A Look at the Rockets' Third Opponent - Marshall
8/20/2003 12:00:00 PM | Football
Written by Marshall Sports Information Office.
Aug. 20, 2003
HUNTINGTON, WV - Marshall head coach Bob Pruett is famous for his one-liners on all kinds of subjects. His best, however, rings true throughout the Marshall football program.
Pruett is known to tell players who visit Marshall that there are two things he can guarantee - if they come to Marshall and work hard, they will have a chance to leave with a diploma in one hand, and championship rings on the other.
With a graduation rate recognized annually by the American Football Coaches Association, and five Mid-American Conference titles in six seasons, as well as a Division I-AA national title, it is a promise Coach Pruett has made good on all seven years he has been at Marshall.
The names of the players may change, but the goals of the Thundering Herd football program remain constant. Gone are stars Byron Leftwich, Steve Sciullo, Chris Crocker, Yancey Satterwhite and Curtis Head. All received their degrees and all left Marshall with a fist full of championship rings. Now, in their place comes a host of talented, but unproven, players, each looking to make a mark during the 2003 season.
"We have players who have played at every position," Pruett said. "What we have to do is solidify some areas and develop the backups. We will have a lot of good competition at every spot."
The obvious question about the quarterback position was settled somewhat during spring practice. Junior Stan Hill (6-3, 210) established himself as the man to beat during preseason practice. Junior Graham Gochneaur (6-4, 228) and a pair of redshirt freshmen also will be in the mix to replace Leftwich, but the job is Hill's to lose.
"We'll start with Stan and see what happens," Pruett said. "He showed what he can do last year filling in for Byron and we are confident in what he can do on the field. That does not mean there won't be competition at that position because we want to see good competition between Stan and Graham, as well as with the two freshmen."
Areas that were focal points during spring practice were the running game and special teams. One came away in great shape, while questions linger around the other.
"We have a lot of questions to answer on special teams, not only with our return game, which struggled last year, but also with our kickers," Pruett said. "Having to replace a guy like Curtis Head, who did so much for us, will be tough, but we have some young guys who we think will step up there.
"The running game, on both sides of the ball, is always an area of emphasis for me. We always need to focus on running the ball better, and stopping the run, and we did that in the spring. We have several young backs on the squad who we are excited to get a look at. We also want to continue to improve on defense against the run. We were much improved last year, but there is still room for more improvement there."
Following is a position-by-position analysis of the Thundering Herd as the team heads into the 2003 campaign.
Following In The Footsteps
For three seasons Stan Hill watched Byron Leftwich prepare on a daily basis. For three years Hill watched Leftwich lead the Thundering Herd on the field. After three years, Leftwich is gone, and it is time for Hill to put the lessons learned from Leftwich to use.
Hill has a huge head start, having earned the respect of his teammates and the devotion of Herd fans one Tuesday evening last November. On that night, the eyes of the entire college football world were focused squarely on him, and he did not blink, leading Marshall to a 36-34 victory over Miami to keep the team's Mid-American Conference championship and bowl dreams alive.
It was the best performance by a first-time starter at quarterback in Marshall history. It earned Hill MAC East Division Offensive Player of the Week and, more importantly, gave him the confidence that he can lead the Marshall football team.
"Stan is doing a super job right now," quarterbacks coach Larry Kueck said. "Part of the reason for this is he grew up and was raised as a quarterback by a really good quarterback. Even though it was unfortunate for us, Byron's injury was fortunate for Stan because he got a chance to start a couple of games and, in particular the Miami game. He was able to develop some confidence. That really carried over to the spring for him."
Against the RedHawks, Hill completed 25 of 39 pass attempts for 292 yards. He was intercepted twice in the game, but he also threw for four touchdowns and ran for another. That ability to make things happen with his feet, as well as his arm, should continue to serve Hill well. Kueck said it is only natural for the offense to change when you change quarterbacks.
"A lot of it has to do with who is around the quarterback," Kueck said. "If the running game is really strong, then maybe you run the ball a little more. If there is a certain ball that Stan throws a little better, then maybe you work the offense to take advantage of that. You just emphasize the things that he does well, or if Graham or one of the freshmen is in there you emphasize the things that they do well."
Even though Hill has the upper hand in the quarterback race due to his experience and time in the program, there are three others who are working hard as well.
