The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

September 23, 2009

Memphis receivers a big test for Thundering Herd

By Gary Fauber

If the past is any indication, expect a big day statistically for Memphis quarterback Tyler Bass.

In the last three meetings between Marshall (2-1, 0-0 Conference USA) and the Tigers, a Memphis QB has thrown for 300 yards. Bass will try to be the fourth when the Thundering Herd visits Memphis (1-2, 0-1) at 1 p.m. Eastern time Saturday.

Last year, Arkelon Hall threw for 364 yards against the Herd. The year before that it was oft-injured Will Hudgens passing the plateau with a career-best 346 yards. In 2006, Martin Hankins (now a graduate assistant at Memphis) had 322.

“Memphis is going to get (its) passing yards,” Marshall coach Mark Snyder conceded.

A large reason for that was just as large last year. Whoever the Memphis quarterback is — be it new starter Bass or Hall, the one he replaced as starter last week — has probably the league’s most formidable pass-catching duo at his disposal.

Duke Calhoun is the school’s all-time leading receiver. He broke out of a two-game slump last week with a 184-yard, two-touchdown performance against UT-Martin.

On the other side is senior Carlos Singleton, who at 6-foot-9 will tower over any Marshall cornerback who covers him (D.J. Wingate is the tallest at 6-2).

Snyder is aware of the matchup problems presented by Singleton.

“(Marshall DBs) need to go to a hardware store and buy a ladder, carry it with them on the field, climb up it and knock the ball down,” he joked. “You really need to have great leaping ability, great timing, and you can’t miss. I think our corners do have great leaping ability, but they have to be perfect because we are not tall like everyone else’s corners.

“Obviously, we are going to have to have a game plan when it gets to that situation to help those guys. Football is all about matchups, just like basketball.”

Bass doesn’t deny how favorable it is to have Calhoun and Singleton on his side.

“It makes life a whole lot easier,” he said. “I know when it’s crunch time I have two guys that I can throw it up and I can pretty much say that they’ll come up with it. It’s just nice. Like I said, it makes it easier out there. You don’t have to worry so much about placing the ball on the money. They’re great receivers and they’ll catch it and they’ll make a play.”

Of course, a 300-yard game by a Memphis QB doesn’t necessarily translate to victory. The Tigers are 1-2 in those three games, including last year’s 17-16 loss in Huntington. The Herd held off a last-minute drive by Memphis to cling to the win.

Curtis Steele, the league’s newcomer of the year, was held to 38 yards rushing. Memphis had 94 overall and the Herd defense had three sacks.

“We have to stop the run,” Snyder said. “It’s the same thing as last week (a win over Bowling Green) and same thing as last year against Memphis. We alluded to it (Monday), they have to establish the run and we have to stop the run. When the field shrinks, we have to make them kick field goals and keep them out of the end zones, just like we did last year.”

— E-mail: gfauber@

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