By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
By BRIAN HAINES
Sports Writer
GREENVILLE — Last week’s 19-14 win over the University of Central Florida was a barometer game for East Carolina, a good showcase to judge just where exactly this team is at. The Pirates (2-2, 1-0) did okay, as they demonstrated that they can move the ball down field on offense, and hurry the passer on defense.
Today’s match up against Marshall (3-1, 1-0) will be more of a test game. It will be a chance to show that ECU can not only consistently do the things it did against UCF, but build on it while playing away from home. It will not be easy.
The first thing the Pirates must do today is capitolize when they are in the red zone. ECU got inside the 20 five times last week, but only scored one touchdown. The Pirates managed to hold on to a 19-14 win over the Knights, but the game was way closer than it should have been.
“I’m certainly was not excited about our red zone offense, that was probably the Achilles’ heel Saturday,” ECU coach Skip Holtz said. I’m excited about a lot of the great individual efforts and the way we moved the ball, but if we could have pushed the ball into the end zone from the red zone, we could have had a chance to empty the bench in that game.”
The ECU offense should get a shot in the arm by the return of running back Dominique Lindsay. The senior tailback hurt his shoulder during the West Virginia game and hasn’t played since.
Holtz said he was impressed by the way Lindsay practiced during the week, and it looks like he will get a few carries.
East Carolina will need all the points it can get, because Marshall features one of the nation’s leading rushers in Darius Marshall. A solid running game will make time of possesion, and what gets done in that time, very important.
The junior tailback is electric and has runs of 60 yards or better in each of the first three games he has played this season. Marshall is also a dynamic return man who leads all FBS players with 250 all-purpose yards per game. Marshall runs behind a big offensive line that features 6-9 RT Daniel Baldridge and 6-4 C Chad Schofield.
Outside of its solid rushing attack, the Thundering Herd aren’t always so quick to trample defenses, as its 21 points per game average is tied with the Pirates for sixth in Conference USA.
Quarterback Brian Anderson (63-106, 629 yards, 4 Tds, 2 INTs) isn’t excactly Case Keenum, but with all-American candidate TE Cody Slate to throw to the Marshall pass attack can be a threat.
Slate caught a late TD pass to force last season’s meeting into overtime, where kicker Ben Hartman a 27-yarder to give ECU a 19-16 win.
 The Herd’s passing game will be without senior WR Courtney Edmonson, who has missed all four games due to injury.
Defensively, Marshall is solid as the trio of DE Albert McClellan, WLB Mario Harvey and CB DeQuan Bembry are some of the best at their position in all of football.
McClellan was the C-USA defensive player of the year in 2006, while Harvey’s 107 tackles last season earned him all-conference honors.
SCOUTING REPORT
Offense
ECU: The Pirates offense took a step in the right direction last Saturday in there 19-14 win over UCF. Patrick Pinkney nearly threw for 300 yards, and hit on over 50 percent of his passes (27-40). WR Dwayne Harris has been everything for this offense, and the one player who can be counted on for at least one big play a game. Harris caught 10 passes for 121 yards last week and a score, while also dashing for a 25-yard TD run out of the wildcat formation.
RB Dominique Lindsay’s practiced all week and looks like he will be back in action today. Lindsay hasn’t played since he hurt his shoulder against WVU.
MU: Running back Darius Marshall has gotten off to a fast start for the Thundering Herd and leads the nation in yards per game with 166. Marshall leads Conference USA with 498 rushing yards and five TDs despite being suspended for the team’s season opener. Helping take attention off the running game is all-American candidate tight end Cody Slate. More of a hybrid between receiver and TE, the 6-4, 230-pound Slate leads the team with 17 receptions for 201 yards, and will no doubt cause problems for the ECU defense.
Junior Brian Anderson quarterbacks the Herd, and while he is posting an unimpressive 157 passing yards per game, he has hit on nearly 60 percent of his passes and has only been intercepted twice.
Defense:
ECU: The Pirates big task today is stopping running back Darius Marshall. The Herd is going to give him at least 20 or so handoffs, plus find other ways to get him the ball. If ECU can keep him under 115 rushing yards, it will take a lot of steam out of the Herds’ its attack. The deep ball has been an issue for the Pirates’ secondary, but safety Levin Neal and corner Emanuel Davis are back to boost the defensive backfield. A key issue will be how ECU defends Slate in the passing game. He is going to win match ups against any linebacker that tries to cover him one-on-one, so expect to see plenty of purple and gold around him at all times.
MU: Marshall’s 4-3 defense is powered by 2007 C-USA defensive player of the year Albert McClellan. The senior DE has registered 25 tackles on the year and four sacks despite facing constant double teams. As McClellan dominates up front, weak side linebacker Mario Harvey is seemingly everywhere else. As a sophomore, Harvey led the Herd with 107 tackles, and this season has 29. Safety Ashton Hall is the team’s leading tackler with 30.
Sophomore cornerback DeQuan Bembry is a real promising player, and was named to several all-freshmen team’s last season. The 5-10 Bembry leads the team with two interceptions.
Special teams:
ECU: The Pirates had some ups and downs on special teams last weekend. Ben Hartman shanked a crucial 33-yarder against UCF, but ECU also blocked a critical Knights’ FG attempt. On the season Hartman is 7-10.
MU: Powered by place kicker Craig Ratanamorn, Marshall is a perfect 5-5 of FG attempts this season, with a long of 36-yards. The Herd suffered a loss on its return team as Troy Evans is out for the season with a foot injury.