MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Deeve Harris (33) walks along the sideline as the Thundering Herd football team takes on Stony Brook on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington.
MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Deeve Harris (33) walks along the sideline as the Thundering Herd football team takes on Stony Brook on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington.
HUNTINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” ThereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s no denying that Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia is one of the toughest places to play in college football.
Marshall coach Charles Huff addressed it in the opening statement of his weekly press conference, acknowledging the history of winning that the Hokies have enjoyed there since the venue opened in 1965. The players know well of the tradition that comes with a game there, too, as it kicks off with a rendition of MetallicaÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œEnter SandmanÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ when the Hokies take the field.
But for every Metallica, thereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s also an AC/DC, and Marshall hopes to be more ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThunderstruckÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ than awestruck Saturday afternoon.
The good news for the Thundering Herd is that many on its roster have been there, done that, whether at Marshall or with another team, which should help bring everything back into perspective for the Herd when it takes the field on Saturday.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œA lot of these kids have probably already played some of the schools that we get to play,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Huff said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWhen we went to Notre Dame, we had five guys that were at Florida State and had played them the year before, so it wasnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t a big (deal).ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Looking past the venue and toward the sidelines reveals even more connections that make the game personal for players on both sides.
Marshall defensive lineman Deeve Harris played at Old Dominion with Virginia Tech wide receiver Ali Jennings. Offensive lineman Elijah Ellis played with Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones while at Baylor. Perhaps the most intimate connection between the two rosters is that Herd wideout Elijah Metcalf was Jaylin LaneÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s roommate when the two played together at Middle Tennessee in 2022.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve been close ever since. We talk every day, so going into this game is definitely a different feeling,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Metcalf said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe just talked last night. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re both excited, and IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve got to make sure we get the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜W,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ because itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s going to be for life. If he gets this one, heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll be telling his kids and his wife about it. I want this one more than anybody on the team, probably.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Marshall has the added benefit of rostering several former Power Five conference players who have been in big games in front of even bigger crowds than the 66,233 that Lane Stadium holds.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œObviously whenever you go to play a big game, you get a feel for it and get used to the noise level and competitive nature of the game,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said linebacker Landyn Watson, whose last game with TCU before transferring to Marshall was the 2023 national title game. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIf we go in and worry about us, block out the outside noise and just work on executing to win the game, weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to be fine.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
While with the Blue Raiders, Metcalf opened last season at Alabama and has walked the visiting sideline at Lane Stadium before. Several current Herd players remain from the team that traveled to, and won at, Notre Dame in 2022.
Transfer quarterback Braylon Braxton has been on teams that played at Ohio State and at national runner-up Washington last season.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s so much crossover now that the awe of the arena really doesnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t have the same effect because some of these kids were playing in bigger stadiums last year than they did last weekend for us,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Huff said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a little different, but I think any time youÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re a competitor, you want as many people there with it as loud as it can be. ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s the energy and emotion of college football.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Herd center Logan Osburn said settling into the environment can be as simple as establishing some momentum early and getting on the scoreboard, Marshall struggled with that a week ago against Stony Brook, when it took more than 10 minutes of game time to get on the scoreboard.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIf we can go out there on the first drive and score some points to quiet that crowd down, I think itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s going to vital for us to have a chance to win the game,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Osburn said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t let them pull away from us.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Marshall is 0-5 all-time at Lane Stadium. SaturdayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on the CW.
Luke Creasy is a sports reporter for HD ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥. He can be reached by phone at 304-526-2800.
