Going in the Right Direction

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Going in the Right Direction

Topic Author: Keith Morehouse

Posted: 3:48 PM Sep 18, 2007

Replies Posted: 11 comments

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Going in the Right Direction

Marshall’s football team had a players-only meeting after that devastating loss to New Hampshire Saturday. To the Herd’s credit, no one, not the players or the coaches, is considering jumping off any ledges just yet. The same probably can’t be said about the fans, many of whom are expressing their frustrations on call-in-shows and message boards.

I talked privately with Mark Snyder on Tuesday afternoon after his weekly news conference. No cameras. No microphones, just us two “off the record”. While I won’t share the bulk of the conversation, I will say he’s absolutely convinced the program’s going in the right direction.

The coach is not hiding behind excuses either for losing to New Hampshire, but his injury situation is as bad as he’s encountered in his college coaching career. Having already lost CUSA defensive player of the year Albert McClellan, he’s also learned that defensive tackle Montel Glasco is out for the year. This on top of varying degrees of injury for DE John Jacobs, DB Aaron Johnson, and DB Zearick Matthews. You do wonder when he’ll catch a break in that department.

Having said that, Marshall fans expect, and deserve, a better effort from their team than they got against New Hampshire. With Bernard Morris playing a courageous game, the defense didn’t respond with the same kind of effort. Granted, there were three freshman on the defensive line on the Wildcats’ last touchdown drive, but football’s a game of intensity and many players seemed to leave that component in their dorm rooms Saturday.

The challenge is tough on Saturday as well. Mark Dantonio left new coach Brian Kelly a wealth of experience and talent in Cincinnati. The Herd has to strap it on and play hard for 60 minutes….if players give the ultimate effort, that’s all the coaches and fans can ask for, win or lose.

Posted by: Tom Keith I did not realize how little I knew about baseball until I took my son to Little try-outs years ago. The team did not have a coach, I got elected, without putting my name on the ballot. It did not take long to find out there were a lot beeter coches in the stands than on the field. Mark Synder is our coach and as long he is our coach "GO HERD." It is easy to coach from the stands and on Monday morning. I may not always agree but Coach is coaching our team and we need to support our team. I am a season ticket holder and have attended every home game this year; I plan to be there Saturday, I am choosing between my Wayne Pioneers and the HERD. GO HERD and PIONEERS!

Posted by: debbie A little off topic, (ok a lot off topic) but the other day I watched your sports cast and you were speaking of Big east basketball and mentioned top twenty five teams, how tough it was going to be, blah, blah, I couldn't help but notice you completely disregarded Louisville, who by the way, is 6th in AP and the Coaches poll. Preseason hype? maybe, but the same could be true of the other teams. Pretty petty of you Keith.

Posted by: DST Good coaching staff's take players who put themselves in a position to win or swing momentum at critical times, and control that situation for the players. Snyder and the OC have done neither since they've been here. No we don't need Pruett back either. Changes need to start at the top of the Athletic Department and fall into football. The shame of it is. We have persons on the staff who know progressive offensive football but are not allowed to assist. They have other responsibilities. And our players have put themselves into position to win or swing momentum over and over and the staff basically trips them with play calling that a pee wee coach can't understand.

Posted by: Shawn For Snyder to have been a defensive Coor. his defense sure is horrible. Was Pruett on the sidelines last night learning some plays so he can take over soon as the interim coach? I think Snyder should walk away and settle in somewhere as an assisstant coach. Bring back Bob!!!

Posted by: GIM Testing how it looks if station posts a response to their own blog.

Posted by: RonG It is great that Snyder thinks he is "going in the right direction." One might wonder what direction that is. Excuses are plenty; but this team has had no coaching since Bobby Pruett retired. We need a new coach -- and now.

Posted by: ELVIS LIVES The defense looked real good, better than it has in years since Bobby

Posted by: Sharon Saw your show Sunday afternoon. I'm sorry to say that Coach Snyder couldn't even look you or the camera in the eye. I know you won't display your disappointment about how we are playing in front a camera, but I'm sure you where there, watching the whole total "mess". What happened to "play till the whistle blows".

Posted by: Paula I hate to admit this, Ive been a huge Marshall fan since childhood. It started with the basketball team. We had season tickets since before my son was born. We knew everyone around us and they watched my son grow up. We went thru the great times and then the bad times but when Greg White was there, we finally had to give up our seats. We couldnt stand to watch them lose anymore, it wasnt from lack of talent but very bad coaching, now we have the same situation with our beloved football team. Synder needs to go. Maybe we can get him out before too much damage is done. When your program is bad, we all know, it takes about 8 yrs to recover from it. I hate to say this, but Kentucky has been my choice of teams to watch lately.

Posted by: madmax122576 Everyone seems to think that Pruett was the best thing that happened to Marshall which I disagree. During his time, how many players went to the NFL, guys like Moss, Pennington, Leftwhich, and Watts, to name a few. I'm not sure he would have been as successful without the talent he had. If Pruett was here today and has the team Snyder does, do you think he would be winning football games? Snyder doesn't have that luxury of having several future NFL players on his roaster right now. Snyder may need to go but I don't think you can put all of this on his lap. I read or saw people criticizing the Defense in the game against New Hampshire for not holding New Hampshire which is fine but my issue with this, the offense did nothing in the first half, the defense pretty lived on the field. They may have given up 24 points, but how many did the offense score, 0? They need to get more consistent on both sides of the ball if they want any hope of having a winning season.

Posted by: FOOTBALL 'ER You have heard the phase "the buck stops here". Well regardless of where the problem lies, the coach must take the responsibility. If he cannot motivate the team to play and play the complete game, the it stops with him. At a recent game, I heard a fan say something about the coach trying to run plays like Ohio State. Well were WV not Ohio. And one questions, why did he wait so long to put Morris back in the game in the NH game? I think at this point, the team needs a WIN and that can only happen with the best players, not trying to get someone playing time. I think a win and an ego booster would go a long way towards a successful season.