The Thundering Herd of Marshall University is the next opponent for the Memphis Tigers. Memphis will travel to Huntington, WV for this game with kick off set for 7 p.m. ET at Joan C. Edwards Stadium where Marshall averaged a school record 30,029 fans per game in 2007.
Memphis has lost their first two games, going down against the Ole Miss Rebels 41-24 and falling to the Rice Owls 42-35 last Saturday after blowing a 15-point fourth quarter lead.
The Tigers are searching for their first win and face a Marshall team looking to rebound from a humiliating defeat to Wisconsin last weekend, getting pounded by the Badgers 51-14. Marshall (1-1) defeated Illinois State 35-10 in their season opener.
Memphis Tigers QB Will Hudgens
Marshall is best known for the tragedy that occurred on November 14, 1970 when Southern Airways flight 932 crashed on approach to Tri-State Airport. The majority of the Thundering Herd’s football team and coaching staff were killed as a result of the crash, leaving a total of 75 dead.
The following season only the few players who didn’t make the trip due to injury or disciplinary action remained to rebuild the team. Most of the remaining players were freshman that previously weren’t allowed to play on the varsity squad due to NCAA rules at the time.
In the wake of the crash, the ban on freshman players was lifted for Marshall and three years later, it was waived for all schools. Some of the more famous football players in Marshall history include Randy Moss, Chad Pennington, Troy Brown, Byron Leftwich and Ahmad Bradshaw.
This is the fourth meeting between the schools, with the home team winning all three games in the series. Last year the Tigers beat the Thundering Herd 24-21 in an emotional game played just two days after the shooting death of defensive lineman Taylor Bradford.
The contest also was Memphis’ third game in an 11-day stretch. Tiger QB Will Hudgens passed for a career-high 346 yards and two TDs, while Carlos Singleton had five catches for 69 yards and a TD. Matt Reagan hit three field goals in the win.
The key to the game will be how the Tiger defense handles Marshall as they advance into scoring territory. Opponents have made eleven trips inside the red zone this season and the Tiger defense has yet to make a stop, allowing 8 TDs and 3 FGs.
Marshall DT Albert McClellan
In the press conference before the game, Tiger coach Tommy West said that last year Marshall was more of a throwing team that relied on straight drop back passing. This year they run the ball more and also do a good job of utilizing the play-action pass.
Rick Minter has taken over as the Thundering Herd’s new defensive coordinator and the Tigers expect Marshall to employ defensive schemes similar to Minter’s Cincinnati Bearcats teams. Albert McClellan has returned to action and was the Defensive Player of the Year in C-USA two years ago.
The game will be televised by CSS. Bob Neal will handle the play by play, Chuck Oliver will be the color analyst and Allison Williams will serve as the sideline reporter.
NOTES:
Tiger receiver Duke Calhoun has 111 career receptions and needs two to tie Isaac Bruce for fifth all time.
Tigers Trivia – Name the top four receivers in Memphis football history. Sorry, no prizes for correct answers, this isn’t a talk radio station.
