Topic: H-D: Better play, same result for Herd

[ZackUSAF82]

By ANTHONY HANSHEW

HUNTINGTON -- Upon further review, are we certain Marshall University lost Tuesday night's football game?

Earlier defeats have been easy enough to map. Turnovers, piled onto penalties, along with a generous run defense spelled the recipe.

A quick scan of the Thundering Herd-Memphis stat sheet suggested a much-coveted Marshall victory. Consider the following:

Flagged 34 times through four losses, Marshall was penalized just three times.

Ranked No. 118 of 119 NCAA Division I-A rushing defenses, the Thundering Herd slammed the door, allowing just 99 yards on 35 carries. Leading rusher T.J. Pitts managed just 57 yards and the Tigers gained just 2.8 yards a carry.

Conversely, Marshall found its running stride behind true freshman Darius Marshall. He gained 90 yards on just 15 handoffs, leading to a team average of 5.4 yards a carry. The Herd pounded away opening the second half, reaching the end zone via seven straight running plays for a 14-9 lead.

Link: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x273138306