Fans packed Joan C. Edwards Stadium on an unusually bright spring afternoon, eager for an early glimpse of what the Thundering Herd could become as the annual Green and White Spring Game built excitement towards the 2026 season. 

“As a Marshall graduate, I really enjoy coming out and getting a first look at what the product for fall will be,” Huntington resident Alex Jackson said.

The White team defeated the Green 28-20 Saturday, April 11, in a shortened game that featured two 15-minute halves. The first was played with a traditional clock while the second used a running clock as part of a modified spring format that also awarded points to the defense for stops and turnovers.

Quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson led multiple early scoring drives, completing four of five passes for 68 yards while showing command of the offense both through the air and on the ground. Zion Turner also led a scoring drive as both quarterbacks used their mobility to extend plays and pick up yards on designed runs and scrambles.

Wide receiver Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw emerged as a standout target with four receptions for 77 yards, including a deep gain that helped set up an early score. The running game also showed promise with T.J. Lester leading all rushers with 45 yards while Christian Hamilton added a touchdown run.

Freshman quarterback Koi Fagan added a late touchdown pass to cap the scoring while West Virginia transfer Khalil Wilkins also saw action as part of a group of younger players working into the system.

Defensively, players created pressure and made key stops, benefiting from a scoring system that rewarded defensive production.

Several veteran players were held out or saw limited action as coaches prioritized player health while using the spring game to evaluate younger talent and overall depth.

Despite the abbreviated format, the tempo remained high as both sides played with intensity and urgency. The action on the field offered fans an early indication of how returning players and newcomers could contribute heading into the fall.

The game marked the end of spring practices, but for many of the Herd faithful, the anticipation for the upcoming season was building well before kickoff. 

That anticipation was easy to spot in the stadium parking lot, where fans gathered around grills and smokers in a scene that felt more like a fall Saturday than a spring exhibition. Music played, food was shared and conversations centered on the season ahead. Members of Marshall’s WNIT championship team stopped by several tailgates to greet fans and grab food, adding to the energy of the day.

Following the conclusion of the game, current Marshall players lined up in the end zone to shake hands with former Thundering Herd players. The Marshall greats were then introduced and took the field to speak to the crowd about their time in Huntington.

From there, the afternoon moved into Fan Day, where fans were invited onto the field to meet players and coaches in a relaxed, family-friendly environment. Children, parents and long-time supporters lined up for autographs and photos, creating a steady buzz of energy and lively conversation.

Players remained on the field throughout, signing autographs and posing for pictures with anyone who asked. Head coach Tony Gibson signed autographs for fans while former coach Bob Pruett moved freely, stopping to talk and sign autographs along the way.

For some, those moments stood out as a highlight of the day.

“I got to meet Bob Pruett out there,” Jackson said.

The atmosphere on the field extended beyond football as families lingered and took in the experience together. At one point, a puppy drew a crowd as fans stopped to pet it while it was in its owner’s arms. When it was set down, the dog wandered around the turf, rolling over as people clamored for a chance to rub its belly. For incoming freshman Landon Holt of South Point, Ohio, the game provides him with an opportunity to experience the environment he will soon enter.

“I got accepted a couple of weeks ago,” Holt said. “I thought I’d just get a glimpse of what I was getting myself into.”

Holt said he was especially interested in seeing the marching band – as he plans to join, but he also came away impressed by the overall atmosphere of college football.

“I just can’t wait for the fall season,” he said. “It’s going to be great.”

While Holt represents the next generation of Marshall students, longtime fans and alumni used the spring game to evaluate the team’s progress.

Jackson said the team showed signs of improvement after a competitive 2025 season and expressed optimism for the fall.

“I think the team was really close to breaking through,” he said. “With Carlos Del Rio-Wilson back and some of the other key pieces, I think we’ll have a good year.”

Ethan Wills, Marshall alum from Huntington, pointed to the difference in this year’s spring game compared with last season as a sign of progress.

“Last year’s spring game wasn’t that exciting, but this year was a lot closer,” Wills said. “I think that shows the team has a little more of a backbone. We’ve got more players returning, so that just makes for a better on-field product.”

That sense of progress extended into expectations for the upcoming season, which opens on the road against Penn State.

“There’s absolutely a chance,” Jackson said, referencing Marshall’s 2022 win at Notre Dame in South Bend. “We’ve seen it before.”

For many, the spring game is less about the final score and more about what it represents.

It signals the return of football, the continued growth of the program and the shared anticipation of what lies ahead.

For Holt, that future is just beginning.

“It was pretty good today, and I know it’s going to be so much better than this,” he said.