The Marshall University football team will host their home opener against Morgan State Sept. 10 after a bye their first week.

This game will be the start of the 12-week schedule with no breaks in the forecast.

Head coach Doc Holliday said, “This is the first time I’ve ever played or coached that I have not opened up on that first weekend.”

While many of the players cannot hide the disappointment of not opening the first week, many also see the benefits of another week’s preparation.

Junior safety CJ Reavis said, “We are not taking the day off. It can’t hurt us, I guess it makes us more hungry to get out there and play.”

The players all talked of being ready and anxious for the upcoming game.

Ryan Yuracheck, a junior tight end, said, “I think not only us, but our fan base will be more excited for the first game.”

The excitement for the Morgan State game is found with all the players. Sophomore quarterback Chase Litton said he is focused on going into the practices leading up to the first game.

“We really take each rep as a game rep and a personal rep,” Litton said.

Senior tight end Emanuel Byrd said, “You cannot generate the energy and excitement of a game, but we still have to go hard.”

Byrd said there are good things that can happen during a first week bye week.

“We are preparing and focusing on little fundamental details. We are going into the game more prepared and better planned,” he said. “For the younger players, it prepares them more. It allows you to plan and schedule how you’re going to attack your academics, as well as being on the field.”

Bye weeks are not always good if you’re on a roll, Yurachek added.

“If you’re playing well, a bye week is not good in some cases,” he said.

Yurachek reflected on last year’s 11 weeks of straight games into a bye week and said, “It kind of threw us off our game. It was hard coming off a big win and getting ramped back up for the next week.”

About the team, Litton said, “It’ll be exciting. We are excited to show what we’ve been doing all of the off-season. “

Alexis Leach can be contacted at [email protected].