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Midland's Riedel home with Herd
Cabell Midland High School football player Ryan Riedel is accompanied by his sister, Taylor Riedel; his mother, Cheryl Riedel, and father, Scott Riedel, as he signs with Marshall University on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, at Cabell Midland High School.
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ONA -- For the last several years, Cabell Midland linebacker Ryan Riedel has gone through a Marshall game-day ritual of tailgating in the parking lot with his family before making his way to the seats to watch the team run out of the tunnel.
That tradition has come to an end for Riedel.
That's because when his family makes their way to the seats to watch the Thundering Herd run out of the tunnel next year, Riedel will be running out along with the team.
On Wednesday morning, Riedel turned a life-long dream into reality as he signed a National Letter of Intent to play college football at Marshall University.
"It hit me this season," Riedel said. "Every home game that I tailgated at, it's all I could think about. I'm not going to be out in the parking lot, I'm going to be in the locker room. That's going to be me next year. I'm excited for it."
There were many other offers and suitors that Riedel went to see -- 11 camps in 22 days over last summer to be exact. At the end of the day, however, his heart stayed true to Kelly green -- a color he'd worn as a fan for years.
In fact, everywhere that Riedel looked, the signs were literally all around him that Marshall was where he belonged.
"It's a special feeling that you really can't describe to go there," Riedel said. "It's my hometown, my coach played there, my family has played there, my sister is going there. It's not something you get anywhere else."
Riedel's senior year was one that prepared him for life at the college level in several different ways.
Not only did Riedel have to increase his performance and leadership skills as one of the Knights' captains, but he was also playing for first-year coach Luke Salmons, who shared many parallels with Riedel.
Like Riedel, Salmons was an in-state product that chose Marshall and went on to have a stellar career with the Thundering Herd as an offensive lineman.
It's almost fitting that Salmons' first collegiate signee as Cabell Midland's head coach was a Marshall signee.
"Anytime you can have a kid that went to school where you did, it's great," Salmons said. "He'll be able to share that with a lot of people. That's why you coach -- you want to see kids move on and do great things. To have a local kid go to Marshall is awesome."
Salmons also celebrated the Marshall signing of Tyler Combs, one of his former players at Lawrence County High School where he coached before.
Combs and Riedel give Marshall coach Doc Holliday's class a definite local flavor, but like Salmons, Riedel doesn't expect to be just an in-state commit that goes from Herd fan to Herd player.
Riedel expects to contribute to the rise of the Herd under Holliday.
"Spots are open next year and I want to come in and compete for a spot," Riedel said. "I have the opportunity to come in and compete."
With Riedel now inked to play for the Herd, he said that one of the most satisfying things is knowing that he can help Marshall players from other areas understand the meaning behind "We Are...Marshall."
"Hopefully, I can bring that passion to the players and fans," Riedel said. "When we go play WVU next year, I can get the team ready and make them understand how big a game that is to the fans and how much this team means to this entire community."
Riedel finished the 2011 season with 164 tackles, nine forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, seven pass deflections and two blocked field goals. He was third in the voting for the 2011 Huff Award, given annually to the state's top defensive player.
