For two weeks, run was number one from a Marshall University football defensive perspective.
Both Illinois State and Wisconsin lined up old school-style with a fullback hammering away at the Thundering Herd's defensive front seven. Head coach Mark Snyder stressed that his cornerbacks couldn't spend those games as "tourists," sitting back and watching the action. Instead, they had to don proverbial big boy pads and get involved in run support.
It's a 180-degree turn this week with Memphis entering Joan C. Edwards Stadium with a pass-early, pass-often offense. Memphis junior college transfer quarterback Arkelon Hall has displayed big-play promise through two games, and his receiving corps ranks among Conference USA's best (the same could be argued in a national comparison).
Thus, times change in a big way during defensive coordinator Rick Minter's preparation. Personnel switches and new formations will be featured when Marshall (1-1, 0-0 Conference USA) and Memphis (0-2, 0-1) kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday. CSS will televise the game.
Hall threw for 373 yards and two touchdowns last week against Rice, but his second interception was returned 69 yards to the end zone with 11 seconds remaining, sealing a 42-35 loss. Saturday's matchup is pivotal for each C-USA East Division rival, meaning Marshall can expect the Tigers' best offensive shot.
"That's what I'm looking forward to," Marshall cornerback DeQuan Bembry said. "As a corner that's what I want. I really want them to put the ball in the air so I can go get it.
"I like that they're going to throw it and (test) our skills, and we're going to do our best to cover their guys.
"At the same time watching film they throw a lot of screens. I don't really call that throwing but they're putting it in the air so I want to go get that too."
Bembry and fellow cornerbacks D.J. Wingate and T.J. Drakeford will heavily factor in nickel and dime packages. Converted defensive back Phillip Gamble will share time with Mario Harvey at weak side linebacker and junior college transfer Brandon Burns and sophomore Kevin Perry also will see added playing time to offset a group of Memphis receivers that boast speed and size (four top wideouts stand at least 6-foot-3).
"It's going to switch a lot and I hope they come in and play their roles," Bembry said. "I hope they play their role well just as we play our roles well as a team.
"We have different packages we're going to put in there, the more athletic guys. I'm not saying our bigger guys aren't athletic, but we're going to have guys who are going to move their hips, get in the open field and make tackles."
Bembry earned his first career start last week at Wisconsin, ranking second on the team with eight tackles. With the Thundering Herd stacking the box to contain Wisconsin's ground game, quarterback Allan Evridge found open receivers often, passing for 308 yards on just 17 completions.
Still, Bembry graded out fairly well in his starting debut.
"He did OK," Snyder said. "After looking at the film I was more pleased than during the game. Obviously the bad thing about us coaches is we see all of the bad stuff. And those couple of plays I thought he could have come up and played the run better, but he had good coverage and he had some good solid tackles, especially early in the game.
"I was pleased with DeQuan. The quarterback threw some good balls. Some of those balls were right on the money. He did what he had to do and guys caught the ball.
"DeQuan has a lot of confidence in his ability, and we've challenged those guys and we'll see what happens Saturday night. See ball, get ball."
Bembry is on board, but acknowledges the unusual challenge of covering such rangy receivers as 6-foot-8 Carlos Singleton (11 receptions, 133 yards) and 6-4 Maurice Jones (12 catches, 234 yards and three touchdowns).
"They're pretty huge," the 5-11 Bembry said. "You can't always jump with them so you have to use your hands and keep good eye concentration on the ball and try to go get it. And if you can't get it knock it out of their hands."
Both Illinois State and Wisconsin lined up old school-style with a fullback hammering away at the Thundering Herd's defensive front seven. Head coach Mark Snyder stressed that his cornerbacks couldn't spend those games as "tourists," sitting back and watching the action. Instead, they had to don proverbial big boy pads and get involved in run support.
It's a 180-degree turn this week with Memphis entering Joan C. Edwards Stadium with a pass-early, pass-often offense. Memphis junior college transfer quarterback Arkelon Hall has displayed big-play promise through two games, and his receiving corps ranks among Conference USA's best (the same could be argued in a national comparison).
Thus, times change in a big way during defensive coordinator Rick Minter's preparation. Personnel switches and new formations will be featured when Marshall (1-1, 0-0 Conference USA) and Memphis (0-2, 0-1) kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday. CSS will televise the game.
Hall threw for 373 yards and two touchdowns last week against Rice, but his second interception was returned 69 yards to the end zone with 11 seconds remaining, sealing a 42-35 loss. Saturday's matchup is pivotal for each C-USA East Division rival, meaning Marshall can expect the Tigers' best offensive shot.
"That's what I'm looking forward to," Marshall cornerback DeQuan Bembry said. "As a corner that's what I want. I really want them to put the ball in the air so I can go get it.
"I like that they're going to throw it and (test) our skills, and we're going to do our best to cover their guys.
"At the same time watching film they throw a lot of screens. I don't really call that throwing but they're putting it in the air so I want to go get that too."
Bembry and fellow cornerbacks D.J. Wingate and T.J. Drakeford will heavily factor in nickel and dime packages. Converted defensive back Phillip Gamble will share time with Mario Harvey at weak side linebacker and junior college transfer Brandon Burns and sophomore Kevin Perry also will see added playing time to offset a group of Memphis receivers that boast speed and size (four top wideouts stand at least 6-foot-3).
"It's going to switch a lot and I hope they come in and play their roles," Bembry said. "I hope they play their role well just as we play our roles well as a team.
"We have different packages we're going to put in there, the more athletic guys. I'm not saying our bigger guys aren't athletic, but we're going to have guys who are going to move their hips, get in the open field and make tackles."
Bembry earned his first career start last week at Wisconsin, ranking second on the team with eight tackles. With the Thundering Herd stacking the box to contain Wisconsin's ground game, quarterback Allan Evridge found open receivers often, passing for 308 yards on just 17 completions.
Still, Bembry graded out fairly well in his starting debut.
"He did OK," Snyder said. "After looking at the film I was more pleased than during the game. Obviously the bad thing about us coaches is we see all of the bad stuff. And those couple of plays I thought he could have come up and played the run better, but he had good coverage and he had some good solid tackles, especially early in the game.
"I was pleased with DeQuan. The quarterback threw some good balls. Some of those balls were right on the money. He did what he had to do and guys caught the ball.
"DeQuan has a lot of confidence in his ability, and we've challenged those guys and we'll see what happens Saturday night. See ball, get ball."
Bembry is on board, but acknowledges the unusual challenge of covering such rangy receivers as 6-foot-8 Carlos Singleton (11 receptions, 133 yards) and 6-4 Maurice Jones (12 catches, 234 yards and three touchdowns).
"They're pretty huge," the 5-11 Bembry said. "You can't always jump with them so you have to use your hands and keep good eye concentration on the ball and try to go get it. And if you can't get it knock it out of their hands."
