HUNTINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Tony Gibson is hitting the transfer portal to recruit players from a bowl-bound conference championship team.
That team is Marshall University.
The Thundering Herd introduced Gibson as its new football coach on Thursday. The former North Carolina State State, Arizona, Glenville State, West Virginia and Michigan assistant said heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s talking with every player on MUÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s roster, including those who said theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re entering the transfer portal.
As of Friday afternoon, more than 25 Herd players had announced their intentions to test the waters.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œAny time a coach leaves to take another job, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s emotional,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Gibson said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œKids who are 18 to 22 yards old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Included in the potential defections are MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s top three quarterbacks, Braylon Braxton, Stone Earle and Cole Pennington.
Also announcing their intentions to enter the portal were leading rusher A.J. Turner, who has 864 yards and six touchdowns on 104 carries, wide receiver Chuck Montgomery, who caught 32 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns, wide receivers Tychaun (Doc) Chapman and Elijah Metcalf, linebackers Jaden Yates and Landyn Watson, defensive tackles Isaiah Gibson and Su Agonloye, defensive backs Josh Moten, Jacobie Henderson, Ahmere Foster and A.J. McGhee and long-snapper Matthew Bossett, among others.
The players made their decisions after coach Charles Huff left the Herd for the top job at Southern Mississippi.
Players who enter the portal may return to the school they said they were transferring from, as did Herd womenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s basketball players Meredith Maier and Aislynn Hayes after Juli Fulks was hired to replace Kim Caldwell, who left for the University of Tennessee.
Gibson said he met with the team Monday and with each individual player since.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe have a lot of work to do,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Gibson said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe college football landscape is different from what it used to be. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll fight through it. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll get the right guys, guys who want to be here. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll be just fine.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Gibson said he has put together his coaching staff. Ralph Street, a former Herd star and defensive line coach the last three seasons, is the only assistant Gibson has announced. Gibson said Street was on the road recruiting Thursday.
Gibson landed a familiar commitment Friday when North Carolina State linebacker Jayland Parker said heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s transferring to Marshall. Parker has one season of eligibility. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s played in 34 games and made 13 tackles.
Another former N.C. State player, Robert Shockey, who starred at quarterback at Cabell Midland High, said heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s entering the portal.
Several players announced theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve been offered by the Herd, including offensive linemen Hadine Diaby of Tennessee State, Jaquan Adams of East Tennessee State and Brock Stutes of North Carolina A&T. Others from N.C. State who said they were offered by the Herd were receiver Juice Vereen, defensive lineman Davin Jackson and offensive lineman Sean Hill.
GREEN ALL-AMERICAN: Marshall defensive end Mike Green was named a Walter Camp first-team on Thursday and an American Football Coaches Association second-team All-American on Friday.
The Sun Belt Conference player of the year set Sun Belt and Marshall records with 17 sacks this season. He is the first Herd player named to the AFCA team since Randy Moss in 1997.
Also picked for the Walter Camp All-America team was West Virginia University tackle Wyatt Milum, a former star at Spring Valley High School.
