Green impresses in college debut, leads Marshall to season-opening win

Disclaimer: This article was originally published in The Parthenon.

By Kieran Intemann

When redshirt freshman Isaiah Green took the field Saturday evening at Yager Stadium, it marked the first time since 2011 that head coach Doc Holliday started a freshman quarterback in the season opener.

The freshman who started the season opener seven years ago was Rakeem Cat. Cato. Cato broke numerous Marshall quarterback records and led the Thundering Herd to a 2014 Conference USA championship and bowl wins in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Holliday noted the similarities in his current and former quarterbacks.

“(Green) has a little bit of Cato in him,” Holliday said. “He walks into different arenas and it doesn’t faze him a whole lot.”

Green was announced as the starter one hour before kickoff, as he won the preseason quarterback battle with graduate transfer Alex Thomson. Green, a 6-foot-2, 202-pound native of Fairburn, Georgia, proved his worth in his debut, completing 24-of-37 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Green also added 22 rushing yards on eight attempts, leading the visiting Thundering Herd to a 35-28 win at former Mid-American Conference foe Miami (Ohio) – its fifth consecutive win over the RedHawks.

“(Green) saw a lot of different looks tonight and he took advantage of them,” senior wide receiver Tyre Brady said. “He did a great job out there. Our defense did a great job preparing him and coach (Tim) Cramsey did a great job getting him ready for this game.”

Green’s is the first Marshall quarterback since Chase Litton to post a 65 percent completion percentage, throw for more than 250 yards, two or more touchdowns and no interceptions in a game.

 “He played a good game tonight,” Cramsey said. “He played within himself, played smart, held onto the football. As I told a couple guys who were talking to me before the game, I don’t look at him as a freshman. He has that type of personality that’s very calm, very cool.”

Though it may have been a surprise to some to see Green announced as the starter, he had the most experience with the starting offense entering the weekend. Green saw the bulk of the reps with the starters throughout the spring while Thomson was still at Wagner, then got nearly all the first-team snaps during fall camp.

 “I know a lot of people think that because I’m a freshman, I’d be kind of rattled, but that’s just never been me,” Green said. “I’ve been through a lot in my life, I’m used to adversity, I’m used to having to overcome things, so (football) is just easy to me.”

Green connected with Brady nine times for 116 yards and both passing touchdowns, including a 21-yard score that proved to be the game winner.

“That feeling is amazing,” Green said. “To know that you came through for your teammates, the whole Herd nation and everybody that was watching is just an amazing feeling.”

“(Green and Brady) have been working together for a while now,” Cramsey said. “Isaiah’s had a chance to go with the ones for a long time now throughout practice and fall camp, and the majority of spring as well, so they’ve been working together for a long time. I know it’s new in game situations for them, but it’s not new for them to be throwing a ball to each other.”

Following his debut, Green said he’s excited to play at home for the first time in his career.

“We had a good fanbase here tonight, but it’ll feel even better to play in front of a whole stadium full of Herd fans,” Green said.

Marshall looks to start the season 2-0 for the first time since its 2014 conference championship season Saturday at 6:30 p.m. against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Eastern Kentucky.