The Post speaks with The Parthenon about the "Battle for the Bell"
Last week I spoke with the sports editor for Idaho’s student newspaper. This week I spoke with Malcolm Walton, the sports editor of Marshall’s paper — The Parthenon.
Malcolm and I discussed the Thundering Herd’s win last Sunday, their post-Rakeem Cato era and his score prediction.
Charlie Hatch: Marshall is coming off one of its biggest home wins, if not the biggest home win, in recent memory. What’s the general consensus for the Thundering Herd?
Malcolm Walton: The atmosphere on campus is really great at this time. Everyone is pumped about defeating a team from the Big Ten, especially after all of the flack we caught last year due to "not facing a team worth mentioning." While everyone understands Purdue is not Ohio State or Wisconsin, the win still meant a lot to the university.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="bae4e1a0-57ea-11e5-96f8-23409c9c9d09"}}
I think the Thundering Herd has a legitimate chance of going undefeated this year. The biggest task lies in WKU (Western Kentucky), who beat MU last season in a thrilling game. Most experts selected the Hilltoppers as the best team in Conference USA prior to the start of the season.
CH: From an Ohio perspective, most fans didn’t expect such a strong start after losing Cato. What would you say are the biggest storylines for the team entering the 2015 regular season?
MW: The emergence of (quarterback) Michael Birdsong is definitely the biggest storyline for the team.
In case folks in Ohio are not aware, Cato is already considered a legend on Marshall's campus. His four years here were simply amazing, and now Birdsong has to be the guy to replace that. It's not going to be easy.
Also, (running back) Devon Johnson is a big storyline, of course. Last season, no one expected him to produce the way he did. This year, all eyes are on him after being named to several national watch lists.
CH: You were there Sunday. Just how good was Tiquan Lang?
MW: Lang was the star of the game, period. 17 tackles and two pick six's basically speaks for itself. His performance may have been the greatest individual defensive performance I have ever witnessed. To say he was dominant is an understatement.
CH: This is the last Battle for the Bell for a few years. Do Marshall fans still look forward to the matchup, and could even miss it in the future?
MW: Marshall fans are definitely looking forward to this weekend's game, and I believe most would truly miss it if the annual game was discontinued. With WVU no longer on Marshall's schedule, this is the biggest rivalry the Herd has to look forward to.
CH: Score prediction?
MW: Marshall 38, Ohio 24. Side Note: Myself and the rest of Herd nation is curious to see how Birdsong handles his first away start for the team in a hostile atmosphere.
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohio.edu