"Graham is getting appreciably better with every practice," Kueck said. "The thing he needs most of all is repetitions. He just needs to go out and practice football and get more comfortable with the system. I have been really pleased with the two young guys (freshmen Adam Black and Jimmy Skinner). They have done a great job of retaining what we do, without really having gotten a lot of practice time. They have both made great strides."
Front Wall Faces Major Overhaul
While the "skill position" players take much of the glory for the success of the Marshall offense, it is the guys up front in the trenches, doing the dirty work, who have made all those yards possible.
Last year the Herd had six proven offensive linemen to count on. During spring practice that number was down to two, with the graduation loss of three seniors and the loss of three-year starter Nate McPeek to a back injury.
Those holes on the front line will be filled with talented, but very inexperienced, players. Offensive coordinator Mark McHale, who doubles as the Herd's offensive line coach, experimented a little in the spring, moving guys around to find the right spots for them to be able to contribute the most. That experimentation will likely continue well into August.
"Right now we have Nate Griffin (6-5, 334, junior) at right tackle and he made good progress in the spring," McHale said. "He has continued to work hard to get to where he needs to be."
The two veterans of the group, left guard Luke Salmons (6-3, 298) and center Joey Stepp (6-1, 302), who can play all five spots, provide the group with some leadership and much flexibility. Stepp has primarily been used at center, but is free to move to any other spot as needed.
"Luke and Joey are both seniors and have both started in the past," McHale said. "Joey has played all five positions and gives us some flexibility and that is a good thing."
Sophomore Toby Bullock (6-4, 335) stepped into the right guard spot vacated by the graduation of Steve Perretta, but will be heavily pushed this fall by senior Nathan Leslie (6-5, 282) who moved from defensive line at the end of spring practice.
The tackle spots were bothersome in the spring. With McPeek (6-4, 317) out with a back injury, junior Josh Blakey (6-4, 310) moved over from the left side to fill in on the right, but never got comfortable. Entering the fall he is slated to be the backup to McPeek, who is moving to left tackle.
"By switching McPeek to the left side we will have an opportunity to have our top three tackles all able to play on either side," McHale said. "That way we can have a lot of flexibility if someone gets hurt or we want to use different packages."
While filling the vacancies in the starting five has been a priority, developing solid depth has been equally important. McHale said he was impressed with the progress some of the younger players made.
"Ryan Baynes (6-2, 316) has made some strides at left guard," McHale said. "We also moved Seth Cook (6-4, 290) from left tackle to right tackle and he has done an outstanding job for a freshman. We moved Dwayne Robinson (6-3, 313) to left guard and that seems to be a better fit for him than tackle.
"We moved Jesse Saito (6-2, 293) from guard to center and he has been a very pleasant surprise. He seems more comfortable at center and that may allow us to use Joey at different positions. Steven Bobrowski (6-2, 290) has also done a good job at center for a walk on. He may have a chance to contribute in the future."
Rader Leads Solid Group
Going into the 2002 season much attention was focused on the arrival of Jason Rader at tight end. The story of the local player returning home from Georgia captivated fans and placed very high expectations on the St. Albans native before he ever stepped on the field.
Rader (6-4, 260) is back for his senior season, having started every game at tight end last year. He finished as the Herd's fifth leading receiver with 30 catches for 320 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and he proved himself to be a strong run blocker.
New tight ends coach Shaine Miles, who returned to Marshall after one season at the U.S. Naval Academy, said even though Rader is a proven talent, there are still areas for improvement.
"The good Lord has blessed Jason, he has a lot of ability, and it is my job to get the most out of him," Miles said. "He is working hard and we need and expect big things from him in the fall, not only in the passing game but also in the running game."
With the graduation of Eddie Smolder, the Herd's other tight ends will have an opportunity to move up.
Marshall often employed a three tight end set with Smolder filling the role of fullback. Junior Joe Deifel (6-3, 231) and sophomore Jeff Mullins (6-3, 249) both gained valuable experience in those situations, but will be expected to contribute more this year.
"Joe needs to work on the finer things, especially his run blocking," Miles said. "His pass routes are good, he is a good athlete. He needs to get a little stronger and become a better run blocker.
"Jeff Mullins is doing a good job. He is real physical, is a disciplined route runner and catches the ball well when it is thrown to him. Overall, he may be the better run blocker of the group right now. We are expecting him to be a big contributor for us with his long snapping."
Redshirt freshman Matt Morris (6-3, 209) has the tools to be a factor this fall, especially if he continues to fill out physically. The Herd also will add three new players to the tight end mix this fall, giving Miles plenty of options come September.
