Something wasn't quite right Monday afternoon in the Big Green Room.
Marshall University football kicks off each game week with a round of player interviews in the room on the press box second level at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. As expected, quarterback Bernie Morris was in attendance, and safety Chris Royal was surrounded by media, soaking in his thoughts about Saturday's assignment of covering his little brother, Eddie Royal for Virginia Tech.
Question and answer sessions were proceeding as normal, but upon further review, this wasn't a typical Thundering Herd football media gathering. Of the five student-athletes opining for cameras and recorders, two were kickers.
Must be Virginia Tech week.
Blocked kicks are as much a part of Hokie football as that persistent turkey call during home games in Blacksburg, Va. In 219 games under coach Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech has blocked 106 kicks -- that's 53 punts, 32 field goals and 21 extra points.
Fans normally take advantage of fourth down for a run to the concession stand. When opposing punters square off against a Hokie rush, no one leaves their seat.
"You know with Beamer Ball it's special teams, technique and fundamentals," said Marshall punter Marty Biagi, who was joined Monday by place kicker Ian O'Connor in the Big Green Room. "They really stress special teams and (Marshall) coach (Mark) Snyder stresses special teams."
Both Biagi and O'Connor are seeking uneventful days Saturday when Marshall (2-2, 1-1 Conference USA) faces No. 3 Virginia Tech (5-0, 3-0 ACC). Kickoff at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., is noon and television coverage will be announced later this week.
"It's definitely Beamer Ball," O'Connor said of the unusual special teams presence Monday. "They've got an awesome reputation so I've got a lot of respect and knowledge for that program and I've got to use that to prepare for this week."
Biagi has experience punting at Lane Stadium, minus about 66,000 fans. He attended a kicking camp this summer in Blacksburg, where he made acquaintances with a pair of Hokie linebackers.
Well aware of their upcoming, out-of-conference matchup, Biagi's new buddies wasted little time in planting a mental seed.
"They were talking lots of smack," Biagi said. "They were saying you're a real nice guy but we're sorry about what we're going to have to do to you. I said that's fine, as long as you know we're going to get it off and then you make sure your guy doesn't drop it because if he does we're going to be right there to get it."
Before the preceding finds its way to a bulletin board in either Blacksburg or Huntington, Biagi pointed out that the players were hospitable hosts.
"They were real nice guys," Biagi said. "They were just joking. They were so nice to me the whole week when I was there kicking. I really got to relax and figure out it's the same field. It's 100 yards."
Biagi is working behind veteran long snapper Jeff Mullins and protection he referenced as "the best in the country." The redshirt freshman boasts a quick release and blocking has held up well through four games.
Snyder is also something a special teams specialist. The third phase of the game has been a top priority for Snyder, who dedicated an entire August scrimmage to kicking games.
"That just shows the importance of it and how coach Snyder sees it," O'Connor said.
Snyder, then a Minnesota assistant coach, attended several Hokie practices under Beamer in 1997. He's adopted many of Beamer's special teams philosophies and is implementing those teachings with the Thundering Herd.
Biagi has earned a passing grade through four games. Snyder wants punts to leave Biagi's foot in at least 1.98 seconds, but Biagi routinely has clocked out in 1.92 seconds.
His first career punt, a pooch kick from midfield with no rush, was his only attempt thus far to eclipse 1.98.
"They don't want anything above 1.98," Biagi said. "A lot of that has to do with snapping. Mullins puts it right there on the hip. A lot of people don't think three-tenths or three-one-hundredths of a second is that much but when you have to take a step to the side and then set up or jump up, that's where it comes in."
Behind Snyder, Biagi and Mullins, Marshall hasn't shown a chink in its punting game. That fact, of course, won't keep Beamer Ball from taking its best shot.
"With that get-off time a lot of coaches won't (try to) block it," Biagi said. "Virginia Tech is still going to try. (Snyder) said that's where you have to try to take advantage of it. If they're going to rush nine, you have to be able to put it 40 yards down there and make them pay.
