Marshall if you haven't Herd (get it?) has a special group this season. A freshman humming at the helm of the offense. Stud running back. Freaky wideouts. A physical offensive line. A defense that flies to the ball. There's not many weak spots in Marshall's armor when you look at the tape, but what exactly is it they do well? Let's find out.

Senior tailback Brenden Knox has been incredible in the first two games of the 2020 season. Knox is a physical back who plays with a low center of gravity and good pad level. Combine his physicality with the offensive line he runs behind and that immediately presents issues for a defense from the get go. The Herd do a really good job of running inside zone with Knox. Inside zone as you may have seen last week in my film breakdown or known of beforehand, is when the entire offensive line blocks in one direction as the back receives the handoff. With WKU's defensive identity being a 4-2-5, that means they'll have four defensive linemen on the field. When Marshall runs inside zone, they'll leave the backside defensive end unblocked (either will be DeAngelo Malone or Juwan Jones), but only for a moment. Against App State, Marshall would have a tight end line up behind one of the tackles and sift block at the snap whichever defensive end was left unblocked. A sift block is when the tight end starts on one side of the formation then runs across to block the unblocked guy on the opposite side of the formation, so that way Marshall leaves no one unblocked up front.

Marshall likes to get their freshman QB Grant Wells involved in the running game. Much like MTSU, Marshall runs zone read to give Wells a chance to make defenses pay with his legs. It looks like inside zone and becomes inside zone if Wells decides to give it off to Knox, but if Wells keeps it, he takes on whoever is in the opposite side of the field sitting in the cutback lanes (typically a corner or defensive end). Wells can move, not like O'Hara can but he has solid straight line speed.

In terms of the passing game, Marshall is fairly vertical in their attack. When they need a big play, Doc Holliday trusts Grant Wells to deliver. In the third quarter of their game against App State, the offense struggled to sustain drives until Holliday called for Wells to take a shot downfield. When the Herd take shots downfield, it typically is four verticals with a potential switch release/scissors concept in the middle of the field to confuse the defensive backfield.

Outside of taking shots downfield, Marshall really likes to utilize different route combinations on each half of the field. One in particular they prefer is the smash concept (hitch on the outside, corner route from the slot). WKU's DBs better have their running shoes on because it will be a track meet. Marshall has a lot of speed on the outside, so they do a really good job of gaining separation. Xavier Gaines is the receiver to watch out for, he's a tight end/wideout hybrid who runs well and has a large catch radius. Whenever Marshall stretches the field, Gaines typically ends up being the guy running up the middle seam. Expect to see Antwon Kincade and Devon Key be responsible for him for most of the afternoon.

Back to Wells, he's natural in the pocket. He slides around and feels pressure well for a freshman. There haven't been any glaring weaknesses that show up through Marshall's first two games for him. However I do think the best way to get a freshman QB off his game is to get after him. With that being said, the defensive line will have to show up in the most dire way this Saturday for the Tops to have a chance.

Marshall's defense is also really, really good. They have 3 players who are dominant at their respective grouping in this defense.

First and foremost, Tavante Beckett can single-handedly wreck this game. The redshirt senior linebacker flies to the ball on every down and is a true sideline-to-sideline player. I personally enjoy watching him with the intensity and emotion he plays with. The former Virginia Tech Hokie can do it all in terms of dropping back into pass coverage, fitting the run and disguises his own blitzes really well. Beckett will be the guy in charge of spying Tyrrell Pigrome and shutting down any other runs that come his way and he's proven he can take on that task with tape alone from this year.

Marshall's secondary boasts Steven Gilmore at the cornerback spot and his play style is much like his brother's, who you may have heard of before (Stephon Gilmore, New England Patriots). Gilmore is a physical, get in your shorts kind of corner. He'll come up to the line of scrimmage and hand fight to do whatever he can to dictate the receiver's release. Gilmore has really good ball skills and already has one interception this season against App State. I have no idea who he'll draw or follow but I imagine that it will be Xavier Lane, so Pigrome might want to second guess testing Gilmore unless it's a shot downfield.

Lastly, Darius Hodge is the pass rusher who flashes the most on tape for the Thundering Herd. Hodge has a really quick get off and is just relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback. He also gets to tee off against the right side of the WKU offensive line which is worrisome considering how mightily they've struggled early on this season. Hodge isn't going to wreck a game but he can put the Hilltoppers in some long down and distance situations if he isn't walled off on passing downs.

The Marshall defense as a whole is physical. Lots of man coverage and not a lot of blitzing because they have the athletes to win up front. If they made Zac Thomas from App State uncomfortable in the pocket, I expect much of the same to happen to Tyrrell Pigrome this weekend too.

Let's just call it how it is, WKU isn't highly favored to compete this weekend. Marshall has looked great and there's no denying it, even if your Hilltopper heart doesn't want to give them credit.

WKU is going to have to be super patient on offense. Their best defense this Saturday will be the offense. If they keep Marshall off the field as long as possible then they have a chance to pull the upset. The defense is going to have to fit the run better than they have all season and come up with at least two takeaways if they plan on taking advantage of any mistakes that Grant Wells may make.

This game has a lot of exciting players and even some would agree NFL-level talent, so I know I can't wait to see these two hit the field Saturday night at the Houch.