HUNTINGTON, W. Va – Two Falcons broke school records in BG’s 17-10 loss Saturday.
Senior receiver Freddie Barnes broke his own record for receptions in a game with 17, and senior kick returner Roger Williams now has the most kick returns in school history, breaking Reggie Thornton’s record of 65.
Barnes – who set the old record of 15 in this year’s season opener against Troy – caught the majority of his passes in the fourth quarter when he caught seven as BG tried to mount a comeback.
But on the day, Barnes only compiled 109 yards for an average of 6.4 yards per receptions. Knowing he has the ability to make a big play, Barnes was frustrated that he didn’t.
‘It’s really frustrating,’ Barnes said. ‘I tend to blame it on myself a little bit because I feel like I need to get my quickness up, but at the same time, I know that pretty much everybody on that side of the ball is counting on me to get the ball. So I can’t get too down on myself.’
Barnes also continues to lead the nation in receptions with 42. He is seven ahead of Southern Methodist’s Emmanuell Sanders, who caught 18 passes this weekend for 178 yards and has 35 receptions.
Williams came into the game needing just two kick returns to break Thornton’s record, but after Marshall received the opening kickoff and then didn’t score in the first half, Williams had to wait until halfway through the third quarter before he got his second attempt.
Like Barnes, he also broke a school record in the season opener, when he broke Thornton’s record for kickoff return yards in a career.
Senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan moved into sole possession of fourth place on the University’s all-time list for passing touchdowns with 47, third place on the career passing yards list with 6,994 and second place on the career passing attempts list with 1,051.
SCHEIDLER HURT Senior tight end Jimmy Scheidler was injured during Saturday’s game after being twisted down by his right ankle as he tried to block for Adrian Hodges in the third quarter.
Scheidler was seen leaving the locker room on crutches with his ankle wrapped in ice after the game.
No comment on his status was provided after the game.
A DAY OF FIRSTS Two Falcons made their first big plays on defense in the second quarter Saturday. Sophomore safety Keith Morgan – who started in place of the suspended P.J. Mahone – intercepted Herd quarterback Brian Anderson two plays after the Falcons took a 7-0 lead.
BG coach Dave Clawson said that while the interception was nice, there’s plenty for Morgan to improve on.
‘I thought early [on] the communication in our secondary was not as good as it usually is,’ Clawson said. ‘But as the game wore on, I think Keith got more comfortable.’
Freshman lineman Chris Jones recorded his first career sack late in the quarter after taking down Anderson for a 1-yard loss.
NO GOOD Three field goals were missed in Saturday’s game.
In the first quarter, Marshall was set for a 23-yard attempt but after a botched snap, kicker Craig Ratanamorn kicked the ball off the ground without a holder. The kick wobbled its way off course, and the Herd received a penalty for illegal kicking.
For BG, freshman Jerry Phillips missed the first two field goals (31 and 35 yards) of his career after having gone a perfect 3-for-3 the first two games.’
