Topic: Gazette: Marshall Game 7: East Carolina

[ZackUSAF82]

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the 14th in a series of previews on West Virginia and Marshall football opponents.

# Date with Marshall: Oct. 23, 4:15 p.m. (Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast)

# Site: Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (50,000, Tifton 419 Hybrid Bermuda grass), Greenville, N.C.

# Coach: Ruffin McNeil (first year, 1-0 as interim Texas Tech coach)

Checking them out

After the departure of coach Skip Holtz and a slew of talented seniors, will Pirate fans be yelling "Arrrrrr!" or just muttering "argh"? This might be the Herd's best opportunity to plunder victory from the renovated Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

With two conference championships, a lot of close wins and a good scalp or two in his pocket (see: 24-3 over WVU in 2008), Skip Holtz checked out and went to South Florida. In his place is ECU alum Ruffin McNeil, who is at least good enough to lead Texas Tech to a bowl victory in an interim capacity.

Oh, yeah, the Red Raiders' offense is coming to C-USA East. But the question is: What McNeil can pull off in what undoubtedly is a rebuilding season? With the Pirates' fearless scheduling philosophy, 6-6 might be a stunt.

Starting quarterback? Gone. Top two running backs? Gone. Entire defensive front seven? Gone. Kicker, punter? Gone.

Link: http://wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201007190805

[Big City]

My 2nd must win game of the season. I hate losing to this outfit.
Marshall should have beat this program for at least the past two seasons. I am tired of seeing our team play its @ss off only to lose in the closing seconds or in OT by silly mistakes. The string of games Southern Miss, UCF and ECU is huge. I am concerned about the defensive secondary against teams like ECU and UTEP with the wing it and sling it offense. ECU is going to be the wild card in the conference. Will this offense work for ECU. Do they have the players in place to run it effectively. Do they have a QB capapable of calling the audibiles etc. Time will tell and it cant get here soon enough. GO HERD!

[Marshallguy04]

I'm not as concerned with ecu as I am with other teams. Ecu has lost just about everyone. After the first 4 games of the season, ecu can very likely end up 1-3 or probably 2-2 if a few breaks go their way.
Texas Tech? They've run a crappy program for a long time that couldn't win. They had 1 miracle season and were wrecked by Ole Miss in the bowl game. Their offensive style is offensive to our league...not gonna work.

Also a ton of wind would be out of their sails by the time we get to them. They could be barely over .500 in W-L and their fans will once again abandon the program and Ficklen stadium shall become Fickle...with barely 32,000 people wanting to go watch.
I don't see this team recovering anytime soon.

[luvherd]

2nd biggest regular season game. We win by 10.

[svherd]

We should win this one. Doc and Co. need to get the stinkin thinkin out of the kids heads when it comes to away games.

My biggest game of the year - gotta be UCF. We have to win that game.

[Marshallguy04]

I have a feeling Doc's teams are going to play better on the road. I don't have any evidence or major numbers/stats (I hate those anyway) to back up this theory.

I honestly think we'll look and play MUCH better on the road. Doc seems like the type who uses away crowd energy to fire himself and his team up, because what's a more satisfying feeling than hearing a bunch of cheers run silent because you are in their heads, making them wonder about you and how you are doing this to their team.
There's that one second when you look into a home crowd's eyes when you're beating them and you can just read in their heads, "maybe I should've gone to Marshall, they're murdering my team!"
It's a gift I think Doc will use to his advantage and we'll be a better overall team on the road.
We take it to ecu and win by no less than 14.

[banker]

Our defense should be a lot better than ECU's defense.  They lost 9 starters.

Our offense should be as good or better than ECU's offense.  We are both putting in new systems but I think we have better skill position depth.

We should win this game.

[Johnnyherd]

I fully expect us to win by 2 or 3 tds, this year. 

[chemstock]

By the time we play game 7, both teams should have a good idea what our strengths are.
Our offense will be much better, more plays (100 as compared to 70). more scoring.
Just take my word on the offense. It will be much better,

Defense is totally different. During Holtz, a  win 17-14 type games.
It worked, 2 CUSA titles.

This defense is more spread like more blitzing. Skip did rotate 9 dlinemen last year, 5 are back, they were not listed as staters.
If what I saw during spring game is any indications about what we might see, then I like it.

This offense can score 50 points a game...big question is can the defense allow less.

Thanks for the space.....(views are just chemstocks and I received no money for my comments)

[Johnnyherd]

50 points a game!?   Really, with a new QB and top 2 RBs gone?   

I was banking on you guys rebuilding and kinda sucking this year! 

Oh, well.

[chemstock]

The starting runnimg back (Jonathon Williams) is the same RB that in 2008 ran over WVU for 2 TD's. He got in trouble with the law and Skip put him on the bench and he stayed there. He has been given a new lease with Coach Ruffin and has so far done all that has been asked.
The QB Dominque Davis is no rookie. He stared 3 games for BC and the ACC Championship. He is 6'4 and Pinkney was barely 6'.
Most can see this as an upgraded at QB.

Just passing on what I know.....

[marcbuff]

I have to agree with Chem. I don't think ECU will be rebuilding as much as we think. Playing down there could be a trap game.