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SPORTS
Herd still has shot at bowl game
Head coach Mark Snyder watches his team during the Marshall vs Central Florida football game at the Joan C. Edwards stadium on Saturday, November 15, 2008.
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HUNTINGTON — Tunnel vision, and focusing on a dynamic quarterback specifically, served as the theme of Mark Snyder’s Tuesday press conference.
Two wins in two games are required for a bowl bid, a Marshall University football process that begins Saturday at Rice. Upsetting the Owls begins with containing Chase Clement, who has thrown for more than 3,000 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Marshall (4-6, 3-3 Conference USA) and Rice (7-3, 5-1) kick off at 3:30 p.m. in Houston. CBS College Sports will televise the game.
Midway through Tuesday’s press conference, Marshall’s fourth-year head coach was asked to opine on parity within Conference USA. Tulsa, for example, not long ago was the league’s unquestioned heavyweight. Last week, the Golden Hurricane was humbled, 70-30, by Houston. Snyder stayed on point before quickly shifting to primary topic.
“It’s a very competitive league,” Snyder said. “We’re just worried about Rice right now. Our No. 1 focus is Rice.
“We’re two different sides as you look at us. It’s night and day between the two sides for the most part, and that’s what makes this league very interesting.”
C-USA’s East Division represents traditional football predicated on running games and defense. The West features flash, high-scoring attacks and vulnerable defense.
Clement exemplifies West Division offensive aggression. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior totals 3,116 passing yards and the 32 scores against just six interceptions.
“He’s just like them,” Snyder said, referencing other prolific West Division quarterbacks. “All of those guys on that side are like clones. When they’re hitting, they’re hitting. When they’re on, they’re on.
“The thing that impresses me about him, the ball’s coming out of his hands before the receivers are even coming out of their cuts. That’s pretty impressive to me.
“And he’s got some escapability. They’ve got a very nice package, do some hurry, hurry, do a lot personnel substituting. We’re going to have a big challenge in front of us defensively.”
Portions of that challenge include adjusting personnel. After “going big” against run-oriented East Division opponents East Carolina and UCF, nickel and dime packages are required this week.
“Defense is playing pretty well,” Snyder said. “We felt like — and you’ve heard me say it earlier this year — you have to have the ability if you need to get big against UCF, East Carolina, teams of that nature, Southern Miss. Then you have to put some speed on the field against the West and Memphis.
“We felt like we’ve been able to do that. That’s the reason we’re playing pretty good defense I think.”
Clement, like fellow West Division quarterbacks, is elusive, gaining 510 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
“On that side he’s probably got the most escapability,” Snyder said. “He’s not as tall in stature as some of the other guys. … He’s kind of a small guy but he’s very Doug Flutie-ish.
“He makes a lot of plays and finds way to get the ball into windows. He’s a pretty good athlete.”
Prior to facing — and containing — Houston quarterback Kase Keenum, Thundering Herd defensive end John Jacobs spoke of making “the arrest,” finishing pass rushes with takedowns. Marshall responded with four sacks in a resounding win.
“That’s going to be very key,” Snyder said. “I like that term. I like that term ‘make the arrest’.”
