Published: November 12, 2009 09:41 pm      

Marshall-Southern Miss a matchup of tailbacks

BECKLEY — As has been the case a number of times this season, the matchup within the matchup will highlight Marshall’s game against Southern Miss on Saturday.

Tailbacks Darius Marshall and Damion Fletcher will put on a running display when the teams get together for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff. Marshall is fifth in the nation and second in Conference USA at 129.0 yards per game, while Fletcher is fifth in the league at 91.8.

To no surprise, each is the focal point of his team’s offense.

“You have two of the better running backs in our league going at it on Saturday,” Marshall coach Mark Snyder said. “They have two very different styles of running. Damion Fletcher is more of a spin runner, leaping guy, probably a little better out of the backfield. So there is a little difference, but they are both very good backs.”

The Herd (5-4, 3-2 C-USA) knows all about Fletcher, who burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2006. He ran all over Marshall in the season finale that year, finishing with 151 yards and a touchdown in a 42-7 Eagle win.

Fletcher hasn’t slowed down since. He is Southern Miss’ all-time leading rusher with 5,021 career yards. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons and is currently at 734 for this season.

Should he reach the 1,000-yard plateau again, he would become just the eighth player ever to do it all four seasons at the FBS level.

Last season, the Herd was able to contain Fletcher in a 34-27 win at The Rock. Fletcher ran for 82 yards and a touchdown, his only sub-100-yard game against Marshall.

“I think the score dictated what Damion did last year,” Snyder said. “We have to make sure that is the case again.”

Marshall, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from his season-low 80 yards in a 21-20 loss to UCF Nov. 1. The Herd’s 5-foot-10, 190-pound junior is 143 yards shy of passing John Zontini for sixth place all-time in school history. Zontini racked up 2,900 yards from 1931-34.

The chance to bounce back and outperform Fletcher might serve as added motivation for Marshall.

“You would have to ask Darius that question,” Snyder said. “He is a competitor. He comes out to play every week and wants the ball in his hands every play if you give it to him.”

— E-mail: gfauber@register-herald.com