In a game that was littered with big plays from big-time players, it was only fitting that the man who clinched one of Marshall's biggest victories in program history was among the PFF's most highly-graded players, regardless of position, for Week 2.
With a stellar 89.5 PFF grade, Steven Gilmore led a total of 10 Marshall players who had a PFF grade of 68.8 or better -- and seven who had a 70 or better -- in Marshall's sensational 26-21 victory over Notre Dame Saturday.
We take a closer look at the PFF grades below:
Three players in the defensive trenches posted PFF grades above 70, with Immanuel Bush, Isaiah Gibson and Sam Burton posting marks of 72.0, 71.2 and 70.0, respectively. The trio combined for a sack and four quarterback hurries while Gibson batted a ball at the line of scrimmage and recorded a tackle. Bush, Gibson and Burton played in 32, 36 and 39 snaps, respectively.
Owen Porter, who played a line-high 53 snaps, posted a 64.1 PFF rating and had the second best PFF coverage rating on Marshall's unit with a 76, while Jayshaun Coffman (60 PFF, 12 snaps), Elijah Alston (59.8, 38 snaps), Anthony Watts (57.5, 29 snaps), Koby Cumberlander (55.7, 40 snaps), Emmanuel Balogun (54.7, nine snaps) and Esisas Carpenter (53.2, 11 snaps) rounded out the line's efforts.
With a PFF grade of 78.8, Charlie Gray notched the second-highest mark of anybody on the Marshall roster and the highest grade among all linebackers with his play Saturday. Gray's high mark included a 85.9 run defense grade -- the best on Marshall's unit -- and an 80.1 tackle grade -- tied for third on PFF grades for MU's defense. He made five stops in the contest and allowed just one reception for eight yards.
Jace Bobo (69.2), Abraham Beauplan (69.0) and Eli Neal (64.6) rounded out the remaining linebackers' performances. Bobo matched Gray's 80.1 PFF tackle rating and had three tackles to go along with a sack, Beauplan matched Gray with five tackles and allowed just two receptions in four targets en route to a 72 PFF coverage rating, and Neal finished second on the defense in both tackles (seven) and PFF tackle rating (84.3).
Who are the only two programs in the country to have two players at a single defensive position inside the top-five nationally at their respective spots? The defending national champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, and your Marshall Thundering Herd.
Following up Micah Abraham's 90.1 PFF grade last week against Norfolk State, Stephen Gilmore made it 2-for-2 for MU cornerbacks holding the title of best PFF grade with his 89.5 against the Fighting Irish.
Gilmore, in his dominating performance, was the only defensive player to play in each of the game's 81 snaps, and in doing so, allowed one pass completion for six yards across four targets, returned his lone pick 37 yards for the game-sealing touchdown, and in addition to his 90 coverage grade, posted a 74.2 tackling grade per PFF.
Abraham, who continued his strong start to the year, notched a 77 PFF grade overall, playing in 78 of Marshall's 81 snaps. The redshirt junior allowed only three completions for 37 yards in six targets and collected four tackles in all.
Through two weeks so far in the 2022 season, Gilmore (87) and Abraham (84.9) are the second and fifth-best graded corners in the country per PFF -- as well as the sixth and 13th best players in all of college football from a defensive standpoint.
Andre Sam, Marshall's starting strong safety, posted a solid 72.3 rating. Sam led Marshall with nine tackles, allowed just two receptions for nine yards despite being targeted six times, and posted the team's highest tackle rating at 84.9 while playing in 73 out of the 81 snaps.
Lastly, E.J. Jackson posted a 68.8 grade in 36 reps for Marshall, with Jackson allowing just a single catch for five yards in two targets. Jackson posted PFF grades of 76.4 in tackling and 70.8 in coverage en route to his own numbers.
Kerion Martin (63.9 total PFF, 78.2 tackle PFF), Joshua Bowers (61.3 PFF), Cameron Moore (51.3 PFF), Isaiah Norman (50.8 PFF) and Jadarius Green-McKnight (29.2 PFF) rounded out the defense's efforts.