"The first three guys are fairly well entrenched, but Matt is making strides every day and we will see where the new guys are when they get here this fall," Miles said. "We feel comfortable right now that we have guys we can put in and get the job done for us. We certainly need to keep working and get better in order to be a dominating force for this football team."
Wallace Leads Stable of Talented Backs
It's easy to understand why running backs coach Ernie Purnsley often has a big smile on his face. After going through a couple of seasons when he never knew if he would have enough healthy bodies to even fill in a depth chart, the riches at his disposal for 2003 would make any coach smile.
"It is a little bit of a different situation in that I do have a number of guys to work with," Purnsley said. "There were times in the past where there were only one, two or three guys available."
But the roster shows 11 players available at running back, including freshman Will Albin (6-3, 225) who will be more of a fullback/tight end. Although only one, senior Franklin "Butchie" Wallace (6-0, 204), has considerable experience, the others are talented and eager to make an impact.
"Butchie had a great spring and really is focused on having an outstanding senior season," Purnsley said. "He has not had any of the problems with nagging injuries he has had in the past and he is running freer and stronger than we have seen him in a while."
A variety of muscle pulls and sprains limited Wallace to only 129 carries last year (9.9 per game), but more will be expected this fall with a new quarterback at the helm.
"At the running back position, you are always going to be a little bit banged up, that is just part of it," Purnsley said. "With Butchie, the problem always seems to be with his flexibility. He is such a strong player, very explosive. I expect him to have a great senior season and I know that is what he is looking for as well."
The difference for the Herd between the past two seasons and the 2003 campaign is that there is depth at running back. Before, only equally injuryprone Brandon Carey helped carry the load. Even though Carey turned in his best season in 2002 (150 carries for 657 yards), the backfield will be full of fresh bodies this fall, all chomping at the bit to get their turn.
"Wilbur Hargrove (5-10, 172), Tank Tunstalle (6-1, 218) and Earl Charles (6-1, 215) were all impressive in the spring," Purnsley said. "They are all young guys who need as much experience as they can get to put themselves in position to contribute.
"All of them are very good runners, but they have to be able to handle their blocking responsibilities. In this one-back offense, they have to be able to read blitzes and be able to pick up the right guys in order to protect the quarterback. That is the area where they have to focus their attentions."
Hargrove showed flashes of his running skill in limited action as a freshman last year, and he likely will split time between running back and receiver in the fall. He rushed for more than 150 yards in the second half against Buffalo, but in other limited action he also struggled to pick up blocks. Neither Tunstalle, who was redshirted last year, nor Charles, a junior college transfer, have any Division I-A experience.
"Wilbur got a little bit of playing time last year and showed that he can be an explosive runner," Purnsley said. "Everyone is always asking about Tank, and he is a talented player. He is strong and runs very hard. Earl Charles was very impressive in the spring. He learns very quickly and is an outstanding runner. He is a guy that will be able to help in the fall. I expect all three of those guys to be in a position to contribute."
Behind that first group there are three returning backs and four first-year players waiting in the wings.
Purnsley said that because of the loss of Eddie Smolder, who filled the role of fullback in goal line and short yardage situations, the offensive staff would be searching for the right guy to fill that role.
"We don't have Eddie to slide into that fullback role any more, so we'll have to look and see who among the backs might be able to fill that void. We have some talented guys at tight end as well, so there is a good mix of things we can do," Purnsley said.
Dynamic Duo Back At Receiver
With two of the top 10 returning receivers in all of college football back for the Herd, everything should be rosy for Marshall receivers coach Dwayne Nunez. But that is not necessarily the case.
Sure, senior Darius Watts (6-2, 181) already owns the Mid-American Conference record for career touchdown receptions (36). Watts also ranks first among all returning receivers in college football with 3,063 receiving yards and is third with 198 career receptions. Watts is joined by junior Josh Davis (6-1, 185), who ranks eighth among all returning receivers with 2,152 yards and sixth with 154 career receptions.
Despite having those two players back, Nunez is still concerned about the overall depth at receiver.
"Those two guys have accomplished a lot so far, but they can do so much more," Nunez said. "They are both in position to be leaders on this team, and they need to take that responsibility seriously. They need to work hard in the weight room to get bigger, and stronger, so they can take their play to the next level."
The more pressing matter for Nunez is in finding help for the Herd's two standout receivers. With the loss of Denero Marriott, Curtis Jones and Demetrius Doss to graduation, not to mention junior Brad Bates (5- 10, 166) missing spring practice while recovering from a season-ending knee injury, the experience level at receiver past the top two is limited, at best.
