EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third in a series of previews on West Virginia and Marshall football opponents.
Advertiser
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third in a series of previews on West Virginia and Marshall football opponents.
Date with Marshall: Friday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Site: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,019, FieldTurf), Huntington
Coach: Doc Holliday (first year)
Checking them out
Doc Holliday thundered into Huntington last December with the assignment of elevating a program that has frustrated its fans in recent years in Conference USA. As a byproduct, the hiring delivers a delicious plot in the Marshall-West Virginia series - Holliday gets the chance to upset his former employers on his new home turf.
His main task, whether or not it applies against Ohio State and West Virginia, is this: Win the close games. In five seasons, predecessor Mark Snyder suffered a number of painful losses in those games, and each seemed to hurt worse than the previous one.
Holliday had to hurriedly gather a new staff and round up most of the recruiting class, and probably needs a newcomer or three to make a splash early. The brightest spotlight shines on QB Willy Korn, the Clemson transfer who briefly started for the Tigers in 2008 before getting injured.
Korn will battle incumbent Brian Anderson, promising freshman A.J. Graham and perhaps even rookie Eddie Sullivan for the starting job. The winner has a respectable stable of skill-position players, particularly TE Lee Smith, at his disposal.
Martin Ward and Andre Booker are almost all the speed you need at running back. Aaron Dobson showed deep-threat ability as a true freshman, and will return with Antavious Wilson, Troy Evans, Chuck Walker and several others in a unit that must reduce its drops. The offensive line promises to be very good, though depth is a major concern.
Defensively, WLB Mario Harvey is everywhere, and MLB Kellen Harris is developing into a potential star. The end tandem of Vinny Curry and John Youboty could very well pick up where Albert McClellan left off.
In the secondary, DeQuan Bembry reportedly has gone all-out to rectify his off-the-field problems and will be the cornerback to watch. Omar Brown has shown exceptional range at free safety, but Donald Brown or maybe freshman Brian Robinson has to fill Ashton Hall's shoes at strong safety.
Tyler Warner likely will battle true freshman Justin Haig for the place-kicking chores, while Kase Whitehead begins his third season at punter.
All-conference candidates
Offense: RB Martin Ward, G/C Chad Schofield, TE Lee Smith, WR Aaron Dobson
Defense: DE Vinny Curry, LB Mario Harvey, LB Kellen Harris, S Omar Brown
Notes
Article Preview
This article is available only to our premium digital content subscribers.
WVU football opponents, Game 2: Marshall
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third in a series of previews on West Virginia and Marshall football opponents.
Date with Marshall: Friday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Site: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,019, FieldTurf), Huntington
Coach: Doc Holliday (first year)
Checking them out
Doc Holliday thundered into Huntington last December with the assignment of elevating a program that has frustrated its fans in recent years in Conference USA. As a byproduct, the hiring delivers a delicious plot in the Marshall-West Virginia series - Holliday gets the chance to upset his former employers on his new home turf.
His main task, whether or not it applies against Ohio State and West Virginia, is this: Win the close games. In five seasons, predecessor Mark Snyder suffered a number of painful losses in those games, and each seemed to hurt worse than the previous one.
Holliday had to hurriedly gather a new staff and round up most of the recruiting class, and probably needs a newcomer or three to make a splash early. The brightest spotlight shines on QB Willy Korn, the Clemson transfer who briefly started for the Tigers in 2008 before getting injured.
Korn will battle incumbent Brian Anderson, promising freshman A.J. Graham and perhaps even rookie Eddie Sullivan for the starting job. The winner has a respectable stable of skill-position players, particularly TE Lee Smith, at his disposal.
Martin Ward and Andre Booker are almost all the speed you need at running back. Aaron Dobson showed deep-threat ability as a true freshman, and will return with Antavious Wilson, Troy Evans, Chuck Walker and several others in a unit that must reduce its drops. The offensive line promises to be very good, though depth is a major concern.
Defensively, WLB Mario Harvey is everywhere, and MLB Kellen Harris is developing into a potential star. The end tandem of Vinny Curry and John Youboty could very well pick up where Albert McClellan left off.
In the secondary, DeQuan Bembry reportedly has gone all-out to rectify his off-the-field problems and will be the cornerback to watch. Omar Brown has shown exceptional range at free safety, but Donald Brown or maybe freshman Brian Robinson has to fill Ashton Hall's shoes at strong safety.
Tyler Warner likely will battle true freshman Justin Haig for the place-kicking chores, while Kase Whitehead begins his third season at punter.
All-conference candidates
Offense: RB Martin Ward, G/C Chad Schofield, TE Lee Smith, WR Aaron Dobson
Defense: DE Vinny Curry, LB Mario Harvey, LB Kellen Harris, S Omar Brown
Click here to sign up for a one month subscription.
1 Month Online + Print Delivery
$31.99
Click here to sign up for our Premium subscription package.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third in a series of previews on West Virginia and Marshall football opponents.
Date with Marshall: Friday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Site: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,019, FieldTurf), Huntington
Coach: Doc Holliday (first year)
Checking them out
Doc Holliday thundered into Huntington last December with the assignment of elevating a program that has frustrated its fans in recent years in Conference USA. As a byproduct, the hiring delivers a delicious plot in the Marshall-West Virginia series - Holliday gets the chance to upset his former employers on his new home turf.
