Topic: H-D: Herd seeks to replace Marshall

[ZackUSAF82]

ANDREW RAMSPACHER
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- Their first audition didn't go as planned.

After offseason trouble had star running back Darius Marshall suspended for Marshall University's first football game of the 2009 season, the backfield spotlight turned to backups Martin Ward and Terrell Edwards-Maye.

They had a golden opportunity to prove that they were more than capable of filling Darius Marshall's All-Conference shoes.

But nothing got filled.

The two combined for just 82 yards on 19 carries in a too-close-for-comfort 31-28 Thundering Herd win over Southern Illinois on Sept. 5.

Flash ahead six moths later and Ward and Edwards-Maye are in familiar territory -- working hard to replace Darius Marshall.

 "He was like a teacher, and if not a teacher, he was a coach to us," Ward said of Marshall, who left the Herd after last season to enter the NFL Draft. "He taught us the game. Not only on the sideline, but also in the game.

Link: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x578671058/Herd-seeks-to-replace-Marshall

[biggreenarms]

"There's just more attitude into it now," Edwards-Maye said of the race to replace Darius Marshall. "It's more of an 'I got to get it' attitude rather than saying, 'Hey, we have to make up for what we lost in Darius.'

"Instead of trying to fill his shoes, we're trying to make our own.

That's the right attitude. I'm glad Coach Holliday has some real, serious candidates to choose from. This could be one of the most talent rich backfields we have ever had.