"He said just don't let them intimidate you and overkick."
Marshall University football kicks off each game week with a round of player interviews in the room on the press box second level at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. As expected, quarterback Bernie Morris was in attendance, and safety Chris Royal was surrounded by media, soaking in his thoughts about Saturday's assignment of covering his little brother, Eddie Royal for Virginia Tech.
Question and answer sessions were proceeding as normal, but upon further review, this wasn't a typical Thundering Herd football media gathering. Of the five student-athletes opining for cameras and recorders, two were kickers.
Must be Virginia Tech week.
Blocked kicks are as much a part of Hokie football as that persistent turkey call during home games in Blacksburg, Va. In 219 games under coach Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech has blocked 106 kicks -- that's 53 punts, 32 field goals and 21 extra points.
Fans normally take advantage of fourth down for a run to the concession stand. When opposing punters square off against a Hokie rush, no one leaves their seat.
"You know with Beamer Ball it's special teams, technique and fundamentals," said Marshall punter Marty Biagi, who was joined Monday by place kicker Ian O'Connor in the Big Green Room. "They really stress special teams and (Marshall) coach (Mark) Snyder stresses special teams."
Both Biagi and O'Connor are seeking uneventful days Saturday when Marshall (2-2, 1-1 Conference USA) faces No. 3 Virginia Tech (5-0, 3-0 ACC). Kickoff at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., is noon and television coverage will be announced later this week.
"It's definitely Beamer Ball," O'Connor said of the unusual special teams presence Monday. "They've got an awesome reputation so I've got a lot of respect and knowledge for that program and I've got to use that to prepare for this week."
Biagi has experience punting at Lane Stadium, minus about 66,000 fans. He attended a kicking camp this summer in Blacksburg, where he made acquaintances with a pair of Hokie linebackers.
Well aware of their upcoming, out-of-conference matchup, Biagi's new buddies wasted little time in planting a mental seed.
"They were talking lots of smack," Biagi said. "They were saying you're a real nice guy but we're sorry about what we're going to have to do to you. I said that's fine, as long as you know we're going to get it off and then you make sure your guy doesn't drop it because if he does we're going to be right there to get it."
Before the preceding finds its way to a bulletin board in either Blacksburg or Huntington, Biagi pointed out that the players were hospitable hosts.
"They were real nice guys," Biagi said. "They were just joking. They were so nice to me the whole week when I was there kicking. I really got to relax and figure out it's the same field. It's 100 yards."
Biagi is working behind veteran long snapper Jeff Mullins and protection he referenced as "the best in the country." The redshirt freshman boasts a quick release and blocking has held up well through four games.
Snyder is also something a special teams specialist. The third phase of the game has been a top priority for Snyder, who dedicated an entire August scrimmage to kicking games.
"That just shows the importance of it and how coach Snyder sees it," O'Connor said.
Snyder, then a Minnesota assistant coach, attended several Hokie practices under Beamer in 1997. He's adopted many of Beamer's special teams philosophies and is implementing those teachings with the Thundering Herd.
Biagi has earned a passing grade through four games. Snyder wants punts to leave Biagi's foot in at least 1.98 seconds, but Biagi routinely has clocked out in 1.92 seconds.
His first career punt, a pooch kick from midfield with no rush, was his only attempt thus far to eclipse 1.98.
"They don't want anything above 1.98," Biagi said. "A lot of that has to do with snapping. Mullins puts it right there on the hip. A lot of people don't think three-tenths or three-one-hundredths of a second is that much but when you have to take a step to the side and then set up or jump up, that's where it comes in."
Behind Snyder, Biagi and Mullins, Marshall hasn't shown a chink in its punting game. That fact, of course, won't keep Beamer Ball from taking its best shot.
"With that get-off time a lot of coaches won't (try to) block it," Biagi said. "Virginia Tech is still going to try. (Snyder) said that's where you have to try to take advantage of it. If they're going to rush nine, you have to be able to put it 40 yards down there and make them pay.
"He said just don't let them intimidate you and overkick."
