WOAY – Former Marshall quarterback Reggie Oliver passed away Tuesday, after sustaining a head injury in a fall earlier this month.
Oliver was the Thundering Herd quarterback in 1971, and threw the deciding touchdown pass to Terry Gardner in Marshall’s win over Xavier, in the school’s first home game since the 1970 plane crash. He was portrayed in the 2006 film We Are Marshall by Arlen Escarpeta.
Following his playing days, Oliver was a Thundering Herd assistant and teacher at Huntington High School before returning to his home state of Alabama. He was in Huntington this past April as a keynote speaker at the school’s annual fountain ceremony.
Marshall Athletics said in a statement released Tuesday evening, “We extend our deepest sympathies to Reggie’s friends and family. He was one of Marshall’s true legends and will be sorely missed by the entire Thundering Herd family.”
Head football coach Doc Holliday posted on Twitter: “Showing We Are Marshall in our stadium (Wednesday) night to the newest members of our campus community has a little deeper meaning now after the news we just received on the passing of Reggie Oliver. We owe the man a ton of gratitude.”