Football team falls to Marshall for seventh straight loss
Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer
North Texas traveled to Huntington, West Virginia hoping to get its first win of the season, but were overmatched from the outset on Saturday, falling to Marshall University by a final score of 30-13.
Unlike past weeks where the Mean Green (0-7, 0-4) defense has been suspect, the Thundering Herd (7-1, 4-0) were held without a touchdown for the entire second half.
North Texas also gave up 402 yards of total offense, the fewest an opponent has gained the entire season against interim head coach Mike Canales’ squad.
“Our kids are playing hard. Our defense played their living butts off,” Canales said. “We won the second half. The first thing [Marshall head coach Doc Holliday] said to me was ‘You have those kids playing hard.’”
The Mean Green received the opening kickoff but were unable to do anything with it, picking up a first down before punting the ball back to the Thundering Herd.
Junior quarterback DaMarcus Smith, who became one of only three quarterbacks in the country to throw four touchdowns and rush for 100 yards in a game last week against Western Kentucky University, seemed to struggle today, ending the game 15 of 37 for 128 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
“We had some protection issues early and DaMarcus has to be able to see that and make the right read and get it out of his hand.” Canales said.
Despite Smith’s struggles, sophomore running back Jeffrey Wilson had a career day, rushing for 138 yards on 17 carries. Even more impressive, Marshall entered the contest allowing only four yards per carry, but North Texas running backs averaged over eight yards per carry in the game.
“We have to keep getting the ball to Jeffrey Wilson. He’s doing a lot of good things for us,” Canales said. “We just have to keep building off what we’re doing. Keep playing hard. I’m not going to change what we’re doing.”
Marshall jumped on the Mean Green early, putting up 17 first quarter points. Freshman quarterback Chase Litton took the Thundering Herd’s opening drive down the field, capping it off with a one-yard play action touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Justin Hunt.
After consecutive North Texas three and outs, the Thundering Herd tacked on a field goal and a 10-yard rushing touchdown from senior Remi Watson, taking a 17-0 lead into the second quarter.
Both defenses stood tall in the second, with neither team getting on the board until Marshall got a three-yard touchdown run from sophomore wide receiver Hyleck Foster.
Before the half ended Smith took the team down the field, aided by a 15-yard illegal use of hands-to-the-face penalty to put the Mean Green in field goal range for a 37-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Trevor Moore, cutting the Thundering Herd lead to 24-3 entering halftime.
Both teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter before the Mean Green finally found the end zone. Late in the fourth quarter Smith connected with junior wide receiver Darvin Kidsy on a 22-yard touchdown pass, making the score 30-13 Marshall.
Out of time and the game out of reach, the Thundering Herd took a few knees to end it, extending the Mean Green losing streak to seven games.
The loss ties the longest losing streak in North Texas football history to start a season.
Up Next: The Mean Green host the University of Texas San Antonio on Halloween at 6 p.m. next Saturday, October 31 at Apogee.
Featured Image: File Photo
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