"We don't have very much experience, and that is a major concern," Nunez said. "We have a couple of guys who have played a little, but nothing significant."
Foremost among the group of pass catchers vying for the open starting job, as well as key backup positions, is senior Jason Schroeder (6-2, 212). The junior college transfer saw action in just three games last year, making two catches for 33 yards. He is the frontrunner to replace Marriott at the Z receiver spot, with Bates expected to push him, if healthy, in the fall.
"Jason has a much better understanding of the offense and of his responsibilities than he did last fall," Nunez said. "He needs to continue to work hard, both on the field and in the weight room, to give himself a chance to be the type of player we think he can be."
Past Schroeder, only sophomore Nate Manns (6-3, 218) made a catch last year. Juniors Marquis Huggins (5-9, 188), along with redshirt freshman Renard Stevens (6-3, 197), didn't make significant game contributions.
"Nate Manns has a world of talent and he has been working hard this spring," Nunez said. "He has the ability to be a major contributor this fall."
Joining the returning players are sophomore Scott Wilks (6-2, 193) and junior college transfer Tremel Guillory (5-10, 185). Wilks spent the 2002 season at linebacker after spending his redshirt season as the scout team quarterback. Guillory joined the team early and went through spring practice.
"Tremel showed an awful lot of athletic ability, and he learned the offense very quickly," Nunez said. "I was very pleased with what I saw from him. Scott spent a year on the defense, but he is a good athlete and I think he will be a fine possession type receiver. He has very good hands."
Past the top two, the door at receiver is wide open. Expect Hargrove to see playing time at wideout this fall and there is a chance that a new member of the Herd squad, such as freshman Huntington native Hiram Moore (6-0, 185), could find himself in position to earn playing time.
Leadership a Must For Herd Defense
The Marshall defensive unit jumped from the bottom of the Mid-American Conference rankings in 2001 to near the top in virtually every category in 2002. Nationally, the jump was from 86th in total defense to 31st - good, but still not where defensive coordinator Bill Wilt would like to be.
"We improved, but who is really happy with 31st?" Wilt said. "We still have a long, long way to go, and that is not just me saying that."
Part of the reason for Wilt's concern is the loss of five veterans from the Herd defense to graduation. Orlando Washington, Terence Tarpley, Duran Smith, Chris Crocker and Yancey Satterwhite had been fixtures for the Marshall defense for three years. Their loss not only hurts in terms of performance on the field, but perhaps even more importantly, in terms of the leadership.
"Those kids gave a lot to this program," Wilt said. "I hope some of the guys on this defense will step up and be leaders. The good news is that there is some game experience here. The other good news is that they are all good kids. You like to go out there and see them and they are fun to be around. But, to reach where we really need to be, we still have to make great strides."
Front Four Has Much Promise
After the beating they took during the 2001 season, and the constant concern over their ability to stop the run leading up to, and during, the 2002 season, the defensive front had a fine season last year.
In fact, three members of that unit were named second team All-MAC. The remarkable fact is that the group played without veteran Maurice McKinney (6-3, 245), who went down with a season-ending knee injury on the first snap of two-a-day practice. It also is remarkable to think of what senior Toriano Brown (6-0, 275) was able to accomplish considering the amount of constant pain he was in. McKinney will be back this fall while Brown should be healthy after yet another surgery on his chronically sore big toe.
Junior Reggie Hayes (6-3, 278) saw considerable playing time as the primary backup for the two inside spots last year and is the front-runner to replace Washington. Paul Sinclair (6-1, 262) moved inside from end and was the beneficiary of Brown sitting out spring practice.
"Reggie is starting to take a big jump," Wilt said. "He showed flashes of what he can do, but he is not as consistent as I would like. He has improved on a daily basis. He really wants to do well, but he has to put it together on a daily basis.
"Paul Sinclair moved inside and it is a different world in there. He played in there some last year, but now he is a full time guy who has an opportunity to be a starter. He is still learning the position. I am proud of Paul's effort and attitude."
With Hayes and Sinclair at one tackle spot, Brown will be joined by senior Marlan Hicks (6-3, 295) at the other. Behind those first four it will be up to newcomers to step up and add depth. The two outside positions are much more settled for the Herd. Juniors Jamus Martin (6-2, 224), Jonathan Goddard (6-0, 246) and Marcus Hairston (6-3, 236) all return after a 2002 season in which each showed flashes of potential greatness. Add McKinney back into the mix and the end spots are well-manned.
