Thundering Herd Captains Keeping Marshall Focused on SMU

[MrMustang1965]

from The Huntington Herald-Dispatch, Huntington, West Virginia

By Anthony Hanshew
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- Now is the time that team captains earn their stripes.

It's easy enough to play the role of team leader when everything's going right. Character isn't exactly exposed in an upbeat, winning locker room.

Tough times, specifically a 1-4 record, are testing Marshall University's football mettle. Captains Shavar Greer, Matt Couch, Doug Legursky and Bernard Morris are charged with maintaining confidence entering a two-game road stretch.

Marshall (1-4, 0-1 Conference USA) takes on Southern Methodist University (3-3, 1-1) Saturday in Dallas. Kickoff at Gerald J. Ford Stadium is 3 p.m. and WOWK will televise the game.

"We can't get down," said Greer, a senior defensive end. "We still have a long season and we still have seven games to go. We're either going to tuck our tails and run or we're going to suck it up."

Morris, Marshall's junior quarterback, agreed.

"We just have to stay at it," said Morris, who has thrown for 659 yards and four touchdowns this season. "(Last week's game against Central Florida) was a win that we needed for our future in conference play but as a captain you have to make sure no one is giving up because our season is not over.

"We still have a bunch of football to go and we need to put that game behind us. Right now we're focused on SMU and we need total focus as far as the team, the coaches, everybody."

Both Morris and Greer said they've made concerted efforts to lighten what could be a sullied mood. Essentially, the Thundering Herd's four team captains serve as coaches when coaches aren't around.

A popular reference is the wide open C-USA East Division race. UAB (3-3, 2-0) is the lone division team without a conference loss. The Blazers knocked off Memphis, 35-29, on Saturday.

"(Thundering Herd) coach (Mark Snyder) keeps preaching to us that if we keep doing things right, it's going to come to us," Greer said. "We try to re-emphasize what the coaches have been telling us. We try to go out on the field and lead by example."

Marshall's experience compared to last season has helped players keep perspective, Morris said. It didn't take long to shrug off last week's home loss to Central Florida and shift focus toward SMU, which lost at UTEP, 24-21, on Saturday.

The Mustangs had won three consecutive games.

"It's not just going out and talking to the young guys because not a lot of the young guys are playing like they were last year," Morris said. "We communicate with everyone. We tell the defense we're going to try to put up as many points as possible and take a little work off their shoulders. And they're telling us the same thing."

"Right now we just need to play our game and come out with a win because we're in need of one."

[Stallion]

I'm not going to sit as a juror and decide what should happen in the Willis case but I am sure that the decision on Willis' playing eligibility and status needs to be made very early in the week so the team can refocus on this game. A Flying Circus will likely end in a loss on Saturday.

[mrydel]

I agree. If a decision is not made today, practice with Slater as starter. If they clear up the incident before Saturday, Willis can always step in and take over, but focus has to be on game preparation from the team's standpoint. The personal issues are not in the hands og the team.

[J.T.supporta]

Willis will NOT be practicing until his suspension is lifted.