His main task, whether or not it applies against Ohio State and West Virginia, is this: Win the close games. In five seasons, predecessor Mark Snyder suffered a number of painful losses in those games, and each seemed to hurt worse than the previous one.
Holliday had to hurriedly gather a new staff and round up most of the recruiting class, and probably needs a newcomer or three to make a splash early. The brightest spotlight shines on QB Willy Korn, the Clemson transfer who briefly started for the Tigers in 2008 before getting injured.
Korn will battle incumbent Brian Anderson, promising freshman A.J. Graham and perhaps even rookie Eddie Sullivan for the starting job. The winner has a respectable stable of skill-position players, particularly TE Lee Smith, at his disposal.
Martin Ward and Andre Booker are almost all the speed you need at running back. Aaron Dobson showed deep-threat ability as a true freshman, and will return with Antavious Wilson, Troy Evans, Chuck Walker and several others in a unit that must reduce its drops. The offensive line promises to be very good, though depth is a major concern.
Defensively, WLB Mario Harvey is everywhere, and MLB Kellen Harris is developing into a potential star. The end tandem of Vinny Curry and John Youboty could very well pick up where Albert McClellan left off.
In the secondary, DeQuan Bembry reportedly has gone all-out to rectify his off-the-field problems and will be the cornerback to watch. Omar Brown has shown exceptional range at free safety, but Donald Brown or maybe freshman Brian Robinson has to fill Ashton Hall's shoes at strong safety.
Tyler Warner likely will battle true freshman Justin Haig for the place-kicking chores, while Kase Whitehead begins his third season at punter.
All-conference candidates
Offense: RB Martin Ward, G/C Chad Schofield, TE Lee Smith, WR Aaron Dobson
Defense: DE Vinny Curry, LB Mario Harvey, LB Kellen Harris, S Omar Brown
Notes
Holliday has known success wherever he has gone. As an assistant at WVU, North Carolina State and Florida, he has coached in 20 bowls and three national championship games, with the 2006 Gators winning. ... With the new regime and WVU on the home schedule, Marshall has gone well past the 10,000-plus season tickets sold in 2009.
2010 Marshall schedule
Date Opponent 2009
Sept. 2(Th) at Ohio State DNP
Sept. 10(F) West Virginia L, 7-24
Sept. 18 at Bowling Green W, 17-10
Sept. 25 Ohio W, 21-17 (bowl)
Oct. 2 at Southern Miss* L, 20-27
Oct. 13(W) Central Florida* L, 20-21
Oct. 23 at East Carolina* L, 17-21
Oct. 30 Texas-El Paso* L, 21-52
Nov. 6 at UAB* W, 27-7
Nov. 13 Memphis* W, 27-16
Nov. 20 at SMU* W, 34-31
Nov. 27 Tulane* W, 31-10
* Conference USA games
2009 record: 7-6, 4-4 (T-fourth, East Division), beat Ohio 21-17 in Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, Detroit
Dropped: Southern Illinois (W 31-28), Virginia Tech (L 10-52)
Article Preview
This article is available only to our premium digital content subscribers.
WVU football opponents, Game 2: Marshall
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third in a series of previews on West Virginia and Marshall football opponents.
Date with Marshall: Friday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Site: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,019, FieldTurf), Huntington
Coach: Doc Holliday (first year)
Checking them out
Doc Holliday thundered into Huntington last December with the assignment of elevating a program that has frustrated its fans in recent years in Conference USA. As a byproduct, the hiring delivers a delicious plot in the Marshall-West Virginia series - Holliday gets the chance to upset his former employers on his new home turf.
His main task, whether or not it applies against Ohio State and West Virginia, is this: Win the close games. In five seasons, predecessor Mark Snyder suffered a number of painful losses in those games, and each seemed to hurt worse than the previous one.
Holliday had to hurriedly gather a new staff and round up most of the recruiting class, and probably needs a newcomer or three to make a splash early. The brightest spotlight shines on QB Willy Korn, the Clemson transfer who briefly started for the Tigers in 2008 before getting injured.
Korn will battle incumbent Brian Anderson, promising freshman A.J. Graham and perhaps even rookie Eddie Sullivan for the starting job. The winner has a respectable stable of skill-position players, particularly TE Lee Smith, at his disposal.
Martin Ward and Andre Booker are almost all the speed you need at running back. Aaron Dobson showed deep-threat ability as a true freshman, and will return with Antavious Wilson, Troy Evans, Chuck Walker and several others in a unit that must reduce its drops. The offensive line promises to be very good, though depth is a major concern.
Defensively, WLB Mario Harvey is everywhere, and MLB Kellen Harris is developing into a potential star. The end tandem of Vinny Curry and John Youboty could very well pick up where Albert McClellan left off.
In the secondary, DeQuan Bembry reportedly has gone all-out to rectify his off-the-field problems and will be the cornerback to watch. Omar Brown has shown exceptional range at free safety, but Donald Brown or maybe freshman Brian Robinson has to fill Ashton Hall's shoes at strong safety.
Tyler Warner likely will battle true freshman Justin Haig for the place-kicking chores, while Kase Whitehead begins his third season at punter.
All-conference candidates
Offense: RB Martin Ward, G/C Chad Schofield, TE Lee Smith, WR Aaron Dobson
Defense: DE Vinny Curry, LB Mario Harvey, LB Kellen Harris, S Omar Brown
