It’s still a little more than a month away, but the Marshall Thundering Herd can’t help but think about its major clash at Michigan State.

Thursday, August 03, 2000

It’s still a little more than a month away, but the Marshall Thundering Herd can’t help but think about its major clash at Michigan State.

And when the Herd starts thinking about the Spartans, they have to think about T. J. Duckett.

At 6-foot-2, 255-pounds, Duckett poses a big, big problem to a revamped Herd defense.

MSU quarterback Bill Burke and wide receivers Plaxico Burress (No. 1 pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers) and Gari Scott are gone, which puts the burden of the offense on Duckett.

Last season, Duckett carried the ball more than 10 times in only three of the Spartans 12 games. His biggest game came against Penn State when he ran 22 times for 159 yards.

Ryan Van Dyke will take over at quarterback and many critics and fans are glad. Burke helped guide the Spartans to a 10-2 record and registered 20 touchdowns, but he also had 18 interceptions.

Like Duckett, Van Dyke has good size at 6-5, 220, and he can move well. The junior signal-caller completed 21 of 36 passes for 393 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in mostly mop-up roles last season.

The defense is the strength of the team and is led by linebackers Josh Thornhill and T. J. Turner of Hillsboro. Both were All-Big Ten selections with Turner leading the team in tackles with 66 and Thornhill was a key pass rusher for a team that produced 23 sacks.

Hoping to earn some playing time in the secondary will be former Ironton’s two-time All-Ohio selection Jason Harmon.

Michigan State was ranked No. 1 defensively in the Big Ten last season and five nationally against the run.

Marshall has had its own problems. The Herd must replace quarterback Chad Pennington who was a No. 1 pick in the NFL draft by the New York Jets.

The Herd was 13-0 last season, winning the Motor City Bowl and finishing 10th in the final Associated Press poll. The Spartans were 10-2 and beat sixth-ranked Florida 37-34 in the Gator Bowl.

The Marshall-MSU game is Saturday, Sept. 9, in East Lansing, Mich.