MORGANTOWN - Marshall coaches have voiced a concern about overpursuing ball carriers, and West Virginia's Noel Devine was happy to exploit that concern.

Devine became the first opponent to rush for 100 yards on the Thundering Herd this season, gaining 125 on 14 carries. For the third year in a row, the Mountaineers topped the 300-yard rushing mark against Marshall, gaining 319.

But the Herd defense wasn't as porous against the run as it had been the previous two seasons. At times, the Herd had Devine, Pat White and other backs pretty well played.

Six times, the Herd pinned WVU for losses. Other times, particularly when Devine had the ball, the Herd saw a big defensive play turn into a big offensive play.

On second-and-10 at the 50-yard line in the final minute of the first half, the Herd had Devine snuffed on a run to the right. But the 5-foot-8, 170-pound speedster reversed his field and rumbled for 26 yards.

That didn't result in a score, thanks to a brain cramp by a scrambling White on the final play of the half. But on WVU's first scrimmage play of the second half, Devine went through the hole and crossed the field for a 36-yard gain, moving to the Marshall 11 and leading to a touchdown and a 21-3 lead.

Later in the third quarter, Devine reversed field and slipped through four tackles for an 18-yard gain. That led to a field goal.

That's 80 yards on three runs that with an ordinary running back might have netted 10. But Devine is special, as several in the Herd camp were pick to point out.

MORGANTOWN - Marshall coaches have voiced a concern about overpursuing ball carriers, and West Virginia's Noel Devine was happy to exploit that concern.

Devine became the first opponent to rush for 100 yards on the Thundering Herd this season, gaining 125 on 14 carries. For the third year in a row, the Mountaineers topped the 300-yard rushing mark against Marshall, gaining 319.

But the Herd defense wasn't as porous against the run as it had been the previous two seasons. At times, the Herd had Devine, Pat White and other backs pretty well played.

Six times, the Herd pinned WVU for losses. Other times, particularly when Devine had the ball, the Herd saw a big defensive play turn into a big offensive play.

On second-and-10 at the 50-yard line in the final minute of the first half, the Herd had Devine snuffed on a run to the right. But the 5-foot-8, 170-pound speedster reversed his field and rumbled for 26 yards.

That didn't result in a score, thanks to a brain cramp by a scrambling White on the final play of the half. But on WVU's first scrimmage play of the second half, Devine went through the hole and crossed the field for a 36-yard gain, moving to the Marshall 11 and leading to a touchdown and a 21-3 lead.

Later in the third quarter, Devine reversed field and slipped through four tackles for an 18-yard gain. That led to a field goal.

That's 80 yards on three runs that with an ordinary running back might have netted 10. But Devine is special, as several in the Herd camp were pick to point out.

MU coaches and players also pleaded guilty to that old sin of overpursuit.

"Defensively, we let that ball out the back door way, way, way too many times," Marshall coach Mark Snyder said. "I don't know how many yards rushing they had when the play stopped. Give credit to Noel Devine - he showed some vision and some speed today. I don't know how many yards he had out the back door, but we had 11 guys pursuing and it caught up to us today.

"The teams we've been playing, we've been a little more athletic than. But today, it caught up to us. Plays out the back door killed us, and that's base fundamental defensive philosophy. If you're on the edge of the earth, you've got to stay on the edge of the earth, especially when you're playing explosive players like WVU has."

In a day without many bright spots for the visitors, Darius Marshall provided one in the kicking game. He had returns of 33, 31, 75 and 64 yards, averaging more than 50 yards for the day. For the season, he is averaging 35.4 yards on nine returns.

He was fearless Saturday, refusing to accept a touchback 7 yards deep in the end zone on one occasion. On his longest return, the Herd's best of the season, he reversed field at one point before being run out of bounds by kicker Pat McAfee.

"That's about the only thing we did well today, special-teams work," Snyder said.

Briefly

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