Topic: Gazette: Herd defense delivered during second half

[ZackUSAF82]

Tulsa managed only touchdown over final two quarters of Saturday's game

By Doug Smock
Staff writer

TULSA, Okla. — It’s not every day you give up 578 total yards and feel good about your defense.
But there hasn’t been much normal about Marshall’s season, which sits in an 0-6 skid after a 38-31 loss to Tulsa at H.A. Chapman Stadium. Really, the defense performed admirably — in the second half, anyway.

The big thing was that coordinator Steve Dunlap’s unit stopped the track meet. After getting riddled for 370 total yards, 22 first downs and 31 points in the first half, the Thundering Herd buckled down to reduce those totals to 208, nine and a mere touchdown — and that came on a 73-yard highlight-film catch by Brennan Marion.

There were two sacks of Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith, a veritable Houdini in the pocket. The Herd was credited for seven tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries and, with Tulsa driving downfield to put the game away, forced its first turnover in 237 minutes, 36 seconds of game action.

But you can’t sugarcoat the problems. The Golden Hurricane began the game running at will. Then receivers were getting wide open — Tarrion Adams for a 21-yard touchdown catch and run, Kyle Grooms for a 1-yard TD pass that he dropped, Cameron Clemons for a 13-yard TD catch as Smith scambled to keep the play alive.

Link: http://www.wvgazette.com/section/Sports/Marshall/2007101421

[herdplusfan]

If our defense comes alive we will win at least 4 of our last six games.

[gibbyherd]

if the defense comes alive .....and the offense stays course....i say 6 wins in next 6 games is very possible....4 of 6 at home helps...need crowds at home and support our boys who are very much still giving 110 percent..so if they can.... it should be easy for us too......