UMass head coach Walt Bell has been attempting to turn No. 16 Marshall into just another team.
The second-year coach is not focusing on the Thundering Herds’ ranking and perfect record, only on the fact that the second game of the season for the Minutemen is just another opportunity for his young team to grow and improve.
“Nameless, faceless opponents,” Bell said. “It’s about us and how we improve. Every single day it’s about us, it’s about our preparation, it’s about continuous improvement, it’s about being as good as we can possibly be — and every single time we have an opportunity on Saturday, we have to be better than the week before. We have to play our best football.”
The Minutemen were technically off the week before, and it’s been three weeks since their 41-0 loss to Georgia Southern. After spending a week in quarantine following the season opener, the Minutemen set their eyes on the Herd (5-0). The game is at 2:30 p.m. (ESPN3, 105.5 FM) in Huntington, West Virginia.
“It’s a really good football team,” Bell said. “We’re going to have to compete our asses off to play good football and for us, especially with a young team, everything is a learning experience.”
Bell called Marshall’s defense (17 sacks through five games) the best he’s seen on type among all the Group of Five teams, and that what makes the Herd so good is their experience. Marshall has seasoned upperclassmen on both sides of the ball, which Bell views as the biggest challenge for the Minutemen.
“It’s a really old, veteran group; been through hard times together, very calloused,” he said.
Brenden Knox is the No. 1 option out of the backfield. He’s gained 558 yards through five games with seven touchdowns. Quarterback Grant Wells has completed 80 of 125 passes for 1,110 yards and eight touchdowns.
“I think their quarterback kind of drives that ship,” Bell said. “He’s a great decision-maker in the RPO (run-pass-option) game. They do a nice job of thinning out the box enough to kind of try and keep the numbers as balanced as possible and the quarterback, obviously, as the distributor can do that.”
Marshall last played on Oct. 24 when it beat FAU, 20-9. The Herd were supposed to play FIU last weekend, but FIU postponed the game due to positive COVID-19 tests.
For the third time this season, Marshall will be playing a team that has only one game under its belt.
“I know I sound like a broken record,” Marshall coach Doc Holliday said to The Associated Press. “There are a lot of unknowns for this game.”
“Our kids are just damn happy when they get a chance to play,” Holliday added.
The Minutemen are also eager to get back on the field.
“I think are kids are excited to have a chance to play,” Bell said. “It’s been three weeks, it’s been a long time, a lot of practices. I think they are antsy to play and get back out there.”
When they do, the Minutemen will try not to look across the field and see the 16th-ranked team in the country.
“You can’t hype yourself up in that situation,” senior linebacker Cole McCubrey said. “When it comes down to it, it’s another team and to play your best football you’re going to have to execute well. It comes down to all the little things.”
NOTES — Senior defensive lineman Jake Byczko is healthy and back in the lineup. … Bell said he expects freshman linebacker Gerrell Johnson and freshman defensive lineman Josh Atwood to see more reps on Saturday, based on their improved play over the last couple weeks. … UMass announced another game on Friday. The Minutemen will play FAU on Nov. 20 in Boca Raton, Florida. The game will be televised on CBSSN.
Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com. Follow on Twitter @mikemoranDHG.