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MARSHALL -- Coming off back-to-back state tournament appearances, expectations are once again high for Marshall football.
The Tigers will officially begin their 2026 campaign Friday when they host Westonka at 7 p.m., giving Marshall its first opportunity to put its offseason work to the test.
"We are coming off of a scrimmage with Mankato East last week. We were happy with how hard our kids played, and we came out healthy, which is always a good thing," head coach Terry Bahlmann said.
Westonka was a new opponent for Marshall last season, and Bahlmann is looking forward to seeing how his team responds when the two teams meet again.
With the season opener taking place at home, Bahlmann is also hoping the Tigers can use a strong home crowd to their advantage.
As with any season opener, Bahlmann expects there could be adjustments that need to be made once the game gets underway. However, he has confidence in his players’ ability to recognize what needs to change and make those adjustments quickly.
"Our receiver room is probably as deep as it has been in the 23 years I have been here," he added. "We will play guys like Jayden Meister there, as well as Rocco Rignell and Ethan Beck there."
Meister’s return gives the Tigers another important piece on the outside. After tearing his ACL last season, Meister is expected to be a full go for the opener, something Bahlmann said the entire team is excited about.
With two consecutive successful seasons behind them, Marshall knows it will likely enter many games with a target on its back. Rather than allowing that pressure to change its approach, however, the Tigers plan to stick with the same preparation and mindset they have used throughout the program’s recent success.
"We just prepare the same way each week," Bahlmann said. "We want our kids to come out, play hard and execute, and see what happens."
According to Bahlmann, the program doesn’t spend much time talking about winning. Instead, the focus remains on playing hard, executing and doing things the right way.
The Tigers believe that if they take care of those details, the results will follow.
"If you are coming to the game Friday, look for us to fly around on defense. I think we are going to be able to make some explosive plays on offense."
That combination of a hard-charging defense and an offense capable of producing big plays will be something to watch as Marshall begins its pursuit of another deep postseason run.
For now, though, the Tigers are focused simply on getting back onto the field.
"We are just excited to get the season rolling," Bahlmann said. "We're hoping to use the home field to our advantage, and we are excited to play someone else and do it at home."