Marshall Football's Not So Secret Weapon

In Week One it was all about the passing game for Marshall as the ground game that had been reliable seemed to struggle to get anything going. It was back to the fundamentals for the receiver corps, and the Herd handled it well.

Then again, it was not exactly fundamental for Marshall as Cody Slate was once again a top target getting the most touches for the Herd. Not the least of which was during Marshall's variation of the Wildcat offense(known as Racehorse in Herd Nation), when Slate took a pair of snaps himself.

During the contest against Southern Illinois, Slate amassed 114 yards and two touchdowns helping the Herd to victory, looking more like the freshman tight end that shocked and amazed fans across Conference USA as he proved to be a versatile athlete.

Slate's abilities had become the centerpiece of the Marshall offense in 2007, leading the team with 818 receiving yards. Though clearly as anyone can tell by the numbers, it was not that impressive of a feat to lead the team that year.

Last season, Slate was lower on the list of receivers with Darius Passmore's outstanding, albeit streaky performance. However, now with a quarterback that knows the system, it may not be much of a stretch to expect Slate to continue to thrive over the season.

Then again there have been things that were expected to be gospel in Herd Nation these past few years and ended up not happening. Winning seasons, Ahmad Bradshaw's senior season, Conference Championships, and none of those event have occurred leaving some serious questions over what is to be expected.

So, the question for the Herd is all about sustainability. Over the past pair of seasons the novelty of Slate's speed and athleticism had worn off as people expected it. Only time will be able to tell if this performance was a fluke against a lower division team, or the true return of number 85.