Boise State Football: 3 takeaways from huge G5 win over Marshall
By Zach Bigalke
2. Marshall defense is no joke
While Hank Bachmeier had a phenomenal game under duress, the reason he was under pressure so much was a Thundering Herd defense that was among the top units in the country in 2018. Continuing to stymie Boise State on the Smurf Turf at Albertsons Stadium.
On several occasions, the Thundering Herd stuffed Broncos attempts to keep the chains moving. Bachmeier was hit more than a dozen times under center, many times with Marshall defensive linemen and linebackers getting into the backfield before a veteran Boise State offensive line could react to the pressure.
That led to two Hank Bachmeier turnovers, both coming in the second half as Boise State was looking to ice the game. They also benefitted from three Boise State penalties that lost far more than 38 yards when the end result of the negated plays are brought into the discussion, stalling several Broncos drives.
Where Marshall’s defense truly excels is against the run. Boise State kept the football on the ground 47 times, but managed just 155 rushing yards as they averaged 3.3 yards per carry. Once again they shut down an opponent. It was an uplifting performance by the Thundering Herd defense that should give Marshall fans and the Herd coaching staff comfort heading into the C-USA season.