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He’s grateful for the investment into West Virginia talent.

“For me, to know the people in the stands – I want to put on a show for them and perform for this city and the state of West Virginia,� Long said. “It means a lot to me.

“It’s good to see. A lot of people think West Virginia is overlooked, but we have the players. Sometimes, people just don’t see it. It’s good that they see the talent we’re putting on the field. I’m glad they recognize that.�

Long is an example of what in-state players can be. In his second year, Long has taken a leap in the way that he prepares.

“Learning a new offense opened my mind a little bit more to seeing different ways and how people see things,� Long said. “In the spring, I felt like it was moving a bit fast for me. I wasn’t all the way ready. Now, it’s slowing down. I’m seeing the looks and [Marshall offensive coordinator Rod Smith and I] are thinking alike. If he wants to check something, I already have it on my mind. I want to check something, he’s OK with it. It’s slowed down a lot for me.�

He seeks perfection as camp winds down this weekend.

“Even though we had a good day today, there’s still stuff to clean up. I’m a perfectionist. I want to come out here and have a perfect day all around from me and everyone else in the offense,� Long said. “We’ll watch film and have that in our back pocket, that we had a good day and can build on top of that.�

Ben Turner, Jalyn Abercrombie, Zah Jackson, Evan Ferguson and Donovan Garrett are Huntington natives on the roster. Herd players also hail from Charleston, Martinsburg, Wheeling, Poca, Montgomery, Dunbar, Welch, Milton, Hurricane, Sophia, Barboursville, Ceredo and Winfield.

Marshall has two former Kennedy Award winners in Koi Fagan and Judah Price. That award is West Virginia prep football's version of the Heisman Trophy. Jackson is a multiyear Carl Lee Award winner as the state's best prep defensive back.

It also stretches out into the rest of the Tri-State area. Ironton (Ohio) coach Trevon Pendleton said that he’s seen a greater reach in backyard recruitment.

“It’s great. Honestly, it’s been really good. You can tell that [Gibson] understands the demographics of this area and the grassroots of southern Ohio football,� Pendleton said. “He’s been here. He’s reached out to our kids. I think he understands what it takes to be successful, and that’s good.�

Marshall commit Mason Ramsey announced he will join the Herd’s 2026 class in June. He’ll join a long list of Huntington High players to move on to college ball.

“We feel like that’s our job,� Huntington coach Billy Seals said. “We want to win football games and make better men, better husbands and better fathers. The guys that want to play at the next level, we feel like we do a great job of getting those guys opportunities.

“Since 2011, we’ve had over 70 guys sign to play college football. Whether that’s [Power Four], [Group of Five], FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA – it’s all football. We’re proud of that. We’re going to continue to help these young men, first and foremost, get the opportunity to play football, but also to get a college education and a college degree.�

Ramsey said Marshall wasn’t on his list until Gibson’s staff came along.

“I wasn’t even really thinking about going there before the new staff went there,� Ramsey said. “My first visit there, they showed a lot of love. From then on, I knew they were going to be a big contender. On my official visit, they sold me. That’s where I wanted to play.�

The investment is paying off.

“The big thing with them, I think, is that the staff has a big relation to the state of West Virginia,� Ramsey said. “They’re trying to keep that in-state talent as much as they can. It’s just like a big family.