2014 was a memorable year in Huntington as Marshall were one of the most exciting teams in the country to watch in a season that saw them spend a fair amount of time ranked in the top 25, and were a narrow loss to Western Kentucky away from going undefeated.
By: Uri Piterberg
Doc Holliday’s team came into 2015 with another conference title in their sights, and while the losses they suffered to graduation made this goal ultimately insurmountable, the Thundering Herd still finished the season 9-3 despite a mid-season injury to star tailback Devon Johnson, who was supposed to be the focal point of the offense.
After an abysmal 2014 season, UConn rebounded admirably, tripling their win total and earning themselves a bowl invitation under first year head coach Bob Diaco. The Huskies’ turnaround has come in no small part due to a defense that may lack the talent of Diaco’s dominant unit which took Notre Dame to the national title game in 2013, but shows a similar attitude and high level of discipline, helping the team finish the season 3-1, including an upset of eventual conference champs Houston.
Marshall
D.J Hunter, LB (6’0 212)
Linebacker/safety tweener with impressive quickness and explosiveness. Shows ability to get downhill in a hurry when he fires out of his shuffle and plays with solid leverage, delivering his share of hard hits when arriving at a target. Sideline to sideline rage and gets on his horse to reach top speed quickly, making it problematic for runners to eliminate his angles. Covers well, as is to be expected from this type of prospect.
Evan McKelvey, LB (6’1 220)
Savvy, undersized but physical linebacker that plays the game with his brain as well as his body. Plays with his head up, keys in on what the offense is trying to do and explodes into gaps without too much guesswork. Relentless in keeping his feet moving and due to his short area quickness can be tough for offensive linemen to get a good gauge on. Pad level usually right where it should be, allowing him maintain his leverage and explode into ball carriers.
Davonte Allen, WR (6’2 200)
Long striding, deep threat receiver that is a big play waiting to happen. Eats up cushions in a hurry and can separate himself from opposing corners once he gets into his stride down the field. Uncanny timing to go up for the ball and has the hand/eye coordination to snag it out of the air without needing to have his eyes on it for very long. Impressive vertical leap with the key being how suddenly he explodes off the ground. Made circus catches on a routine basis going after Rakeem Cato’s deep balls in 2014.
Connecticut
Marquis Vann, LB (6’0 226)
Linebacker prospect that has very good lateral quickness and coordinated feet. Keeps himself in perpetual motion when playing in traffic, which makes it difficult for opposing blockers to get contact sufficient to neutralize him. Keeps his body in an attack position and possesses the balance to regather himself and engage ball carriers in short spaces while generating a good burst. Used frequently in coverage and flashes the ability to shadow on shorter routes thanks to his quickness.
Kenton Adeyemi, DE (6’4 285)
Strong, active defensive lineman that can offer some versatility and scheme flexibility at the next level. Possesses very good upper body strength and quick hands making him a nuisance to block as he makes it difficult for opposing blockers to gain and maintain control of him. Can violently disengage and has the quickness to immediately put his opponent on their heels once he frees himself. Extends well with very good reach and has the balance and base to win the edge.
Andrew Adams, S (5’11, 190)
Center fielder type safety with very good fluidity and range. Can maintain his speed as he flips his hips and accelerates quickly without losing ground on angles. Intelligent player that understands route combinations and shows good anticipation, undercutting routes and breaking on the ball with good timing. Has some physicality to his game and can dig his foot in the ground and explode downhill to deliver a hit.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
