 "Photo: AP")
How does a team prepare for a top 25 team looming in the second week of the season?
Marshall did so by playing a top 10 team the week before.
The Thundering Herd fell to Ohio State 45-7 in the opening week of play. Going up against the No. 2 Buckeyes set Marshall up for Friday's contest with West Virginia. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, W.Va.
"When you play a team like Ohio State, you have to play great defense, limit big plays – and they ended up with seven big plays, you have to create turnovers and then not turn the ball over," said MU head coach Doc Holliday. "We didn't get any turnovers, and they ended up with three."
Holliday is familiar with WVU, as he was a Mountaineer linebacker from 1976-78.
The past two seasons, he was tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at West Virginia. In 2010, he takes the reins as head coach for the Thundering Herd.
He insists there is no bad blood between the two Mountain State programs.
"I've got great respect for West Virginia University, but I'm the head coach at Marshall now," Holliday said. "All my efforts are going into making sure this team is prepared on Friday night."
Holliday and WVU head coach Bill Stewart assume the sixth-annual Friends of Coal Bowl will be solely represented on the field between the Herd and Mountaineers.
This year's edition of the Thundering Herd is depleted at many offensive positions.
Marshall does return senior quarterback Brian Anderson. The Louisville, Ky., native is the prototypical pocket passer. He is slow on his feet but makes up for his mobility with a strong arm.
Anderson was 17-for-28 through the air against OSU while earning 135 passing yards.
Quarterback is a position Holliday feels is pivotal to any team's success.
"I think the quarterback is always the x-factor for any offense," Holliday said. "If you have a great quarterback that makes great decisions, it is hard to defend them. Any championship team that I have ever been a part of has had a quarterback that had the intangibles and leadership skills."
Holliday admitted Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor possessed those intangible skills in last week's blowout win versus his squad.
The Herd will need to rely on Anderson and receivers Antavious Wilson and Aaron Dobson. The pair of sophomores caught eight passes between the two of them in their opening contest.
Senior receiver Courtney Edmonson brought in the longest pass of the Ohio State battle, catching just one pass but garnering 26 yards.
The receivers and Anderson will receive a majority of the plays in Friday night's match up with the Mountaineers as the Herd's running attack is nearly absent.
Running back Martin Ward will receive a bulk of the carries. He earned the task of replacing departed senior Darius Marshall, but he failed to find any running room against the Buckeyes. On six carries, Ward amassed just 32 yards.
The most talented player on the offensive side of the ball looks to be tight end Lee Smith. Smith is a senior who Stewart said he "loves." At 6-foot-6, 267 pounds, he is a welcoming target to catch a pass but can also open up holes with his blocking.
Also, along the offensive line, are three returning starters in Ryan Tillman, Chad Schofield and Brandon Campbell.
WVU receiver Jock Sanders said the defense of the Herd is "pretty good."
"I think they're defensive line and their linebackers are their strength," Sanders said.
On the line, Marshall returns no starters from 2009 but had a strong game against the Buckeyes. Between Brandon Bullock, Delvin Johnson and Johnny Jones, the Herd held star running back Brandon Saine to just 103 rushing yards.
Linebacker Mario Harvey led the defense with 10 tackles. The preseason all-Conference USA selection led the Herd in tackles last year as well (117). Alongside Harvey is Tyson Gale, who can also make plays.
The defensive backs have trouble covering the deep ball, but Rashad Jackson always looms.
A junior college transfer, Jackson, in his first Division I game, made seven tackles, second on the team.
The Herd has an opportunity to stun the No. 23 Mountaineers and earn their first win in 10 tries against WVU. Holliday would not be able to ask for anything more than a victory but also sees this as a choice opportunity.
"No. 1, it's an opportunity to showcase our program on national television on Friday night with everyone watching," Holliday said.
"(The game) shows fans around the country how much passion and enthusiasm this place has for the game of football."
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