"Jamus is a guy that we are obviously going to count on greatly," Wilt said. "I am hoping he will have a little more body weight by this fall, but he had a good spring. He needs to be a great player for us.
"Jon Goddard made a big jump. We have had some issues with him in the past with regard to penalties and immaturity, but he is working to get past that. He is trying to make an improvement with his pass rush. He still has a ways to go but he is trying hard and playing very physical."
Hairston is the one member of the group Wilt singled out as stepping forward during the spring, when he was named most improved defensive player.
"He had a real good spring. He was flying around, playing the right side and the left side, playing very explosive against the run and very good on the pass. We are going to start working him inside for third down situations because, even though he is lacking a little body weight, I really like what I saw out of him.
"I am relatively pleased with the work ethic of these kids. I wish we could develop a leader in there, but I have not seen that happen yet. But the work ethic, attitude and want to is all good."
Bar Set High For Linebackers
All you have to do is look at the names of the players who have filled the positions for the past few years - John Grace, Andre O'Neal, Max Yates and Duran Smith. Some of the best linebackers Marshall has ever had.
The next generation of great linebackers is already in place for the Herd. They have experience in big games, and they all have made big plays. The next step is for them to fill part of the leadership void vacated by the 2002 seniors.
"I am very excited because I have three guys with quite a bit of experience in Dionte' Wilson (6-2, 221), J.T. Rembert (6-1, 227) and Kevin Atkins (6-3, 237)," associate head coach and linebackers coach Mark Gale said. "They are experienced, they are the leaders of the corps and they all had good springs. They have taken on the leadership role and the thing that I take pride in is seeing them teach the young guys."
All three played significant roles in 2002, combining to record 160 tackles while basically splitting time at one spot, with Duran Smith monopolizing the other. But all three came up with big plays at different times of the season. Atkins stepped in for Smith against Miami and had 14 tackles. Rembert made a big interception against Central Florida with four minutes to go and also scooped up a fumble for a touchdown against Buffalo. Wilson made a big interception at Kent State to stop a drive in the Red Zone.
"Those three guys have all been in big game situations," Gale said. "They have some experience in big ball games and pressure situations. With those three leading the way, and some of the younger kids getting better every time they step on the field, I am very excited."
With three established players entrenched at two spots, it might be easy for the younger players to not work as hard, but Gale said that is far from the case.
"We have a lot of good guys and hard workers," Gale said. "One young man I am extremely excited about, who had a great spring, is Carlos Morgan (5-10, 237). He was injured in late September in a Monday night practice. Early indications were that he would not be able to go through spring practice, but he exceeded any expectations that the doctors and our training staff had. He has not missed a beat and has shown no ill-effects. In fact, he has looked even quicker.
"Damarcus Thomas (6-1, 251) is another guy who has played some and continues to get better and better every day. After that I have some young guys. Garrett Morrison (6-0, 194) moved from outside to inside, and David Belcher (6-0, 205), just lives in the weight room."
The linebacker corps will also be bolstered by the addition of Gavin Herscher (6-2, 234), who spent his redshirt season as a receiver before moving to defense in the spring.
Darlington Settling In At New Post
After 30 seasons as an assistant coach at Nebraska, George Darlington brings a wealth of experience at the highest level to the Marshall defense.
He got his first taste of Herd football during the spring and liked what he saw from the Herd's group of outside linebackers, better known as whips and rovers. That group includes a pair of veteran players and a host of youngsters.
"I was very impressed with the effort of the players," Darlington said. "They work hard and make a strong effort to do well. Obviously Charles Tynes (6-0, 194) has played a lot of football for us and looked good in the spring. According to the coaches who were here last year, he is making improvement. That is what you want every player to do.
"Gladstone Coke (5-9, 196) has had some playing time in the past and he is doing a good job. A couple of the young kids really showed promise. Dennis Thornton (5-11, 205) and Donte' Newsome (5-11, 201) have a lot of potential, but they are young. Both of them had opportunities to work with the number ones during the spring."
Both Thornton and Newsome are expected to battle for playing time in the fall. Darlington said the only thing he expects from his players is that they be ready and able to compete come the 2003 season.
"I think we have to continue to improve and I expect us to be able to line up and compete with everyone we play," Darlington said. "That means that I expect us to be able to compete with Tennessee and Kansas State.
