HUNTINGTON -- Think "multiple" when scouting Marshall University football's return teams.

Emmanuel Spann and Darius Marshall, primary returners in 2007, are back, along with Darius Passmore and Chubb Small. Spann and Passmore likely will return punts, and Marshall and Small are expected to handle kickoff duties.

Marshall and Small have returned kicks for touchdowns in their careers. Spann is a proven, dependable fifth-year senior, and Passmore adds elite speed.

Just as telling as the marquee players are their special teams teammates who also return virtually intact. Thundering Herd return numbers were modest last season, but across-the-board experience should liven up the stat sheet and offer options for special units coach Jared Smith.

"The unfortunate thing for us the last couple of years is we've been so young," Smith said. "But the good thing this year is that there's a little bit more maturity, across the board.

"... With age comes intensity and attention to detail and effort. And that has definitely carried over to this fall."

Darius Marshall perhaps foreshadowed a more impactful return team performance in 2008, scoring on a 91-yard kickoff runback in the season finale against UAB. The speedy Marshall, who also shares first team tailback duties with Small, also returned a kickoff 77 yards against West Virginia. He weaved through defenders for what would have been a kickoff return touchdown during Wednesday's special teams rehearsal.

"This year we're going to have a variety of returns," Marshall said.

Small, who has added elusiveness to his straight-ahead speed, scored on a 92-yard kickoff return against Tulane as a freshman in 2005.

"I have no problems with those guys," Smith said. "Anybody can go in in any given situation. The one thing those guys have done with (assistant) coach (Shannon) Morrison is establish some consistency, just in their coaching techniques, tips, fundamentals."

Spann, Passmore and Small are seniors and first team offensive players; Marshall started at tailback and averaged a team-best 29.3 yards per kickoff return as a true freshman last season.

"We want to be on the return teams," Marshall said. "We want to do whatever it takes to win. (Marshall head) coach (Mark) Snyder said more of our starters need to be on special teams to win.

"We all contribute in different ways."

Spann returned a team-high 31 kickoffs, averaging 19.5 yards with a long of 42 yards. Overall, the Thundering Herd averaged 21.6 yards on kickoff runbacks.

Punt returns were tougher to gauge in 2007, managing just 12 in 12 games. Spann returned nine punts for a 10.2-yard average with a long of 26 yards; he produced a 34-yard punt return "touchdown" during Wednesday's limited-contact practice.

Along with Darius Marshall's pair of breakaway returns last season, he and the kickoff return team endured several near misses. Armed with a year's experience together the unit might be able to avoid hearing about being "one block away" from coaches.

"I think as a team we have more discipline," Marshall said. "We know what to do. We meet all day so you shouldn't have a problem with missing your assignments.

"Everybody's looking forward to making that one play to change the momentum of the game. I look forward to being on kick return this year."

He doesn't look forward to opponent's possible prudence. Marshall clearly wants to make that one momentum-changing play, but is more than confident in his backfield and kickoff return mate.

"Hopefully they'll kick the ball to me," Marshall said. "If not, I'll go block for Chubb so Chubb can run one back.

"Looking forward to this year, I don't think they'll kick it to me that much because they saw what I could do last year. ... To me it really doesn't matter. I just want to do whatever it takes to win.

"If they do sleep on Chubb, he'll surprise them. It won't be a surprise to me, but it'll be a surprise to them."