Kase Whitehead News

At his discretion, usually when a particular return man poses a threat, holes open in coverage or the game plan appears flawed, Marshall Coach Mark Snyder will order a squib or pooch kick.

The scoresheet will say Southern Mississippi defeated Marshall 27-20 Saturday when DeAndre Brown caught a 36-yard bomb from Martevious Young with 6:54 left in the game.

Marshall place-kicker Craig Ratanamorn didn't hesitate when asked who the Herd's most important player will be in Sunday night's game at Central Florida.

Marshall had everything set up on a silver platter. The turnover battle. Key penalties against the opponent.

It was the classic tale of two halves in Saturday's Friends of Coal Bowl at Milan Puskar Stadium.

Back-up quarterback Geno Smith leads WVU to victory. The fourth-ever Friends of Coal Bowl didn't get off to a great start for the Gold and Blue.

Brian Anderson, Cody Slate, Darius Marshall and the rest of the Marshall offense were essentially iced for an entire quarter in the Thundering Herd's 31-10 victory over Tulane.

For four seasons, Marshall Coach Mark Snyder received a first-hand look at the impact a domed stadium can have on a football game.

MRSH VT TD 4:18 Ryan Williams rush for 57 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Matt Waldron extra point GOOD.

Justin Myer kickoff for 70 yards returned by Darius Marshall for 17 yards to the Marsh 17.

Virginia Tech's Dyrell Roberts catches a touchdown pass in Virginia Tech's 52-10 win over Marshall in Blacksburg on Saturday.

Herd falls in Blacksburg, 52-10. The Herd's vaunted defense got a cold wake-up call on Saturday.

It wasn't anything unusual to see punt-aholic Kase Whitehead take about 30 extra boots immediately after Marshall's practice Tuesday.

As the clock ticks ever so quickly to the kick-off of the Thundering Herd's 2009 season, HerdNation.com is here with all of your season-starting needs.

He might not be battling for a starting position this summer, put Marshall sophomore punter Kase Whitehead stole the show at Wednesday's special teams scrimmage.

Considering he called it his biggest concern coming into preseason practice, it would have been an understandable act of excitement if Marshall Coach Mark Snyder had decided to turn cartwheels from one end of the football field to the other after his kickers gave him a perfect performance Saturday.

To call 2009 a make-or-break season for Mark Snyder and his Marshall football team is a no-brainer. Snyder, who enters his fifth year as the head coach at his alma mater with a 16-31 record and four losing seasons, undoubtedly will be watched under a microscope operated by Mike Hamrick, the Thundering Herd's recently hired athletic director.

OK, so Marshall fans are truly wanting the 2009 season to rid them of the memory of 2008.

Moving day always provides a perfect example of the advantage experience provides on and off the field.

To call 2009 a make-or-break season for Mark Snyder and his Marshall football team is a no-brainer. Snyder, who enters his fifth year as the head coach at his alma mater with a 16-31 record and four losing seasons, undoubtedly will be watched under a microscope operated by Mike Hamrick, the Thundering Herd's recently hired athletic director.