A Run Steeped in Memory
At the start of each fall training camp, the Marshall University football team laces up and makes its way to Spring Hill Cemetery. The walk is more than a drill; it is a pilgrimage that links the present squad with a somber chapter in the school’s history.
The route pays tribute to the 37 players, eight coaches, 25 boosters and the flight crew who perished when Southern Airways Flight 932 crashed on a snowy evening in 1970. The crash remains a defining moment for the campus, and the cemetery has since become a permanent memorial.
A modest monument at the site marks the loss, and each year the team pauses there to reflect before completing a series of drills that kick off the conditioning period. The ritual has endured for decades, turning a physical warm‑up into a communal act of remembrance.
After the cemetery visit, the current players join a group of alumni known collectively as the "Herd Brothers" for a shared breakfast. The gathering provides a rare opportunity for the veterans to pass on stories, values and the relentless work ethic that have long defined Marshall football.
With the new college football season only about five weeks away, the early conditioning session serves both as a physical foundation and a psychological reminder of the program’s resilience. The blend of hard work and heritage sets the tone for what coaches hope will be a competitive campaign.