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Marshall 20, Kent State 17

November 14, 1970 … Remembered

DETAILED INFORMATION
marshall kent state 1

Bob Harris carries the
ball against Kent State.

marshall kent state 2

Jack Repasy makes
a flying catch.

‘Overdue’ Herd Snuffs Flashes

By Mike Brown, Herald-Advertiser Sports Writer Huntington Herald-Advertiser, November 8, 1970. (Used with permission)

“That one was overdue, baby,” said a happy Rick Tolley Saturday afternoon as he walked out of a deserted Marshall University dressing room at Fairfield Stadium.

“This is the first time I’ve been able to smile in a month,” added the personable young coach.

Tolley had plenty to smile about as he watched his Thundering Herd dominate the second half and pin a 20-17 loss on Kent State.

The victory, engineered by the play of reserve quarterback Bob Harris and the brilliant running of Joe Hood, enabled Marshall to snap a four-game losing streak and keep alive its hopes of a break-even season.

The Herd is now 3-5 on the campaign with games remaining with East Carolina and Ohio University, both on the road.

Hood was the key to a Marshall ground attack which broke the 200-yard barrier for the first time in five years.

Hood picked up 122 yards in 24 carries and Marshall finished with 232, matching the total it compiled against Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 25, 1965 when Mickey Jackson, now an MU assistant coach, gained 145 yards on 31 carries.

Hood, who scored the winning touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, also became the first Herd back to break the century mark in rushing since Dickie Carter picked up 144 against Xavier on Oct. 5, 1968.

The Thundering Herd, which scored the first time it had the football, trailed 14-10 at the half but used its strong second half effort as a springboard to its second straight win over the Golden Flashes.

Winning TD

Hood scored the winning touchdown on a two-yard plunge on right guard on the first play of the fourth period and Marcelo Lajterman, who kicked two field goals, booted the conversion with 14:57 left in the game.

The touchdown by the Tuscaloosa, Ala., sophomore capped a 69-yard drive which began with 4:19 left in the third period following a 37-yard field goal by Kent kicking specialist Gordon Ober. Ober’s field goal had given the Flashes a 17-13 lead.

Hood carried seven times on the drive, gaining 44 yards. He broke off right tackle for 15-yards on one carry and had a 13-yard gain off left tackle. Both runs came in second-and-seven situations.

Bob Harris, who was starting only the third game of his varsity career, had two big passes on the drive as he hit Dennis Blevins for 15 yards and Kevin Gilmore on a seven-yarder on third-and-two. The pass to Gilmore put the ball on the five from where Hood scored in two carries.

The Flashes threatened to come back and tie it as they drove from their own 19 to the Marshall 20 where the Herd defense stiffened and forced Ober to try a 38 yard field goal which was short.

Ober’s aborted attempt came with exactly 10 minutes left in the game. The Herd then drove to the Kent 22 where the attack bogged down.

Following a delay of game penalty, Lajterman tried a 44-yarder which was short and Kent had one last chance to move the football.

Kent moved the ball out to its own 43 but was stopped with 3:52 left.

Marshall then controlled the football until the end, having moved it to the Kent 29 as the gun sounded. Big plays in the drive were a two-yard by Art Harris on a third-and-two play at the Marshall 44 and a 10-yard pickup on a bootleg by Bob Harris in a third-and-four situation at the Kent 46.

Hit A Dazzler

The Thundering Herd scored the first time it gained possession of the football, going 56-yards in only four plays.

The first one was a dazzler which covered 34 yards to the Kent 22. Bob Harris handed the ball to Hood who rolled right and passed the ball to Bob Harris, all alone on the west sideline.

The MU quarterback caught the ball on his own 45 and lugged it to the 22 before being tackled.

Kevin Gilmore got one up the middle, Bob Harris rolled right for three more to the 18. On third down, Bob Harris rolled to his left and hit sophomore John Young in the end zone for the touchdown.

On the ensuing series, the Flashes made a decision which later proved costly.

Kent drove to the Marshall 21 only to have the Herd stiffen. Ober successfully kicked a 38-yard field goal but MU was offsides. Kent took the penalty and the first down.

Marshall again held this time at the 15 and Ober’s 32-yard attempt was short.

However, Kent tied it 7-7 with 1:32 left in the first period when Rich Oden skirted right end from three-yards out to end a 66-yard, nine-play drive.

The Flashes made it 11-7 with 11: 20 left in the half when Oden scored on the same play and again from three-yards out.

Seventh Field Goal

Lajterman, who now has what surely must be a Marshall record of seven field goals in a season, made it 14-10 with seven seconds left in the half.

The Thundering Herd gained possession of the ball on its own 47 with 1:34 left in the half.

Quarterback Ted Shoebridge, sent in for Bob Harrison the previous series, moved the ball to the 10 with 38 seconds left.

The big play on the drive was an interference call on Kent defensive back Dan Brenning at the 10 as Jack Repasy was attempting to haul in Shoebridge’s pass.

Slight Injury

Shoebridge suffered a slight knee injury on the play and was replaced by Harris who was unable to get the ball into the end zone.

Two incomplete passes and a screen to Hood for one-yard put the ball on the nine and Lajterman drilled it home.

Lajterman’s second field goal of the day came with 10:19 left in the third period and made it 14-13 Kent.

Marshall took the second half kickoff and drove from its own 25 to the Kent 13 before bogging down. Lajterman then drilled it home from the 20.

SUMMARY

Kent State 7 7 3 0 17
Marshall 7 3 3 7 20

MU – Young 19 pass from B. Harris (Lafterman kick)
KS – Oden 3 run (Ober kick)
KS – Oden 3 run (Ober kick)
MU – Lajterman 26 field goal
MU – Lajterman 30 field goal
KS – Ober 37 field goal
MU – Hood 2 run (Lajterman kick)
Attendance: 6,231

STATISTICS

  Kent State Marshall
First downs 17 23
Rushing yardage 178 232
Passing yardage 124 178
Total offense 302 410
Total plays 66 68
Passes 11-24-0 14-24-2
Return yardage 116 91
Punts 4-34-5 3-41-0
Fumbles lost 0 0
Penalities 4-51 6-68

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing

Kent State – Nottingham 17-89; Oden 8-39; Hayes 3-30; Witherspoon 11-26.
Marshall – Hood 24-122; A. Harris 10-56; B. Harris 7-43; Gilmore 3-11.

Passing

Kent State – Broderick 11-21-0 for 124 yards;
Marshall – B. Harris 10-18-1 for 100 yards, on touchdown; Shoebridge 3-5-1 for 44 yards; Hood 1-1-0 for 34 yards.

Receiving

Kent State – Cohen 6-3; Heyward 3-5; Dreler 4-4; Boykin 5-1; McDonald 6-0.
Marshall – Sanders 7-5; T. Brown 4-6; Shannon 3-7; Stainback 4-5; Cottrell 3-4; Griffith 3-3; L. Brown 2-3; Reese 0-5.

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