HUNTINGTON -- The original game plan called for two evenly matched football teams -- selected by Marshall University players and coaches in a draft -- to face each other Saturday afternoon in the Green and White Game.

But injuries to 20 of the Thundering Herd's 85 scholarship players forced Marshall Coach Mark Snyder and his staff to scratch that idea in the days leading up to the annual intrasquad scrimmage, which concludes spring drills each year.

Instead, they opted to put the first- and second-string players on the Green team and the rest of the reserves and walk-ons on the White squad.

"And with some new coaches, I wanted to go through a game-day operation with everybody -- the varsity coaches -- working together and making decisions, communication, sideline organization, all those kind of things," Snyder added.

Although the result was a blowout (the Green team outscored and outgained the White squad 44-8 and 484-115 in front of 6,107 fans at Joan C. Edwards Stadium), Snyder was pleased with the underdog's intensity.

"I thought they would have one foot in the parking lot," Snyder said. "I really did. You know how that spring game is. Again, I have to take my hat off to the White team. There was some crisp hitting going on out there."

Former Tolsia High School star B.J. Evans, a 6-foot, 224-pound redshirt freshman linebacker, led the White squad with a game-high 11 tackles.

Former Capital High School standout DeMetrius Thompson, a 6-2, 225-pound sophomore defensive end, collected seven tackles, recorded one sack and forced one fumble.

"He's going to hang around here long enough to help this football team," Snyder said of Thompson, a walk-on who played multiple positions -- defensive end, defensive tackle, outside linebacker and strong safety -- during spring drills.

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SPEAKING OF the Thundering Herd's injuries, here is a position-by-position breakdown of Saturday's walking wounded:

Quarterback -- Wesley Beardain.

Running back -- Darius Marshall.

Wide receiver -- Darius Passmore and Tavaris Thompson.

Tight end -- Maurice Graham.

Offensive linemen -- Daniel Baldridge.

Safeties -- Kevin Perry, John Saunders and C.J. Spillman.

Cornerbacks -- J.J. Johnson, Zearrick Matthews, Josh Miller, DeNathian Robinson and D.J. Wingate.

Linebackers -- Mario Harvey and Maurice Kitchens.

Defensive linemen -- Montel Glasco, Ian Hoskins, Johnny Jones and Albert McClellan.

Two walk-ons -- Pete Culicerto and Cody Tominack -- also missed the game.

The good news, Snyder said, is all of those players will be ready for two-a-days this summer.

"That's the key," he said. "The key is to get them to the game. We came out of spring with no serious injuries. We'll have everybody back come Aug. 3."

The Thundering Herd's health "was my biggest concern as I laid my head down last night," Snyder said. "I kept waking up about every two hours going, 'Let's make sure we don't give Cody Slate too many reps, Chubb Small too many reps.' The wideouts, they had to go. You just hope not to get injuries and put on a show for the fans."

The Thundering Herd's depth allowed it to overcome its injuries Saturday.

That wouldn't have been possible in previous years. Marshall had 69 scholarship players in 2005, 72 in 2006 and 77 in 2007.

"I don't know that we could have put on a game," Snyder said when asked what effect injuries to 20 scholarship players would have had in previous springs. "That was a nice, clean, little scrimmage right there, I thought."

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HOOF BEATS: Thundering Herd players will report to fall camp Aug. 3. Marshall will open the 2008 season at home Aug. 30 against Division I-AA Illinois State.