Courtesy of @Zac Arrowood.
With the Thundering Herd beginning spring practice on March 28th, HerdNation will be taking an in-depth look at each of Marshall’s position groups. While there is a lot to be excited about heading into the spring, there are still several giant question marks looming over the roster. Up first are the running backs:
What We Know: Rasheen. Ali.
What more needs to be said? Rasheen Ali returns for his redshirt sophomore season having amassed 250 carries for 1,401 yards and 23 touchdowns during the 2021 campaign. Ali added 45 receptions for 334 yards and one touchdown receiving, while receiving an overall PFF grade of 82.8, the highest among all of Marshall’s offensive players during 2021. Can Ali match that same production during 2022? All signs point to a lighter workload during the upcoming season which leads us to our Biggest Question.
Biggest Question: Where does Khalan Laborn fit in?
A five-star recruit in the class of 2017, Khalan Laborn, the 5’11”, 215 pound running back, showed signs of brilliance in limited action at Florida State. Now as a sixth-year player at Marshall, one can only assume that Laborn will steal some carries from Rasheen Ali. How many is the biggest question? As the 2021 season progressed, Sheldon Evans was used less and less as Ali established himself as the featured back. Will Laborn fill the role that Evans left behind or will we see more of a 50/50 or 60/40 split? This question will most likely not be answered in full until Saturday, September 3rd, when Marshall takes on Norfolk State, but the spring should give some indication as to how the staff plans to use these two gifted backs.
Spring Darkhorse: Isaiah Gordon
If you have not taken the time to watch film on Isaiah Gordon, please stop reading this and watch it. Seriously, do it. Gordon is a strong, physical back who has all the tools to be successful at the collegiate level. In watching his film, I see flashes of Marshawn Lynch, which is a lofty comparison. Heading into the 2022 season, the running back room will be beyond crowded. Freshman, A.J. Turner, who had an extremely productive prep career has joined the Herd for spring practice and Lawrence Papillon is expected to return from an injury that kept him off the field in 2021. Throw in Ethan Payne and Maurice Jones, Jr., who will be joining the Herd in the summer, and it is easy to see that there is a massive amount of talent for Coach Lockette to work with. The battle for RB3 will be an interesting one to watch as the season approaches. Another thing to keep an eye on will be possible position changes as Coach Huff tries to get his best players on the field in whatever means necessary.
With the Thundering Herd beginning spring practice on March 28th, HerdNation will be taking an in-depth look at each of Marshall’s position groups. While there is a lot to be excited about heading into the spring, there are still several giant question marks looming over the roster. Up first are the running backs:
What We Know: Rasheen. Ali.
What more needs to be said? Rasheen Ali returns for his redshirt sophomore season having amassed 250 carries for 1,401 yards and 23 touchdowns during the 2021 campaign. Ali added 45 receptions for 334 yards and one touchdown receiving, while receiving an overall PFF grade of 82.8, the highest among all of Marshall’s offensive players during 2021. Can Ali match that same production during 2022? All signs point to a lighter workload during the upcoming season which leads us to our Biggest Question.
Biggest Question: Where does Khalan Laborn fit in?
A five-star recruit in the class of 2017, Khalan Laborn, the 5’11”, 215 pound running back, showed signs of brilliance in limited action at Florida State. Now as a sixth-year player at Marshall, one can only assume that Laborn will steal some carries from Rasheen Ali. How many is the biggest question? As the 2021 season progressed, Sheldon Evans was used less and less as Ali established himself as the featured back. Will Laborn fill the role that Evans left behind or will we see more of a 50/50 or 60/40 split? This question will most likely not be answered in full until Saturday, September 3rd, when Marshall takes on Norfolk State, but the spring should give some indication as to how the staff plans to use these two gifted backs.
Spring Darkhorse: Isaiah Gordon
If you have not taken the time to watch film on Isaiah Gordon, please stop reading this and watch it. Seriously, do it. Gordon is a strong, physical back who has all the tools to be successful at the collegiate level. In watching his film, I see flashes of Marshawn Lynch, which is a lofty comparison. Heading into the 2022 season, the running back room will be beyond crowded. Freshman, A.J. Turner, who had an extremely productive prep career has joined the Herd for spring practice and Lawrence Papillon is expected to return from an injury that kept him off the field in 2021. Throw in Ethan Payne and Maurice Jones, Jr., who will be joining the Herd in the summer, and it is easy to see that there is a massive amount of talent for Coach Lockette to work with. The battle for RB3 will be an interesting one to watch as the season approaches. Another thing to keep an eye on will be possible position changes as Coach Huff tries to get his best players on the field in whatever means necessary.
