COLUMBUS — Vinny Curry did it. He got to the nimble, yet powerful Terrelle Pryor, wrapping him up in the backfield for a sack.

Rightfully so, he was pumped, arms raised to the sky.

Seconds later, those arms went to his knees — his 4-yard-loss was turned quickly into a 15-yard gain for Ohio State.

A little yellow hanky came out after the play. Penalty on Marshall’s Donald Brown. Unsportsmanlike conduct.

Welcome to the Thundering Herd’s night. Besides being completely outplayed, it also got outsmarted on several occasions.

“Unacceptable,” said Marshall coach Doc Holliday. “Guys have to grow up — and we’ll correct that.
“Those things are correctable and that won’t happen again.”

All in all, Marshall committed eight penalties for 60 yards.

Some were repetitive (see a pair of delay of games and two illegal punt formations) and others just had bad timing (the unsportsmanlike penalty on the sack as well as a running into the punter flag).

“You just have to have self-control and you have to have discipline,” linebacker Mario Harvey said. “And I’m pretty sure Coach Holliday is going to address that (Friday) when we have our team meeting.

“We just have to look forward and address that right now so we don’t have those kind of mistakes in the future. We just have to play smart.”

OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE: The Herd failed to score an offensive touchdown for the first since 2008 when it got whacked by West Virginia, 27-3.

As a whole, Marshall’s O managed just 199 yards, while turning the ball over three times.

SHIRTS BURNED: A total of seven true freshman saw action Thursday, thus burning their redshirts.
Quarterback Eddie Sullivan, running back Tron Martinez, receivers Jermaine Kelson and Demetrius

Evans, defensive lineman Brandon Sparrow, linebacker T.J. Ross and tight end Gator Hoskins all played.
Sullivan completed just one pass in seven attempts, but it was a 20-yard strike to Evans.

TO THE HOUSE: Brian Rolle’s 30-yard interception return for a touchdown was the first time a Marshall opponent took a pick to the house since UCF’s Darin Baldwin grabbed, ironically, a Brian Anderson pass in 2007 and went 37-yards to paydirt.

LEE SMTH SIGHTING: Lee Smith, Marshall’s all-conference tight end, didn’t catch his first pass of the 2010 season until late — like with less than two-minutes-to-go-in-the-second quarter-late.
With 1:47 left in the first half, Smith got free over the middle for an 8-yard completion  on a third-and-six.

It was just MU’s second third down conversion of the first half.

The previous time Anderson went Smith’s way, the ball was throw well behind the 6-foot-6, 267-pounder on a tight end screen. 

BLOCKED THAT KICK: Johnny Jones’ blocked field goal in the first quarter was the first time the Herd turned such a trick since Michael Janac swatted a Bowling Green boot in last year’s 17-10 win over the Falcons.

This time, however, Marshall returned it for a touchdown — courtesy of Ahmed Shakoor’s 61-yard take back.

FAST START: Columbus’ muggy night weather didn’t produce any storms, but don’t think lighting wasn’t in the area.

Ohio State’s first three scoring drives averaged out at a quick 1:01.

SHORT FIELD: Ohio State’s early 14-0 lead can be attributed to part-Pryor, part-ridiculously short field.
After Andre Booker coughed up the opening kickoff, the Buckeyes marched a measly 22 yards for a score. After the Herd’s first possession went a quick three-and-out, Kase Whitehead’s punt tracked Ohio State to the not-so-far-back Marshall 49-yard line.

Three plays, one minutes and four seconds later, the Bucks were back in the end zone.

BONNER OUT: Senior receiver Wayne Bonner didn’t make the trip to Columbus because of an NCAA eligibility issue, which has been appealed by Marshall.

Listed as No. 1 on the depth chart at the X-spot, Bonner was replaced by Aaron Dobson in the starting lineup. Dobson made three grabs for 34 yards.

PRE-GAME SALUTE: The Herd made its traditional run out of the tunnel — and then some — to start Thursday’s game.

Instead of stopping and gathering at its respective sideline, Marshall kept going. ... all the way to the north end zone, where it went right to the edge of the bleachers and saluted the crop of green-clad fans seated there.

Andrew Ramspacher is a sports reporter for the Herald-Dispatch. Contact him at aramspacher@herald-dispatch.com or 304-526-2827.

 

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