomore Brian Anderson likely would start in Cann's place, backed by junior Jonathan Garner.
Compounding problems is an attempt to keep pace with a Tulsa offense averaging 50.4 points and 584.6 yards a game. Marshall managed just 10 points in last week's loss at Rice; Cann and teammates were frank that such an offensive output isn't sufficient when facing high-powered West Division squads.
"We have to match points for points," Thundering Herd right guard Matt Altobello said.
Tulsa, led by prolific passer David Anderson, plays with purpose on Saturday, attempting to repeat as West Division champion. Tulsa's Anderson, a fifth-year senior, has thrown for 3,358 yards and 40 touchdowns against 13 interceptions on 66.3-percent passing.
"The numbers are absolutely staggering," Snyder said. "From the 96 kickoffs I watched Sunday night -- 96 kickoffs -- that's almost beyond comprehension and the numbers they have are staggering."
Five different receivers total at least 426 yards and Tarrion Adams has provided the ideal complement, rushing for 1,073 yards and six touchdowns.
"Let me say this, it's kind of a like an oxymoron," Snyder said. "When you think of Tulsa, you think of wide open, throwing it all over the place.
"That is really not the case. They're rushing the football right now. They've got some good tailbacks and it's setting up their explosive plays because they are running the ball so effectively and the good thing for them, they've got a fifth-year senior quarterback delivering the ball, so it's not quite the Tulsa team you think when you watch the film.
"We're going to have to stop their running game and not give up the big play."