That means that we are going to have to be very sound technically and we are going to have to play with a great deal of effort all the time."
Filling Secondary Void a Daunting Task
Along with the offensive line, the hardest hit area of the Marshall team by graduation was the secondary.
Gone are a trio of veterans who were the backbone of the Marshall defense. Replacing the likes of Yancey Satterwhite, Chris Crocker and Terence Tarpley will not be an easy job for secondary coach Lou Anarumo.
"The three guys that we lost, in terms of experience, leadership and ability, will be awfully hard to replace, but we will do it," Anarumo said. "The guys we have now all have to fill the shoes of three big guys and we are all pointed in that direction. You can't put a price tag on what that experience means."
The only player returning to the secondary with major playing experience is junior corner Roberto Terrell (5-8, 175). He started every game in 2002 and finished with 54 tackles, 15 pass break ups and three interceptions. He will be charged with taking the primary leadership role with the group now.
"Roberto has played a lot of football around here since his freshman year," Anarumo said. "He has done a good job, really getting himself stronger in the offseason program. He is becoming a leader now and we expect big things from him in a leadership role."
The next two most experienced players are also listed as starters entering 2003. Sophomore Willie Smith (6-0, 194) holds the corner spot vacated by Satterwhite while junior Moriah Anderson (6-2, 188) has stepped into Chris Crocker's safety role.
"Willie Smith played a lot as our sub and dime guy last year," Anarumo said. "As the year progressed he became very productive for us. The best thing that happened for him was that Yancey got hurt and he got thrown into the fire against Virginia Tech. That helped him as the year went along and will continue to help him this year.
"Moriah has the next most playing experience, and we are pleased with him. Competition is something that fuels the fires of a lot of guys and we have had a lot of competition at free safety with Moriah, Curtis Keyes (6-0, 187) and Lonnie McCowan (6-0, 195). We have had good competition between those guys and I see all three of them playing somewhere."
The backup jobs at the two corner positions are up for grabs, with junior Renaldo Williams (5-9, 179), sophomore Chris Royal (5-9, 176) and redshirt freshman Ivan Clark (5-9, 180) all in the mix. The next group includes juniors Dorian Williams (5-8, 169) and Jimmy Tyson (5-7, 170) along with true freshman Terick Thomas (5-10, 165).
Loss of Head A Triple Headache
When is the loss of one player like losing three? When that one guy is Curtis Head and he handled every aspect of the kicking game for you for two years.
Not since the season-opener in 1999, when a skinny freshman from Shelbyville, Ky., stood in the end zone at Clemson for his first collegiate punt, has the Marshall coaching staff had to worry about a punter. With Head, a four-year standout, gone, replacing him is something the Herd will have to do three times over.
"The most daunting task we have is replacing Curtis Head because he was so reliable and flexible," new special teams coordinator Lou Anarumo said. "It will be awfully hard to do that, but we will get it done."
The race to replace Head is wide open in all three phases and likely will go deep into two-a-day practices before a successor is chosen. Senior Ben Lewis (5-10, 197) is the front-runner for the kicking jobs. He has been in the Marshall program for four years and does have limited game experience.
Sophomore Nick Kelly (6-0, 215) also has some experience kicking off and redshirt freshman Jesse Cortez (5-6, 176) also will get a look.
Redshirt freshman Klint Rose (6-2, 189) will push hard for the punting job while incoming kicker Ian O'Conner (6-2, 185) will get a long look for the placekicking chores.
Tight end Jeff Mullins will take over the long snapping duties. He filled in for Cory Dennison in one game last year and was flawless on his snaps. Quarterback Stan Hill will be joined by receiver Scott Wilks as the Herd's holders.
In addition to finding replacements for Head, making improvements in the Herd's return game was a priority this spring, as well as working on punt and kick coverages.
"We really worked hard, especially on punt and kick returns and punt coverage," Anarumo said. "Our whole battery will be new on the punt team this year - the snapper, punter and personal protector - so that is a priority. That is something that will get you beat real fast if you aren't good at it. We are looking for guys who can catch punts and guys who can block on kickoff returns. We are working at it and we'll see what happens.
"I think it helps me, in terms of coaching special teams, that I already have a strong relationship with most of the guys who will contribute in that phase of the game. Most of those players are defensive players and it helps that they know what we want and expect."
For the 2003 Thundering Herd the expectations remain the same. Coach Pruett likes to say, "At Marshall, we play for championships!" For the Herd, that will be the case again this year.
