HUNTINGTON - While Marshall officials are calling for a "Whiteout" for tonight's nationally televised football game with Cincinnati, coach Mark Snyder may have ordered a bottle or two of the liquid that bears the same name.

In what has otherwise been a successful first half of the season, the Thundering Herd (3-2) could stand to dab a little of that old office staple on a few problems.

For those who subscribe to the "you're only as good as your last game" theory, the Herd wasn't terribly good last week in a 27-3 loss at West Virginia. The short week was welcomed by all who wear green.

"I'm happy, because you want to get this bad taste out of your mouth," Snyder said. "There's nothing worse than waiting around seven days after a loss. You know, we didn't play very well. We've got something to prove and I'm glad we get to get back at it."

Kickoff is at 8 p.m., with the game televised by ESPN. Fans are urged to wear white, with the first 7,500 fans getting white T-shirts to help achieve the desired effect.

The Herd faces another Big East team in the Bearcats (3-1), but they may not resemble the 10-3 team that rolled over the Thundering Herd last year in Nippert Stadium. In fact, they exited Akron last Saturday feeling defeated despite a 17-15 victory.

"We've got a lot to improve on," said defensive end Connor Barwin, "[including] making stops in the red zone and making stops in sudden-change situations."

When the Bearcats' defense takes the field, it faces a Marshall offense looking to correct a lot, beginning with a restoration of Mark Cann's throwing touch. He is coming off the most erratic game of his short college career.

"He's got to go to the right place with the right reads. That's part of the maturation process," Snyder said. "Is it the crown on the field? Was he too pumped? There are a whole lot of issues there, and I just hope he learned from it."

This Bearcats defense is enigmatic, to say the least. There is NFL-caliber talent at cornerback, with DeAngelo Smith moving from free safety back to his old spot opposite Mike Mickens. Brandon Underwood, a speedy Ohio State transfer who has been criticized for his tackling, moves from cornerback to free safety.

Ryan Manalac and Torry Cornett anchor a veteran linebacking corps, and Terrill Byrd is an All-American candidate at one tackle spot. The Bearcats may be starting 11 seniors on that unit tonight.

But the stats highlight a few problems. The Bearcats are nowhere near the pace of the 42 turnovers and 42 sacks they forced last year, and opposing quarterbacks are completing 67.6 percent of their passes for more than 250 yards per game.

A telling stat: The Bearcats have just six sacks so far, three by Barwin. Score extra credit if you remember him as a tight end who caught a touchdown pass against Marshall last year.

"Our two starting defensive ends graduated," Barwin said. "They felt like they needed to get more speed there, and with our situation at tight end [a surplus, led by Ben Giudugli], they felt I could help more at defensive end."

"I think it was a great move for them," Snyder said. "Their defensive end that moved from tight end, he's just a high-motor guy."

Against that defense, the Marshall offense will try to return to life after gaining just 158 total yards against WVU.

Not only did Cann throw for just 119 yards, he was stripped on a sack. Darius Marshall was held to 45 yards rushing, and the Darius Passmore-Cody Slate receiving combo was held to 79 yards combined.

Snyder has told Passmore, "You can't have a bad game," and was only half-joking.

"It's an opportunity for him," Snyder said. "These guys [Mickens and Smith] are being looked at by every NFL scout. They've had them highly rated.

"I have a feeling that the offense that can put points on the board is going to come out victorious."

The Herd offense isn't the only one on the spot tonight. With two quarterbacks sidelined by injury, redshirt freshmen Zach Collaros or Chazz Anderson will make his first start for Cincinnati.

It will be interesting to see how coach Brian Kelly adapts his no-huddle spread to their talents and inexperience. It will be equally intriguing to see how Marshall pressures the passers, especially considering how familiar defensive coordinator Rick Minter is with Kelly's system.

Snyder wants the home crowd to bring its "A" game, to let the freshmen quarterbacks feel the full force of the "Whiteout." If those fans can white out the visitors' communication, that's all the better for the green-clad Herd.

"I've said numerous times this is a hard place for teams to come in and play, and we're excited to be at home," Snyder said. "Let's show the nation what kind of fans we have. They have a redshirt freshman quarterback playing, and we would love, whether he's under center or in the [shot]gun, to be as loud as possible."

Briefly

It's Parents Weekend at MU, and there will be a tailgate for students and their families beginning at 4 p.m. on the grass field behind the stadium's east stands.

Ben is 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds and has three receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown.

"He's got the lineage," Kelly said. "Ben's not your prototype tight end. He's not that tall, and he's no Cody Slate. But he's done a nice job blocking and catching the ball."

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