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SPORTS
Chuck Landon: Look for the Badgers to pound on the Herd
MADISON, Wis. -- Pound for pound, Marshall can't pound with Wisconsin.
No way. No how. No pound.
Not that the Herd doesn't have some poundage of its own.
It does.
Marshall's two-deep in the offensive line includes six 300-pounders.
The Herd also has three defensive tackles -- 303-pound James Burkes (303 pounds), Delvin Johnson (305) and Brandon Bullock (355) -- who have enough bulk and strength to withstand Wisconsin's pounding.
Size alone isn't the issue.
The reason Marshall can't go pound for pound with No. 11 Wisconsin at noon today here at Camp Randall Stadium is mindset.
Pound, pound, pound is what the Badgers do. It's all they do. Game in, game out ... UW pounds relentlessly.
If an opponent stops Wisconsin's pounding, the Badgers lose. It's that simple.
But that rarely happens. That's why Wisconsin is one of only three teams in the country that has played in at least four straight January bowl games. The other two are Southern Cal and West Virginia University.
That's how well the Badgers pound.
"Their offensive line is huge ... huge," said Marshall head coach Mark Snyder. "They get on you and try to hurt you."
Just ask Akron.
In the Badgers' season-opening 38-17 win over the Zips last Saturday, UW ran 73 plays ... only 10 were passes. And even though Wisconsin led just 17-10 at halftime, how many passes do you suppose UW attempted in the second half?
One.
That's all, one.
So, how can a Marshall team that is based on speed, finesse, aggressiveness and skill contend with this pound, pound, pound mindset?
Well, for starters, MU's offense needs to do a better job of moving the chains, stringing together some first downs and sustaining drives.
That would be beneficial in two ways.
No. 1, it would give the Marshall defense some much-needed rest. No. 2, it would keep Wisconsin's ball-control offense off the field.
But that won't happen unless Marshall drastically improves its third-down conversion. The Herd was an abysmal 1-for-10 against Illinois State.
As a result, Marshall's average possession lasted only 3.9 plays.
If that happens again here today, the MU defense will be pound puppies.
"We've got to be better on third-down conversion," said Marshall offensive coordinator John Shannon. "That's our biggest goal this week -- to improve our third-down conversion."
That's about as surprising as Wisconsin's offensive game plan.
"The last 15 years every good Wisconsin team has been able to run the ball," said MU defensive coordinator Rick Minter. "Fortunately, I've lined up against them before.
"So, I understand that clearly."
Minter also understands Wisconsin will try to smack his defense right in the mouth and challenge the Herd defenders' very manhood.
"That's been football forever," said the veteran coach. "When somebody tells you they're going to do something or their record indicates that, you certainly have an easy challenge on your hands.
"Our goal is go up there and get the game ball. To do that, we're going to have to stop the run.
"Unless you take the ball away four or five times. And that's hard to do against a good running team because that's what they do ... they possess it.
"That's how they get fundamentally good."
And, make no mistake, Wisconsin is fundamentally good. Too good to be derailed by a rebuilding Herd.
Wisconsin will pound its way to a 34-13 win.
Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.
