Marshall football coach Tony Gibson gives remarks during his National Signing Day press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Cabell MidlandÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Cannon Lewis (27) and Trace Adkins (40) force a fumble by IrontonÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Bailey Thacker (11) during a high school football game on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington.
Martinsburg's Koi Fagan (3) carries the ball while trying to evade Hurricane's Jai'Den Smith (12) and Ja'lei Burnette (5) during their game played at Hurricane Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
Marshall football coach Tony Gibson gives remarks during his National Signing Day press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Cabell MidlandÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Cannon Lewis (27) and Trace Adkins (40) force a fumble by IrontonÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Bailey Thacker (11) during a high school football game on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington.
Martinsburg's Koi Fagan (3) carries the ball while trying to evade Hurricane's Jai'Den Smith (12) and Ja'lei Burnette (5) during their game played at Hurricane Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
HUNTINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” New Marshall football coach Tony Gibson was assertive in bringing in seven assistant coaches out of 11 with ties to the state of West Virginia.
ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s spread to the Thundering HerdÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s recruiting class. Of the 62 new players joining Marshall on National Signing Day, 13 are West Virginia natives and/or played prep football in the Mountain State.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œOur first time we were allowed on the road, because of the dead period change a few weeks ago in January, we hit all 55 counties and every school in the state that has football,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Gibson said Wednesday. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe were in those buildings, and we probably got caught in snowstorms that made some of those visits phone calls and restaurant meetings, but weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to own this state.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Three of WednesdayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s signees are high school products from the Mountain State ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Spring Valley receiver Jalyn Abercrombie, Martinsburg quarterback Koi Fagan and Hurricane tight end Rhett McGrew.
Fagan was considered the best prospect in West Virginia as the consensus player of the year.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re not going to let the good players leave this state or go to the school up north if I have anything to do with it, I promise you that,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Gibson said.
Gibson opened his press conference by saying that Marshall got two of the best players in the state on National Signing Day in Abercrombie and Fagan.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe bleeds kelly green, I promise you,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Gibson said of Abercrombie. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe first day he came over and we offered him, we talked a little bit. He was excited and wanted to be part of this. All it took was us to make the effort to talk to him and offer him. He jumped on it.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Gibson then rattled off FaganÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s on-field statistics, and added one more.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe also has a 4.5 GPA, so I donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t know who the hell is going to coach him,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Gibson said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s mine and (new Marshall offensive coordinator Rod) SmithÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s GPAs combined. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll figure that one out.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s incoming transfers include a host of West Virginia prep products in wide receiver Atley Cowan (Linsly), defensive back Trey Dunn (South Charleston), linemen Evan Ferguson and Bryce Biggs (Spring Valley), linebacker Cannon Lewis (Cabell Midland), linebacker Zane Porter (Spring Valley), quarterback Robert Shockey (Cabell Midland), long snapper Aaron Tate (Hurricane), Ben Turner (Spring Valley) and linebacker Kerion Martin (Capital), who is in his second stint with the Herd.
Suffice it to say that Spring Valley fans now have more reasons to root for the Herd.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m a local kid. The moment I hit the portal, I was hit with all sorts of love and affection from all sorts of people from around here,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Biggs, who previously played at WVU, said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe coaching staff is from here, so everyone wants the West Virginia guys to come back. You can see a total change in the culture ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” not of the players, but of the community.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIt was extremely special to see that. As soon as I entered the portal, I knew that was what I wanted to do ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” build something special here over the next couple of years. IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m excited to see what happens.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Biggs is one of many who saw an immediate draw to return home.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI had in mind where I wanted to go, and thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s exactly where IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m at now,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Biggs said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWhen I saw that Gibson was coming here, the entire culture changed. I have never felt that in the other years when I was playing at other schools. When they came calling, I knew exactly what I needed to do.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Lewis has the unique overlap of being a player who is returning home while also having the connection with Gibson. As one of his former Wolfpack linebackers, he knows Gibson just about better than anyone in Huntington.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œCoach Gibson is one of the best coaches in the country,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Lewis said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI was excited to go play for him, so when I heard he was coming to coach 15 minutes away from my house, I knew that there was absolutely no way that I wasnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t going to come back and play for Marshall.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a West Virginia native thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s all about toughness and a blue-collar mentality. He shoots you straight, and everything he says, he means. ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s why I have such a good relationship with him.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The HerdÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s signing class was ranked No. 2 in the nation by Rivals and will be on full display at 3 p.m. on April 12 in the annual spring game at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Tyler Kennett is a sports writer for The Herald-Dispatch. Reach him at tkennett@hdmediallc.com. Follow @tylerkennett on X.
