— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall conducts its second practice of fall camp Thursday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Third-year Herd head coach Charles Huff is hopeful his team will build off what it accomplished Wednesday during its first practice.
“Our summer work carried over really well,” Huff said. “Our tempo, staying off the ground, taking care of each other while playing fast. We’ll work on the techniques and fundamentals and make sure guys were communicating the right way.”
Marshall benefits from the return of key leaders on defense such as preseason Sun-Belt Conference all-league players Owen Porter, Eli Neal and Micah Abraham.
The trio’s vocal leadership is driving the team early on.
“You could tell that our leaders took time in practice to remind their teammates to pick it up and keep going,” Huff said. “If I don’t have to bark and yell about effort and energy, I can coach on execution and technique and that’s going to make us so much better as a team.”
Huff has said quarterback Cam Fancher is presently the Herd’s starter behind enter after leading Marshall to a five-game win streak to end the 2022 season. Others competing for for potential playing time at quarterback are redshirt freshmen Cole Pennington and Chase Harrison and two transfers — T.J. McMahon from Rice and Colin Parachek from Morehead State.
“Cam needs to keep improving in fall camp,” Huff said. “If he does not, he won’t be the starter. Cam is the only guy in the quarterback room with Marshall game experience.
“I’m excited about the potential among our quarterbacks and hopefully in the next month, the quarterbacks will be ready to play when the time is right.”
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More preseason honors
Porter, a defensive end, and Abraham, a cornerback, were named this week to the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, as released by the Football Writers Association of America.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive football player in the country, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America All-America Committee.
Porter and Abraham each return for 2023 after serving as a big part of the nucleus of one of the top defenses at the FBS level last season.
Porter and Abraham represent two of 96 defensive standouts who were announced to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. They are also two of only seven players selected from the Sun Belt Conference. Marshall was one of only 14 teams in FBS to have multiple selections on the list.
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A day for fans
Marshall will host its Fans First Day — the newly rebranded Fan Day — from 5:30-7 p.m. Saturday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Fans First Day is an expansion of the former Fan Day. Fans can interact with the football, volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s cross country and women’s cross country teams at the event.
Each team will have stations where fans can get autographs and interact with the student-athletes — a key component of the Fans First experience.
Those participating in Fans First Day are also encouraged to join Marshall Athletics in a school supply drive that will be donated to local youth. Every fan that brings a school supply item will be given a ticket special that they can use toward the 2023 football season.