Pre-game speeches really won’t be needed this week.

With first place on the line in the East Division of Conference USA, Marshall Thundering Herd head coach Mark Snyder and East Carolina Pirates head coach Skip Holtz won’t have to spend much time wondering how they’ll motivate their teams.

“We’re excited to be in the position that we are in right now. Obviously, East Carolina and us control our own destiny,” said Snyder.

Both teams are 3-1 in the division with Marshall 4-4 overall and ECU 5-3. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Not only is first place at stake for the Pirates, but Marshall stunned East Carolina 26-7 last year and Holtz won’t let his team forget the sting.

“We went up there and had an opportunity to hold first place and we couldn’t do it. Now we’re sitting in the same situation this year, only the game is a little bit earlier in the season. But we’re sitting in the situation where we’re both coming in with a 3-1 record and the winner is going to walk out of here in first place in the East Division,” said Holtz.

“I don’t want to use that as the sole motivation, for revenge. But at the same time, I want them to understand the importance of what’s on the line.”

One of the major keys to the game will be how well Marshall’s offensive line matches up against the Pirates’ defensive line.

“Inside is going to be the key. Our guards and center against the (defensive line) guys. That’s the key,” said Snyder.

“When you look at us statistically, it’s frightening. We’re very similar teams and we try to build the programs in very similar fashions. I don’t think ECU has as far to go as we did, but we’re there now and it should be exciting.”

Holtz was unsure if he would continue to rotate his quarterbacks Pat Pinkney and Rob Kass. Both played in the win over Memphis and again last Sunday as the Pirates beat Central Florida 13-10 in overtime.

“We talked about it going into the UCF game and said with the way Rob Kass finished the Memphis game, scoring 23 points in the second half and with efficiency of the passing game, and knowing UCF’s front seven, we felt this was a game where we would have to throw the ball,” said Holtz.

“At halftime we weren’t being very efficient. Like I said, it’s not always the quarterback. It comes down to what you can do with the ball. Are you catching the ball? Are you protecting him?

“So we made the decision to start Rob first and then Patrick Pinkney would go in the second series of the second half. Patrick went in the second series, did a nice job and we put Rob back in there at the end of the game when it was more of a passing game.”

Pinkney is 113-of-1834 for 1,331 yards with three interceptions and seven touchdowns. Kass is 22-of-47 for 288 yards with a pair of picks and two scores.

Snyder said the Herd is prepared for both players.

“I think that (rotating the quarterbacks) fives coach Holtz a chance of pace,” said Snyder. “As you look at the UCF game, when Pinkney came in, he kind of sparked them and I thought he threw the ball extremely well.

“I was sitting in my office wondering why Kass was even starting, but as you watch their other games, against Houston, Pinkney may have been off and Kass played well, so it gives them two options.”

On the other end of the passing game are Dwayne Harris with 47 catches for 587 yards, Davon Drew with 20 receptions for 300 yards and Jamar Bryant 19 for 216 and three TDs.

Jon Williams tops the running game with 380 yards on 75 carries for a 5.1 yards per carry average. He has five touchdowns. Norman Whitely is next with 330 yards on 61 attempts and three scores.

Defensively, Van Eskridge has 59 tackles, Pierre Bell 58, and Nick Johnson 44.

The Pirates opened the season with wins over then NO.17-ranked Virginia Tech 27-22, No. 8 West Virginia 24-3, and Tulane 28-24.

But they lost 30-24 to N.C. State in overtime, 35-20 at Virginia, beat Memphis 30-10 but lost to Houston 41-24 before winning last Sunday 13-10 over Central Florida in overtime.

Marshall has not played since last Tuesday when they got a great defensive effort in beating Houston 34-23. Defensive linemen Albert McClellan and Michael Janac kept pressure on the quarterback and linebacker Maurice Kitchens earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance.

“(Janac) needs to keep going. Albert McClellan has done an awesome job with him. (McClellan) is freeing up some other guys,” said Snyder.