HUNTINGTON - Unseen to most observers, quarterbacks and their receivers run thousands of pass plays in the summer sun, trying to get some semblance of timing down.

When the team formally convenes for preseason camp, the search for that precious timing between thrower and catcher intensifies. It can be one of the most elusive aspects of the entire sport.

"It's something that's a learned deal," said Gerad Parker, receivers coach at Marshall. "It's definitely something that's not a one-week deal and everybody's got timing and knows where everybody's going to be; it's a learned deal and that's why the dog days of camp help."

And then there is the combination of true freshmen Rakeem Cato to Tommy Shuler, honed for more than a decade on the streets of Miami and brought 1,000 miles north to Huntington. Rarely does a day go by in the Thundering Herd's practice when the two don't hook up for a touchdown, at least in seven-on-seven drills.

It happened again in Thursday's early-morning practice, and it looked easy. On their own merits, they are pushing the starters to fight for their jobs - the 6-foot-1, 181-pound Cato is a half-notch behind A.J. Graham, if that much, while Shuler is helping to crowd the receivers' depth chart.

Together, defensive backs are hard-pressed to stop them.

 "Everything he does, he tells me; we've got a signal for it," Cato said. "From little league on up, he gives me a signal, gives me a head shake on what he's doing, and I catch on."

It's a rare situation at the college level, something probably never seen at Marshall. The only disconnect they seem to have is how long they've played catch.

"We go way back, since 7 years old," Cato said. "He's the brother figure, very loyal."

The "brother figure" begs to differ, slightly.

"We've been together since 5 years old," Shuler said. "We call each other brothers. Everything he does and I do, we just know each other. Great brothers."

They took their act to Miami Central High, where they connected to win the school's first state title in the big-school, talent-loaded Class 6A. The Rockets rallied from a 17-0 deficit to down Orlando's Dr. Phillips 42-27, as Florida State recruit Devonta Freeman rushed for 308 yards.

Cato went 17-of-25 for 196 yards and Shuler caught four for an ordinary 48, but they hooked up on the go-ahead play, a quick screen pass for a 13-yard score.

"All game they'd been doubling him, so we got him outside and caught them sleeping one play, and it was all man-to-man," Cato said. "Coach checked the play off to a screen, and we just got the job done. Our offensive lineman, Marquis Lewis [a West Virginia recruit], led him in."

At that point, Shuler already had committed to Marshall and coach Doc Holliday. Cato was leaning toward staying close to home.

"[Florida International] was on him hard; he was thinking about FIU," Shuler said. "But I kept pushing it in his head, he finally came around and said he wanted to take my advice and come."

As one could imagine, they know each other's strengths, and downplay any weaknesses.

"Since we were small, he knew schemes, he knew blocking," Shuler said of Cato. "Before he could even throw the ball, he knew that. So that helped him out a lot. Now he's got all the mechanics down. He's great."

Cato on the 5-9, 185-pound Shuler: "He plays like a big receiver, he catches every ball, he runs perfect routes. He's very consistent on his routes and his hands. If you see him drop the ball, you're going to be amazed he dropped it."

Parker likely is surprised when any Cato-to-Shuler ball hits the ground. Cato has misfired at times and Shuler has dropped a few, but ...

"You can tell those guys have worked together, for sure," Parker said. "They've got a good chemistry with each other, and that's something you hope the quarterbacks try to develop with all or guys.

"But you can tell they just have it because they've been around each other for four or five years, growing up together. It's definitely something you see."

Call it the "red zone," the "green zone" or the "score zone," but Marshall hasn't been overwhelming in the shadow of the end zone.

Offensively, the Herd was hurt worse in 2010 by its lack of trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line - just 32. For the record, it scored 22 touchdowns and four field goals on those journeys.

Defensively, the Herd was backed up 50 times, giving up 28 touchdowns and 13 field goals. Both figures rank in the middle of the NCAA pack, more or less.

Marshall has worked often in 11-on-11 action in the red zone. Such was the case Thursday, when the Herd ran about 16 such possessions, from either the defense's 25 or 12.

"Part of the plan to win is when you get in the red zone, you don't want to kick field goals," Holliday said. "You want to come away with touchdowns."

The first and second strings received roughly the same chances, and Graham worked with the top offensive line. All told, the offense scored seven touchdowns, the defense forced eight field-goal attempts and one possession was not concluded.

Bearing in mind that Cato worked against a No. 2 defense that was shuffled somewhat, he had the better of it with six touchdowns. Those included an over-the-head catch by Antavious Wilson and a well-executed "stop" route by Jazz King, followed by a perfect throw to King's outside shoulder.

Cato also hit Craig Wilkins on another 25-yard toss, and hit him again on a 12-yard slant. Cato finished his scoring when Davonte Allen got loose across the middle on a 15-yarder. Cato benefited from an explosive Travon Van run, also from 25 yards.

Graham finally scored on a 12-yard pass to Gator Hoskins.

Perhaps it's Holliday's background as a defensive coach, but he wasn't happy with that side.

"I thought offense [won] today, and that's not good from the defensive standpoint," he said.

It's official: Marshall's 2012 schedule is easier than the 2011 version. Much, much easier.

MU officials confirmed that Western Carolina will kick off the Herd's home season on Sept. 8, 2012.

This Catamount program bears no resemblance to that in MU's Southern Conference days, and definitely not to the three WCU teams that beat current MU athletic director's Mike Hamrick's Herd teams three times by a combined 86-40.

Western's last winning season was a 5-4 mark in 2005. Since then, the Catamounts have played like kitties, going 10-46 overall and 3-35 in league play.

The Herd's nonconference schedule will consist of the Sept. 1 opener at West Virginia, the aforementioned breather on the 8th, a home game against Ohio on the 15th and a Sept. 29 game at Purdue.

The Herd returns to practice today with another 6 a.m. practice. The final two-workout day finishes with a 5:30 p.m. practice, probably much lighter, with a 1 p.m. scrimmage set Saturday.

Reach Doug Smock 304-348-5130 or dougsm...@wvgazette.com.