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SPORTS
MU Notebook: Freshmen have turn to play in scrimmage
Opportunities have been rare for true freshmen this month, and that hasn't been a bad thing.
It also isn't an indictment Marshall University's 2008 recruiting class. Rather, it's a testament to a football program that finally has restored real depth throughout the roster.
Saturday's fully-officiated scrimmage proved an exception. Due in equal parts to preserving and resting proven veterans and to spotlight newcomers and underclassmen, true freshmen were afforded long looks for large portions of the 94-play scrimmage.
Most responded well, and Martin Ward in particular left lasting impressions on coaches and the 300 or so fans in attendance. The 5-foot-9, 188-pound newcomer, the nation's No. 17-rated running back prospect by ESPN.com, rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries and added 36 yards on four receptions.
His stellar scrimmage was marred by a midfield fumble, but it was a telling kickoff to his Thundering Herd career.
"Martin did a good job," Marshall head coach Mark Snyder said. "I threw him in there with the ones and he dropped the ball. (Those) young backs, they need all of that they can get. And fortunately, for the good of the team, we're not going to be able to do a whole bunch of that.
"We'll look at our situation and maybe stick him and the other young guy (true freshman tailback Jordan Taylor) back there against the (first team) defense and liven it up maybe for a seven-minute period, because they need that.
"But I thought he showed some athleticism. We know he's a good player. He's just young."
Ward served his punishment -- a 100-yard up and down conditioning drill -- for the turnover and accepted full blame.
"I wasn't looking at the ball to secure it and my alignment wasn't right for the quarterback to get it to me," Ward said. "It was more me. I just have to get right on my technique to make sure I secure the ball first before I move forward. That's it.
"The fumble got me and (running backs) coach (Jared Smith) is going to ride me. I'm going to see what I did good on my good plays and focus on that fumble and make sure I do everything correct so I don't make that mistake again."
Taylor, a 6-1, 205-pound newcomer, totaled 23 yards on one carry, including a 1-yard touchdown run, and caught three passes for five yards. True freshman tight end Jamie Hatten gained 17 yards on three receptions.
"Jamie's going to be all right," redshirt freshman quarterback Mark Cann said. "He's young and still learning, as is everybody. Wait until he gets a little weight on him. He's going to be all right."
Darius Marshall, the Thundering Herd's leading rusher last season as a true freshman, took notice of the athletic group of newcomers, particularly at his own position.
"(Ward) has a great opportunity just like me to come in and play," said Marshall, who broke free on a 49-yard touchdown sprint on Saturday. "I look forward to seeing what Martin's got this year.
"The only thing I can tell him though is that he's got to hold on to the ball, because that happened to me a lot last year. I worked hard this summer to get to that point where (ball security is improved).
"He's learning a whole lot, and he's learning fast."
Ward's performance might not translate to ripping off a redshirt ("that's on coach Snyder to decide," Ward said), but he's making his best case early. Marshall at least is three-deep at tailback with Marshall, Chubb Small and Terrell Edwards.
Other positions are similarly deep, but true freshmen enjoyed their day, offering a glimpse at the program's future.
"For the freshman group, overall I think we're doing well," Ward said. "My boy Ahmed, I see him out there doing his thing and I take that pride, being from the same state.
"Coach wouldn't let me run to that side, but he did a great job."
Ward and true freshmen Ahmed Shakoor proudly are Georgia natives and quickly formed a friendship in Huntington. In separate interviews, each referenced the other.
"That's my boy," Shakoor said, laughing. "He didn't run my way, but that's cool. It's all good."
Shakoor is among those competing for immediate playing time. He recognizes the challenging depth chart climb he and other true freshmen face, but Saturday at least provided a showcase.
"Coaches prepared us well," Shakoor said. "All of the young people out here were focused because we knew we had one goal today -- to get better today and learn the system.
"Coach (Snyder) gave us the opportunity today and the main thing is we needed to make sure we knew what we were doing. And we're going to go catch the film and see mistakes, because we might have made a lot of mistakes.
"But all in all, I think we did pretty well."
Anthony Hanshew covers Marshall football for The Herald-Dispatch. He can be reached at 526-2766. His e-mail address is hanshew@herald-dispatch.com.
