WVU Tops Marshall
September 27, 2008 05:26 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University Mountaineers improved to 8-0 all-time against the Marshall Thundering Herd with a 27-3 victory in the third annual Friends of Coal Bowl at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, W.Va.
WVU’s stingy defense keyed the Mountaineers (2-2, 0-0) to their second win of the season. Mortty Ivy, Brandon Hogan and Doug Slavonic each created turnovers in a crucial stretch of the game to highlight WVU’s best defensive performance of the season.
Reed Williams led WVU with 11 tackles, while Ivy recorded five wrap-ups. Hogan and Robert Sands each had four. Marshall (3-2) finished the game with just 158 yards of offense including only 39 on the ground on 25 carries.
The balanced attack of quarterback Pat White and tailback Noel Devine carried WVU on the offensive end. Devine mustered 14 carries for 125 yards and a score, while White completed 17 of 21 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. It was Devine's first rushing touchdown of the season.
Jock Sanders led the receiving corps with eight catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Alric Arnett followed with five catches for 54 yards, and Dorrell Jalloh had 32 yards receiving and a score.
WVU amassed a season-high 493 yards on offense.
“It’s a great rivalry and great for the state,” Head Coach Bill Stewart said. “I’m very happy we had a chance to play this game. We beat a classy program today, and I have the greatest respect for Head Coach Mark Snyder.
“I’m very please we got this thing ironed out. We got a chance to be a good football team, but we got a long way to go.”
The Mountaineers got things started on their first possession when Devine took a stretch play to the right side and outran the Marshall defense for a five-yard touchdown. WVU had its best drive of the season, running nine plays from its own 24-yard line in less than five minutes.
After punt returner Ellis Lankster muffed a punt that was recovered by Marshall’s Chubb Small at WVU’s six-yard line, the Mountaineer defense stifled Cann and the Thundering Herd offense. A holding penalty and two overthrows by Cann forced kicker Tyler Warner to nail a 37-yard field goal, making it 7-3.
With 10:54 left in the second quarter, Marshall used much of the clock to keep the Mountaineer offense off the field. However, a botched 30-yard field goal attempt that was recovered by Warner allowed the Mountaineer defense to leave the drive unscathed, giving WVU possession at its own 28-yard line with 4:36 left before the half.
White followed with an impressive drive for the Mountaineers, resulting in a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jalloh down the left side to give WVU a 14-3 lead. Two key third down conversions, including White’s seven-yard rush on third and two at WVU’s 49, helped keep the successful drive alive for the Mountaineers.
“I was pleased with our offense,” Stewart said. “We’re just not knocking them off the ball like I want to. We’re knocking them sideways which frustrates me. It’s a work in progress.”
WVU started off solid in the second half when cornerback Hogan recovered Marshall wideout Emannuel Spann’s fumble at Marshall’s 47-yard line. Four plays later Sanders caught a screen pass to the left side and ran in for a five-yard touchdown.
“I was pleased we could control the ball with the time,” Stewart said. “The 10-minute advantage for us was good. I was proud of our offense in short yardage.”
White’s second touchdown pass moved him past former quarterback Major Harris for fifth all-time on WVU’s career touchdown passes list with 42.
Backup quarterback Jarrett Brown saw action in the first half and filled in for White in the third quarter. He racked up 78 yards rushing on only eight carries, and completed 5 of 7 passes for 44 yards.
The Mountaineers return to action next weekend when they face Rutgers on Saturday, Oct. 4, in the second game of a four-game home stretch. Kickoff is set for noon.
SCORING SUMMARY
WV - Devine 4 run (McAfee kick)
MAR - Warner 34 FG
WV - Jalloh 21 pass from White (McAfee kick)
WV - Sanders 5 pass from White (McAfee kick)
WV - McAfee 39 FG
WV - McAfee 36 FG
