 He earned All-Region and All-State honors in football and wrestling, while also setting two state records in track and becoming the Utah state champion in the shot put and discus.He was the captain of the football team, and was a member of the 1985 team that won the state championship He was recruited to play football by BYU, the University of Utah, Utah State University, Stanford University and the University of Washington, but enrolled at BYU in 1987 because it was the only school that did not withdraw a scholarship offer when he announced his plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).Following his freshman year at BYU, Herring served an LDS Church mission in Salta, Argentina from 1988 to 1990.