Topic: H-D: Shootouts have become the norm in C-USA

[ZackUSAF82]

The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON - Oh, these crazy Conference USA shootouts.

Cracking 50 points is no longer news in this pass-happy league. The trap has snared both East Carolina and Marshall several times in a season when the last one to 30 often loses.

ECU has outlasted Houston (37-35), Central Florida (52-38), UTEP (45-42 in overtime) and Memphis (56-40). Marshall totaled 481 yards in its 34-21 victory over Rice, but finished on the wrong end of shootouts with Tulsa (38-31) and Southern Miss (33-24).

High-scoring matchups equal entertainment, but not everyone enjoys the show. There are defensive coaches and players cringing along the way.

Prominent among that C-USA fraternity is Marshall head coach Mark Snyder. The former Thundering Herd safety and career-long defensive coach prefers traditional slugfests to track meets.

Still, this is the reality of Conference USA football in 2007.

"That's probably the mindset right now, unfortunately," Snyder said. "It's hard for me to say that. It breaks my heart that I have to say that.

"But for this year, yeah I'll go ahead and say that. We have to outscore people."

Link: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1851085535