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Marshall running back Rasheen Ali will be away from the Thundering Herd indefinitely as he deals with an unidentified issue. Ali earned first-team All-Conference USA and Freshman All-America honors after leading the nation in rushing touchdowns as a freshman.
Ali ranked among the top running backs in the country during his breakout redshirt freshman season. He carried the ball 250 times for 1,401 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns, both marks that finished top 10 nationally. Ali was expected to be a dark horse All-America candidate in 2022.
“As soon as he is mentally, physically and emotionally ready to return, he will be back,” Marshall coach Charles Huff said in a statement. “Our team and staff are doing a great job of supporting him and we are looking forward to getting him back soon. We do not have an anticipated return date at this time. When we do, we will let everyone know. Out of privacy and respect for Rasheen and his family, we will not comment further on this topic until he is back with us.”
Marshall has a difficult Week 2 matchup on the road against No. 5 Notre Dame. However, the Thundering Herd have a relatively manageable entrance in 2022 as the program enters the Sun Belt. Marshall only plays one conference game — at Troy — before Oct. 12. That gives the Herd ample time to get Ali back before the brunt of the conference schedule.
With Ali out, Marshall will lean on Florida State transfer running back Khalan Laborn — a former five-star recruit — to fill his role. Laborn rushed 63 times for 297 yards and four touchdowns in 2019, but has not played in a game since then. The next-leading returning rusher is sophomore Ethan Payne, who carries the ball 20 times for 89 yards rushing in 2021.
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