With a stellar 89.5 PFF grade, Steven Gilmore led a total of 10 Marshall players who had a PFF grade of 68.8 or better -- and seven who had a 70 or better -- in Marshall's sensational 26-21 victory over Notre Dame Saturday.
We take a closer look at the PFF grades below:
DEFENSIVE LINE:
Three players in the defensive trenches posted PFF grades above 70, with Immanuel Bush, Isaiah Gibson and Sam Burton posting marks of 72.0, 71.2 and 70.0, respectively. The trio combined for a sack and four quarterback hurries while Gibson batted a ball at the line of scrimmage and recorded a tackle. Bush, Gibson and Burton played in 32, 36 and 39 snaps, respectively.
Owen Porter, who played a line-high 53 snaps, posted a 64.1 PFF rating and had the second best PFF coverage rating on Marshall's unit with a 76, while Jayshaun Coffman (60 PFF, 12 snaps), Elijah Alston (59.8, 38 snaps), Anthony Watts (57.5, 29 snaps), Koby Cumberlander (55.7, 40 snaps), Emmanuel Balogun (54.7, nine snaps) and Esisas Carpenter (53.2, 11 snaps) rounded out the line's efforts.
LINEBACKERS:
With a PFF grade of 78.8, Charlie Gray notched the second-highest mark of anybody on the Marshall roster and the highest grade among all linebackers with his play Saturday. Gray's high mark included a 85.9 run defense grade -- the best on Marshall's unit -- and an 80.1 tackle grade -- tied for third on PFF grades for MU's defense. He made five stops in the contest and allowed just one reception for eight yards.
Jace Bobo (69.2), Abraham Beauplan (69.0) and Eli Neal (64.6) rounded out the remaining linebackers' performances. Bobo matched Gray's 80.1 PFF tackle rating and had three tackles to go along with a sack, Beauplan matched Gray with five tackles and allowed just two receptions in four targets en route to a 72 PFF coverage rating, and Neal finished second on the defense in both tackles (seven) and PFF tackle rating (84.3).
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Who are the only two programs in the country to have two players at a single defensive position inside the top-five nationally at their respective spots? The defending national champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, and your Marshall Thundering Herd.
Following up Micah Abraham's 90.1 PFF grade last week against Norfolk State, Stephen Gilmore made it 2-for-2 for MU cornerbacks holding the title of best PFF grade with his 89.5 against the Fighting Irish.
Gilmore, in his dominating performance, was the only defensive player to play in each of the game's 81 snaps, and in doing so, allowed one pass completion for six yards across four targets, returned his lone pick 37 yards for the game-sealing touchdown, and in addition to his 90 coverage grade, posted a 74.2 tackling grade per PFF.
Abraham, who continued his strong start to the year, notched a 77 PFF grade overall, playing in 78 of Marshall's 81 snaps. The redshirt junior allowed only three completions for 37 yards in six targets and collected four tackles in all.
Through two weeks so far in the 2022 season, Gilmore (87) and Abraham (84.9) are the second and fifth-best graded corners in the country per PFF -- as well as the sixth and 13th best players in all of college football from a defensive standpoint.
Andre Sam, Marshall's starting strong safety, posted a solid 72.3 rating. Sam led Marshall with nine tackles, allowed just two receptions for nine yards despite being targeted six times, and posted the team's highest tackle rating at 84.9 while playing in 73 out of the 81 snaps.
Lastly, E.J. Jackson posted a 68.8 grade in 36 reps for Marshall, with Jackson allowing just a single catch for five yards in two targets. Jackson posted PFF grades of 76.4 in tackling and 70.8 in coverage en route to his own numbers.
Kerion Martin (63.9 total PFF, 78.2 tackle PFF), Joshua Bowers (61.3 PFF), Cameron Moore (51.3 PFF), Isaiah Norman (50.8 PFF) and Jadarius Green-McKnight (29.2 PFF) rounded out the defense's efforts.
