Courtesy of The Parthenon
After an unexpected week off due to Hurricane Florence, NC State football returns to action this weekend with a trip to Marshall to take on the Thundering Herd. Despite not being a Power Five team, Marshall is a strong opponent, and this should be a good test for the Wolfpack. Technician caught up with Rick Farlow, sports editor of The Parthenon, Marshall’s student news organization, to break down this week’s game.
Technician: Marshall went 8-5 last year and has started 2-0 this season. What is the team’s outlook for the rest of the year?
Rick Farlow, by email: It’s tough to say what the rest of the year will look like after the 2-0 start. Being that I’ve only seen Marshall play Miami (Ohio) and Eastern Kentucky, I don’t have a sample akin to the teams Marshall will play. After I see how the Herd plays NC State, I’ll be able to more-adequately answer that question. I can tell you that the Herd has a good shot of making it to the Conference-USA championship game, as C-USA East isn’t prolific by any means this season. Though NC State will be a huge test for Marshall, the outcome of the FAU and FIU games will likely decide the Herd’s conference championship fate.
T: Neither team played week three due to Hurricane Florence. What do you think the dynamic will be with that? Rest vs. rust?
RF: That’s the golden question. An unexpected bye week is probably something that neither team wanted, especially this early in the season. The players are still fresh by week three, so rest a huge necessity. Rust, however, is definitely something to think about. In-game experience is the best way for a team to learn about itself (especially with a new starting quarterback) and both teams missed out on that opportunity last weekend. On the other hand, because neither team played, there’s still balance. I think this game will favor the team that made the right adjustments and practiced the right amount during the surprise off week.
T: What are the Thundering Herd’s strengths and weaknesses?
RF: Marshall is deep in the wideout position and has multiple players who can catch a lot of passes. Most notably, as I’m sure you know, is senior Tyre Brady. The Miami transfer leads the Herd in receiving this season with 182 yards on 15 receptions and averages 91 receiving yards per game. Marshall’s defensive line is another strength. This season, the Herd is second in C-USA with seven sacks and tied for first with three interceptions.
Marshall’s special teams unit has been subpar to say the least. Before the season, Herd fans knew that Marshall would be without Kaare Vedvik—Marshall’s former kicker/punter who declared for the NFL earlier this year. Vedvik kicked a 92-yard punt last season, amongst other accomplishments. Needless to say, his loss is big. Additionally, Marshall turned the ball over on special teams three times against Eastern Kentucky. All three times, a Marshall kick returner fumbled the kick and allowed EKU to recover.
T: In a bit of a surprising move, Chase Litton moved on to the NFL after last year. Who took his place at QB and how have they done?
RF: Marshall’s quarterback situation was a mystery after Litton’s draft declaration. Eventually, the Herd picked up graduate-transfer quarterback Alex Thomson from Wagner College. He was brought to Marshall to seemingly replace Litton but Thomson is facing shoulder problems and has yet to take a live snap for the Herd. Instead, redshirt freshman Isaiah Green has started both games under-center and he’s 2-0. In his two starts, he completed 47 of his 76 passes for 550 yards (fourth amongst FBS freshman), five touchdowns (first amongst FBS freshman) and one interception. He’s also mobile enough to be considered dual-threat. I’m very curious to see how Green fares against the Wolfpack under the lights in a loud environment.
T: Obviously no NC State fan needs to be reminded about what Tyre Brady did last year. Who are some other key players for the Thundering Herd?
RF: Some other key players, aside from Brady, reside on defense. Namely, safety Malik Gant and linebacker Chase Hancock are tied with a team-high 23 total tackles. They both have two tackles for a loss and one sack. Defensive linemen Ty Tyler and Channing Hames’ two sacks apiece add to Marshall’s total of 7 (second-most in C-USA). Definitely look for the defensive line to play a key role.
T: Who are some underrated players?
RF: Now it’s time to talk about the running backs. Marshall’s key running backs—sophomore Tyler King and redshirt senior Keion Davis—haven’t posted staggering rushing numbers thus far. However, Marshall has still outrushed opponents 260-226 this season. King leads the Herd with 98 rushing yards and Davis ranks second with 95. Their numbers seem low but don’t show the full picture. Marshall is pass-heavy so far. The Herd’s 550 passing yards more than double its 260 total rushing yards. Davis and King are a threat on kick returns, as well. Davis has three-career kick returns for a touchdown and averages 26.2 yards-per-return. King has no kick return touchdowns but averages 19.2 yards-per-return.
T: How does Marshall match up with the Wolfpack?
RF: As you saw last season, Marshall didn’t roll over against an ACC opponent and played a good game in a hostile environment. The Herd held its own. This year, Marshall has a chance to do more than hold its own at home. Marshall has an 155-32 win-loss record at Joan C. Edwards Stadium since its opening in 1991. From a football standpoint, I expect to see a lot of passing from both teams. Ryan Finley, who has 60 completions on 81 attempts for 679 yards and four touchdowns, presents a daunting task for Marshall’s defensive backs. This game has the makings of a shootout.
T: What is your prediction for this game?
RF: Marshall 35, NC State 42.