HUNTINGTON -- Mother Nature hasn't turned up the heat on Marshall's preseason practice.

But Coach Mark Snyder has.

Just ask the Thundering Herd's offensive tackles.

It was another cool-and-comfortable August afternoon Thursday, when the first- and second-stringers traded places.

Junior Daniel Baldridge replaced redshirt freshman C.J. Wood at right tackle, while sophomore Brandon Campbell replaced redshirt freshman Ryan Tillman at left tackle.

"They are fighting for their lives right now," Snyder said of Baldridge and Campbell. "Everybody is trying to earn a first-string spot. We have some work to do there. I think they're trying their best to work back in there."

Baldridge and Campbell have 10 and three career starts, respectively. Wood and Tillman have none.

"The young guys are a little overwhelmed," Snyder said of Wood and Tillman. "That's why you're seeing Campbell and Baldridge getting in there a little bit because they have been in the heat of the battle. Let those guys step back and watch a little bit because they have been going with the ones."

Competing against each other and facing Marshall's defensive linemen "turns up the heat" for the Thundering Herd's offensive tackles, Snyder said.

"That's what it's all about," he said.

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IN OTHER moves, sophomore defensive tackle Delvin Johnson received some first-string reps, replacing senior Ian Hoskins during his stint with that unit.

"We gave Ian a little break today because he has had hamstring issues in the past," Snyder said. "We don't want to go down that road. So, we have given him a little bit of a break. Plus, Delvin needs some real-time reps because he's going to be playing for us."

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SNYDER SAID there were some "dead-legged" players Wednesday and Thursday.

He plans to "back off a little bit" today, when the Thundering Herd will conduct the third of its six two-a-days.

"It won't be your typical two-a-day," Snyder said.

As a result, Marshall should be healthy for Saturday's scrimmage at Edwards Stadium. The 10 a.m. practice will be open to the public.

It will be a Choose-A-Seat Day. Fans who want to buy season tickets can look for available seats and talk with Marshall Ticket Office personnel starting at 10:30 a.m.

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FORMER TAILBACK Kelvin Turner has landed at Division I-AA Eastern Kentucky.

Turner decided to leave Marshall earlier this month, shortly before the beginning of his senior season. The Thundering Herd's short-yardage and goal-line ballcarrier, he rushed 52 times for 158 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns last year.

Turner is from Danville, Ky.

Contact sports writer Jacob Messer at jacobmes...@dailymail.com or 304-348-1712. His blog is at blogs.dailymail.com/marshall.