Anderson's Good Week One for the Herd

Despite the questions, and the detractors, Brian Anderson came out and had a career
performance for Marshall University against Southern Illinois.

Granted he has had a short career and a rocky one at that.

Then there is also the glaringly true statement that the start was against a Football
Championship Subdivision opponent.

After you set aside those points and ignore the first few minutes of the contest and the interception, Anderson looked good. Once one eliminated the previously stated qualifiers, Anderson threw for 316 yards and completed 75 percent of the passes he threw(higher if you count the one to the other team).

If you can momentarily set aside all of the bad, Brian Anderson was one of the few positives in the Thundering Herd's contest against SIU. Looking much more calm than he did in his previous start against a Division I-AA team in 2007 which led to a loss for the Herd.

Able to keep calm and battle back after trailing the Salkukis 14-7 at halftime, Anderson
looked like the leadership the team so desperately needs.

Of course, now we need to reapply all of those qualifiers. There were many chances to blow this game wide open, he did turn the ball over, and this is a team that on paper Marshall is supposed to bury. Clearly none of that ended up happening for Anderson and the Herd.

This week Marshall will not have the luxury of making mistakes and not being punished for them. Anderson and the Herd will be in Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia, and the team at Virginia Polytechnic Institute is not known for letting people make mistakes.

Anderson looked a little shaken after some of his mistakes on opening day, now throw in the x-factor that is Virginia Tech fans and things will not be pretty. Marshall is going to have to play mistake-free football and not allow Virginia Tech to capitalize on anything to remain steady under center.

Over the last four seasons, mistake-free football has not been a strong suit of Marshall's. I would not be surprised to see 2007 Brian Anderson during this football game.