Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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November 17, 2009

Herd O-line should be healthy for Mustangs

By GARY FAUBER

BECKLEY — The numbers don’t lie.

Through its first 10 games, Marshall allowed 13 sacks. In the last two games, quarterbacks Brian Anderson and Press Taylor have been driven to the turf 11 times.

Injuries among the offensive line have been apparent over the last 17 days. Left tackle Brandon Campbell and left guard Ryan Tillman were both injured against UAB on Oct. 24 and missed the following game at UCF.

The Knights sacked Anderson four times and had five quarterback hurries.

In last Saturday’s home loss to Southern Miss, Anderson was sacked six times and Taylor went down on his only snap. The Eagles also had seven hurries.

Granted, Marshall (5-5, 3-3 Conference USA) was going up against the league’s two best rush defenses and top two sack leaders in those games.

“Going back to East Carolina (Oct. 3) and Central Florida and Southern Miss, those are some good defensive fronts right there,” Marshall coach Mark Snyder said. “We have been through the buzz saw. But I thought (the offensive line) played OK.

“We’re dinged up and we’ve got some guys playing positions the last two weeks they typically haven’t been playing in. I think they are doing OK.”

Fortunately, it looks like the veterans will be back Saturday when the Thundering Herd hosts SMU (6-4, 5-1) at 4:30 p.m.

“The good thing is, everybody will be at full speed these next two weeks,” Snyder said. “Barring (additional) injury, we will be back with our starting lineup on the offensive line.”

Campbell didn’t start against Southern Miss but did play. Tillman sat out but should be a go against the Mustangs.

Junior Chad Schofield played the entire game against the Eagles despite getting injured at UCF. He went down two plays before Anderson’s fumble set up UCF’s game-winning drive. There is sentiment that Anderson’s giveaway was precipitated by a bad snap from Landis Provancha, who had started at left guard for Tillman before moving to center in place of Schofield.

“How about Chad Schofield?” Snyder said after the Southern Miss game. “I wouldn’t have gave you a nickel that he was going to play today. And he played the whole football game. You talk about a tough guy.”

•••

Snyder confirmed Tuesday that tight end Cody Slate does have an ACL tear in his right knee and is out for the remainder of the season.

That doesn’t mean that his presence will not be felt.

“He is such a great kid and a great leader,” Snyder said. “He told his mom yesterday, ‘I am the captain of this team; I am sticking around this team until the end.’ His fortitude has been unbelievable.”

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