|
Marshall Football News
11-11-06
ECU Defense, Turnovers Halt Herd's Offense in 33-20 Pirates Win
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Despite Albert McClellan’s (Lakeland, Fla./Kathleen)
record-setting performance with 4.5 tackles for loss, Marshall didn’t have an answer
for East Carolina’s defense as the Pirates handed the Thundering Herd a 33-20 loss
Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
With the loss, the Herd (4-6, 3-3 C-USA) snapped a three-game winning streak – the
longest under second-year head coach Mark Snyder. Marshall remains winless at East
Carolina (6-4, 5-2 C-USA), falling to 0-4.
Ahmad Bradshaw (Bluefield, Va./Graham) was held to a season-low 26 yards on 10
carries with two touchdowns. It snapped Bradshaw’s streak of three consecutive
100-yard rushing games. Bradshaw’s 13 rushing touchdowns this season is the
sixth-highest single-season total in school history. It also marked the fifth time
this season Bradshaw had rushed for at least two touchdowns this season.
Jimmy Skinner (Chillicothe, Ohio/Chillicothe) made his first start of the season
under center for the Thundering Herd. Skinner finished 24-of-45 passing for a
Marshall season-high 285 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Tight end Cody Slate (Chipley, Fla./Hargrave) continued his stellar freshman season
against the Pirates. Slate caught a career-high nine passes for 140 yards and a
touchdown. It was Slate’s second 100-yard receiving game of the season and he
remains the only Herd receiver this season to break the century mark. Hiram Moore
(Huntington, W.Va./Huntington) added four receptions for 59 yards, while Emmanuel
Spann (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) chipped in six catches for 32 yards.
Defensively, McClellan led all tackles with nine tackles in addition to his 5.5
tackles for loss. He also forced two fumbles along with 1.5 sacks. Curtis Keyes (Mt.
Olive, Miss./Mize) added nine tackles, while Josh Johnson (Milledgeville,
Ga./Georgia Military) and Matt Couch (Okeana, Ohio/Ross Senior) contributed eight
tackles each.
East Carolina’s James Pinkney completed 21-of-27 passing for 270 yards with a
touchdown. Aundrae Allison added a 34-yard touchdown pass, as well. Brandon
Fractious led all rushers with 16 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Phillip Henry led the Pirates with five catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, while
Allison added six receptions for 46 yards.
On the game’s opening drive, the Herd drove 41 yards on nine plays down to the East
Carolina 24-yard line. However, the impressive drive ended when Anthony Binswanger
(Pleasant Hill, Calif./Diablo Valley CC) misfired from 41 yards away. It was
Binswanger’s third straight missed field goal attempt and the fifth miss in his last
six attempts.
Marshall’s defense forced a quick three-and-out on East Carolina’s first possession.
Unlike its opening drive, the Herd was unable to produce a lengthy drive. On fourth
down, Marshall committed another costly special teams miscue as Zach Slate blocked
Ian O’Connor’s (Knoxville, Tenn./Halls) punt attempt. Slate recovered it at the
Marshall 1-yard line.
ECU capitalized on Fractious’ 1-yard touchdown run, which gave the Pirates a 7-0
lead with 7:31 remaining in the first quarter. It was the first time an opponent had
blocked a Herd punt since Sept. 16 at Kansas State. ECU’s first quarter score also
extended its school-record streak to 110 straight games in which had not been
shutout.
Marshall’s first quarter woes continued on its third possession. Bradshaw committed
the first of his two fumbles in the opening period on the third play of the drive.
Six plays later, the Herd defense forced a turnover of its own, as McClellan
stripped the ball from Pinkney. Juan Underwood (Xenia, Ohio/Pima CC) recovered the
fumble at the Marshall 24-yard line.
Bradshaw’s second fumble came on the ensuing play of the Herd’s third drive. The
costly turnover set up East Carolina on the Herd’s 23-yard line. The five-play drive
led to a Robert Lee 21-yard field goal and a 10-0 ECU lead.
East Carolina extended its lead to 13-0 in the second quarter on Lee’s 22-yard field
goal.
The Herd’s defense forced a second turnover on ECU’s next possession. McClellan
pressured Pinkney, forcing his second fumble of the day. Underwood recovered his
second fumble which set up the Herd’s first score.
This time, the Herd wouldn’t squander the opportunity as Bradshaw redeemed himself
with a five-yard touchdown run on the first play. Bradshaw’s 12th touchdown run of
the season cut the ECU lead to 13-7 with 4:04 remaining in the first half.
ECU extended its lead back to 13 points, 20-7, before the end of the first half.
Pinkney connected on a 29-yard touchdown pass to Phillip Henry, capping a
seven-play, 79-yard drive.
In the third quarter, Lee’s 38-yard field goal extended East Carolina’s lead to
23-7. Marshall responded with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Skinner to Slate,
cutting the ECU lead to 23-14 with 1:09 remaining in the third period.
However, the Pirates put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. Allison threw
a 34-yard touchdown pass on a triple-reverse to Steven Rogers, giving ECU a 30-14
lead at the 11:40 mark.
The Pirates later added a 42-yard field goal from Lee to give East Carolina its
largest lead of the game, 33-14. It was Lee’s first four field goal performance of
his career.
Marshall added a score late on Bradshaw’s two-yard touchdown run with 1:23 remaining
in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 33-20.
The Marshall Thundering Herd returns to Huntington for its final home game of the
2006 season when it hosts UTEP Saturday, Nov. 18 at 4:30 p.m. (EST). Prior to the
game, the Herd will recognize its 21 seniors during Senior Day festivities.
Source: Marshall University Sports Information Department
|
|
Check out
the D1CollegeFootball.com
Fan Store for accessories, apparel, basketball
products, blankets, clocks, clothing, collectibles,
flags, banners, gear, golf products, gifts, hats, helmets,
home products, jackets, jerseys, jewelry, kids products,
ladies products, license plates, merchandise, polo shirts,
shirts, sweats, sweatshirts, tailgate supplies, t-shirts,
watches
|
Marshall Fan Store
|
