Tyson Gale and George Carpenter realize they aren’t the best athletes on Marshall’s football team. They’re not the fastest and they’re not the strongest.

But that hasn’t stopped either from piecing together careers they are proud of.

“One thing about it is, you might not be the fastest or the biggest, but you can outwork anybody,” Gale said. “That’s something I have hung my hat on.”

Gale and Carpenter will get one last game when they join the Thundering Herd in the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl on Dec. 20 against FIU. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Both linebackers have parlayed solid work ethics into memorable senior seasons. Carpenter and Gale are second and third on the team in tackles.

Carpenter, a senior from Lancaster, Ohio, has 91 tackles, 8 1/2 for loss. He is second behind Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year Vinny Curry with four sacks.

Gale, meanwhile, has 85 stops, including 10 for loss.

Now they are being rewarded for their hard work with a bowl game in the Sunshine State, a fact not lost on Carpenter.

“I am excited to be playing my last game in warm weather and get away from this cold weather for a while,” he said.

Both Gale and Carpenter were named defensive player of the week by C-USA during the season.

Carpenter was honored Sept. 12 for his performance in a 26-20 win over eventual league champion Southern Miss. Carpenter had a game-high 13 tackles, two for a loss. He also had two fumble recoveries, one of which he forced.

It was Gale’s turn Oct. 3. He got the award after the Herd upset Louisville 17-13. His interception in the final five minutes of the game helped set up the game-winning touchdown drive.

Marshall coach Doc Holliday says players like Gale and Carpenter embody what he loves in a football player.

“They’ve got big ol’ hearts, and I’ll take that over anything else,” Holliday said earlier this season. “Give me a guy that’s got a big ol’ heart, I’ll take a little less athletic ability. We’ve got a bunch of big ol’ hearts on that field right now and I’m proud of them.”

Forcing turnovers has been a big part of Marshall’s defensive success. The Herd (6-6) is fourth in C-USA with a plus-2 turnover margin.

“It’s been nice to have so many guys make big plays,” Carpenter said.

Marshall’s defense has been the definition of bend-but-don’t-break. But when they have been needed most, big plays have been made — most often by Curry, but also by players like Gale and Carpenter.

Gale says avoiding the big play has been key to the defense.

“If teams want to chip away with a bunch of 15- or 16-play drives, that’s fine,” the Alva, Okla., native said. “There is always the opportunity for a turnover.”

Both Gale and Carpenter come from athletic bloodlines.

Carpenter is the son of former NFL star Rob Carpenter and the brother of current Detroit Lions linebacker Bobby Carpenter.

Gale is the son of a coach and his uncle, Mark Gale, is Marshall’s assistant director for football operations.

Gale has been widely recognized for his academic success — he was named to the league’s All-Academic Team, as well as the Capital One Academic All-District-2 team — but his future lies in football.

“I plan on coaching,” Gale said. “Mom and dad think I’m too smart, but I want to be a coach. Maybe I can stay at Marshall as a (graduate assistant) and get my career started here.”

Whoever plays for Gale better be ready to work.

— E-mail: gfauber@

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