Big numbers for Herd duo;Curry No. 1 in nation in sacks, Harvey tops in tackles

Published Oct. 11, 2010 10:06 p.m. ET

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HUNTINGTON - By all rights, Vinny Curry and Mario Harvey should be riding high as their Marshall team prepares for its Wednesday battle against Central Florida.

They are passing the "eye test." From his weak-side linebacker spot - or occasionally lining up at defensive end - Harvey is roaming from sideline to sideline to chase down ball carriers, receivers and quarterbacks alike.

Curry is just plain first-stepping by tackles, whether they wear scarlet, white, black or whatever. He is chasing down ball carriers from behind and making quarterbacks nervous.

Both are putting up the big numbers to go with their big play. Curry, fulfilling the prophecy of Herd sackmeister Albert McClellan, has buried quarterbacks eight times - two more than anybody else in major- college football.

"Vinny is fast. I mean, he is FAST," McClellan said last December. "And I can't wait to see him grow. I would love to see Vinny make [Conference USA] defensive player of the year, because he would deserve it."

Harvey is simply living up to that empty, catchall "make plays" phrase, racking up 65 tackles in five games. That, too, leads the nation, and his 34 solo stops are awfully close to the lead. Usually, when Harvey hits you, you hit the ground.

Harvey also has four sacks and six tackles for loss. Curry is fourth in the nation in tackles for loss with 111/2.

Their places atop the national charts are drawing attention, and their play is making television analysts take notice. With their size - Curry is 6-foot-4, 252-plus pounds; Harvey 6-0, 250 - and speed, NFL scouts will take a long look.

But Curry and Harvey aren't celebrating, or even cracking a smile. They can't when their team is 1-4, and not when the defense around them is probably underperforming.

"I just do what I'm supposed to do and do it to the best of my ability," Curry said. "It just so happens that I've been blessed to be out in front so far. If it lasts, it doesn't matter to me. As long as we're winning, that's all that really matters, a 'W.' "

Curry and Harvey will try to maintain their level of play, and improve the Herd's record (1-4, 0-1 C-USA), against UCF (3-2, 1-0). Kickoff is 8 p.m. Wednesday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, with the game airing on ESPN.

To a man, Herd coaches and players talk about the game being a physical test, perhaps more so than any C-USA foe. The right side of UCF's offensive line is imposing, with veterans Nick Pleischel (6-7, 299) and Jah Reid (6-7, 326).

"They average about 6-7, at tackle," Curry said. "Six-7, long arms, they want to attack you. They will attack you, so I'm looking forward to the challenge. We've just got to prepare, go hard this week - just like every week, but harder this week."

Defensive coordinator Chris Rippon expects nothing less from either Curry or Harvey.

"What makes a really good pass rusher," Rippon said, "is quickness off the ball and the ability to bend. And Vinny has both of those. You add to that a desire to get to the quarterback, it makes the good ones special. And he's got those intangibles.

"And he's also fortunate he's got No. 30 on the other side a lot of the time, when he's rushing the passer, because you can't just kick the protection his way or chip him with the backs, because the other guy can hurt you, too."

The No. 30 is Harvey, of course, and Rippon feels like a smarter coach because of him. Rippon was impressed in Harvey's 17-tackle performance in a tough night for the Herd against Southern Miss.

"He played very physical last weekend, and that was good to see," Rippon said. "That's two games in a row. Before I came here and I was asking people, he had the tag that he didn't always play hard, wasn't always physical.

"That's not the guy I'm working with right now. That guy is physical, that guy is intense, he plays hard every single play. And it's a two-way street - we've asked him to play linebacker, defensive end, rush on the third down, but that's also good for him. He's mature enough to see that."

If only the rest of the Herd played as well. Somewhat befuddling, the Herd's defense is 10th in C-USA in points against (35.4 per game), 10th in total defense (418.2 yards per game) and 11th against the rush.

The Herd has struggled against mobile quarterbacks such as UCF's Jeff Godfrey, has been hurt by passes down the middle and is giving up 44 percent on third-down conversions.

But the scoring defense comes with a caveat: You could deduct 21 points for opposing defensive touchdowns, and a whopping 62 points have been yielded on short-field drives.

That's 83, or close to half the 177 points against.

Curry won't make excuses. He wants to work harder, make the next tackle, whether or not it's a sack.

"It's all right. We're one family, one backbone," Curry said. "Field position, hey, it's defense, baby. If you love the game, you're going to play no matter what, goal line, whatever. I mean, strap up."

Rippon knows Curry is unselfish, but his payoff is coming.

"I know Vinny. Vinny would trade every one of those sacks for a win. And it will come," Rippon said. "What a pain in the neck the process is."

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It's official: Aspiring backup quarterback A.J. Graham has been ruled out for Wednesday's game. He hurt his ankle during his potentially breakthrough performance at Southern Mississippi last weekend and was still on crutches Friday.

"Brian Anderson will start and [Eddie Sullivan] will play," said Herd coach Doc Holliday.

Courtesy photo

Marshall's Vinny Curry has a national-best eight sacks, including this one of WVU's Geno Smith.

Reach Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsmock@wvgazette.com