(Photo Credit: The Herald Dispatch)
Key Players Returning:
QB Grant Wells, WR Cory Gammage, TE Xavier Gaines, OC Alex Salguero, OG Alex Mollette, OT Will Ulmer, DE Koby Cumberlander, DT Jamare Edwards, NT Rodeny Croom, LB Abraham Beauplan, LB Eli Neal, CB Steven Gilmore, FS Nazeeh Johnson, SS Brandon Drayton, KR Sheldon Evans, PR Talik Keaton, PK Shane Ciucci, and PT Robert LeFevre.
Key Players Departing:
RB Brenden Knox, OG Cain Madden, OT Josh Ball, LB Tavante Beckett, LB Darius Hodge, CB Jaylon McClain-Sapp, and S Derrek Pitts.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruit: CB LeAnthony Williams (Clemson transfer).
3 Star Recruits: DL Steven Faucheux (Purdue transfer), ATH Charles Montgomery (Seffner, Florida), WR Caleb Coombs (Washington, D.C.), WR Jayden Harrison (Vanderbilt transfer), LB Isaiah Finnie (Hollywood, Florida), QB Cam Fancher (Dayton, Ohio), DE Shane Simmons (Penn State transfer), DT Darion Dearinger (Lawrenceburg, Kentucky), and OT TyShawn Hurst (Ephraim, Utah).
2020 Results:
G01 EASTERN KENTUCKY W 59-0
G02 #23 APPALCHIAN STATE W 17-7
G03 at Western Kentucky W 38-14
G04 at Louisiana Tech W 35-17
G05 FLORIDA ATLANTIC W 20-9
G06 MASSACHUSETTS W 51-10
G07 MIDDLE TENNESSEE W 42-14
G08 RICE L 0-20
CUSA UAB L 13-22
BOWL vs. Buffalo L 10-17
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 7-3 (1st in CUSA East)
Home: 5-2
Away: 2-0
Neutral: 0-1
CUSA: 4-1
Non-CUSA: 3-2
Head Coach: Charles Huff
Marshall: 0-0
Career: 0-0
Bowls: 0-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Grant Wells (165-270, 2091 yards, 61.1%, 7.7 avg., 18 TD, 9 Int.)
Rushing: Sheldon Evans (72 car., 327 yards, 4.5 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Corey Gammage (35 rec., 409 yards, 11.7 avg., 4 TD)
TD’s Scored: Sheldon Evans/Xavier Gaines/Corey Gammage (4)
Sacks: Koby Cumberlander (3)
Tackles: Eli Neal (75)
Interceptions: Nazeeh Johnson (2)
Pass Deflections: Steven Gilmore (11)
Tackles For Loss: Abraham Beauplan (5.5)
Forced Fumbles: Abraham Beauplan (3)
Kick Returns: Sheldon Evans (15 ret., 315 yards, 21.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Talik Keaton (14 ret., 95 yards, 6.8 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Shane Ciucci (7-10 fg/fga., 70%, 36-36 xp/xpa., 57 pts.)
Punting: Robert LeFevre (33 punts, 1402 yards, 42.5 avg., 10 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 8 Grant Wells (RS FR)
RB: 5 Sheldon Evans (RS JR)
WR: 7 Corey Gammage (RS SO)
WR: 1 Willie Johnson (RS SR)
WR: 9 Talik Keaton (RS SO)
TE: 11 Xavier Gaines (RS SR)
LT: 50 Will Ulmer (RS SR)
LG: 55 Alex Mollette (RS SR)
OC: 78 Alex Salguero (RS SR)
RG: 00 Billy Ross (GR/TR)
RT: 71 Tarik Adams (RS SR)
KR: 5 Sheldon Evans (RS JR)
PK: 96 Shane Ciucci (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 55 Owen Porter (RS SO)
NT: 92 Rodney Croom (RS JR)
DT: 99 Jamare Edwards (RS JR)
DE: 32 Koby Cumberlander (RS JR)
LB: 18 Charlie Gray (JR/TR)
LB: 24 Eli Neal (SO)
LB: 41 Abraham Beauplan (JR/TR)
CB: 6 Micah Abraham (SO)
CB: 3 Steven Gilmore (JR)
FS: 13 Nazeeh Johnson (RS SR)
SS: 8 Brandon Drayton (RS SR)
PR: 9 Talik Keaton (RS SO)
PT: 43 Robert LeFevre (RS SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/04 at Navy Midshipmen | First meeting between schools.
09/11 NC CENTRAL EAGLES | First meeting between schools.
09/18 EAST CAROLINA PIRATES | Marshall trails the series 5-10. The Thundering Herd won (59-28) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
09/23 at Appalachian State Mountaineers | Marshall trails the series 9-14. Last season’s 17-7 win was the first meeting between schools since 2002.
10/02 at Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | Marshall leads the series 6-4. The Thundering Herd are 4-4 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series loss (13-24) was in 2019.
10/09 OLD DOMINION MONARCHS | Marshal leads the series 5-1. The Thundering Herd won (31-17) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/15 at North Texas Mean Green | Marshall leads the series 2-1. The Thundering Herd lost (21-38) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
10/30 FIU PANTHERS | Marshall leads the series 6-2. The Thundering Herd won (30-27 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/06 at Florida Atlantic Owls | Marshall leads the series 7-1. The Thundering Herd won (20-9) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series loss (25-30) was in 2017.
11/13 UAB BLAZERS | Marshall leads the series 8-3. The Thundering Herd are 3-2 since 2011, and last season’s loss (13-22) was the first meeting between schools since 2014.
11/20 at Charlotte 49ers | Marshall leads the series 3-2. The Thundering Herd lost (13-24) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/27 WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS | Marshall leads the series 8-4. The Thundering Herd are 4-3 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series loss (6-60) was in 2016.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 4-4
Non-CUSA: 2-2
Overall: 6-6 (3rd in CUSA East)
gridironpredictions.net 