HUNTINGTON — Perspective steered toward Marshall University football’s 2009 squad freely flowed at length following several seniors’ finales.

The 2008 Thundering Herd finished a 4-8 season with Saturday’s 38-35 loss to Conference USA West Division champion Tulsa. Half of the team’s losses were determined by a touchdown or less, but a handful of promising performances weighed against hard-to-figure setbacks to UAB and UCF.

So what to think of the 2009 Thundering Herd? Outgoing seniors, praised for their mentoring throughout this year, offered opinions on snapping a run of four straight losing seasons.

“Older guys are helping out younger guys now,” fifth-year senior wide receiver and ’08 leader Emmanuel Spann said. “It’s not been an individual thing. It’s about team and getting better.

“Guys are putting their own personal goals aside to get this team back to where it was, back in the day when Chad (Pennington) and Randy (Moss) were here. We’re just trying to put this team back on the map, which we started to do this year.

“Hopefully the next senior class will see what we did and keep it rolling from there. I think (Marshall head) coach (Mark) Snyder is bringing in a lot of good guys to not only help this program but be good people in the community.”

A potential trouble spot next season points toward Spann’s position. His leadership and Darius Passmore’s rare playmaking ability are gone, leaving question marks and a possible need for junior college recruiting. Passmore averaged 16.9 yards a catch, totaling 945 yards and seven touchdowns on 56 receptions.

Tavaris Thompson, a rising senior, impressed during practice but caught just one pass this season. Bryant Milligan’s 17 catches lead returning wide receivers. Tight end Cody Slate, also a senior-to-be, ranked second behind Passmore with 40 receptions, 510 yards and led the Herd with eight touchdown catches.

Chuck Walker, like Thompson, offers curiosity. The speedy junior college transfer was sidelined this season, but figures prominently beginning with spring practice.

“They can look forward to another explosive offense and a more mature football team,” Passmore said when asked of reasonable fan expectations. “Actually, to tell you the truth, I learned a lot from the underclassmen. Even Chuck Walker, even though he didn’t play, he taught me a lot of little things I didn’t know.

“I think they’ll be all right because they have a lot of maturity and a lot of ability and talent. It shouldn’t be an issue.”

Still, head coach Mark Snyder listed wideout as a recruiting target.

Offensive line play, meanwhile, appears sound with three of five starters returning, including tackles C.J. Wood and Ryan Tillman, redshirt freshmen this season. Seven underclassmen were featured on the season’s two-deep offensive front roster. Center Brian Leggett and right guard Matt Altobello are lost to graduation.

“I don’t want to name-drop anybody but on the offensive line we’re only losing two people and we’ve got the freshmen who grew up and we watched them grow up,” Leggett said. “They’re going to come together and we’re looking good at both tackle spots and we’re looking good at both guard spots and (rising sophomore) John Bruhin is going to take over at center.

“He’s going to do exceptionally well. Bruhin is a very good athlete. He’s a got a good brain on him and a good work ethic.

“I’ve watched him grow from the time he came here until now. He’s grown and he’s really developed into what is going to be a great center one day.”

Tailback Chubb Small also exits the program because of graduation, but backfield depth abounds. Leading rusher Darius Marshall returns, along with Terrell Edwards, who ripped off a 53-yard touchdown run against Tulsa. True freshmen Martin Ward and Jordan Taylor redshirted this season, and power back Jo Jo Cox also will compete for playing time.

Instead of breaking down next season’s running back scenarios, Small spoke big picture.

“It starts with the next senior class if they can hold what we brought in,” Small said. “I know it wasn’t obvious (record-wise) but they’ve got to know there’s a change.”

Spann echoed his teammate, stressing the importance of offseason commitment that kicked with Monday workouts.

“I see this team that lost by three points to both teams that are going to play in the championship (East Carolina and Tulsa), and that should give them something to work for, something to work hard for,” Spann aid. “I know this group is going to come in (this week), working hard … and I think they have the drive in them now, the emotion these seniors had.

“We fell short but hopefully the following senior classes won’t fall short.” 

 
 

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