East Bay running back Brandon Byrd has orally committed to Marshall University following an official visit this weekend, Indians coach Frank LaRosa said Monday.
LaRosa said Byrd will sign a national letter of intent with the school Wednesday afternoon.
The 6-foot, 185-pound senior was a dual threat out of the backfield, rushing for 470 yards and nine touchdowns and catching 11 passes for 191 yards and two more scores. His best game came in the season opener against Lennard, when he rushed for 114 yards and four touchdowns on only nine carries.
Byrd also averaged 32.6 yards on five punt returns, including a 69-yarder for a touchdown against Bloomingdale.
As a junior, Byrd totaled 768 yards, six touchdowns, two two-point conversions and 10 tackles as a defensive back. He also averaged nearly 31 yards per punt return.
LaRosa said Byrd ran 4.47 in the 40-yard dash at a University of Miami football camp last summer.
Marshall has recruited heavily in the Sunshine State under head coach Doc Holliday, who worked as the associate head coach and safeties coach at Florida from 2005-2007. The Thundering Herd currently has 26 players from Florida on its roster, including freshman offensive lineman Cameron Dees of Armwood.
Of Marshall’s 16 commitments for the 2013 recruiting class, five are from Florida.