Justin Marshall isn’t just any freshman. He’s someone who actually gave Ron Harris, a seasoned player, a run for his money! In his first college game against San Diego State, Marshall made history by rushing for 119 yards. That’s a big deal, as he’s the first freshman in the entire Rams program to hit the 100-yard mark in a debut. Well, we are now wondering what this record-breaking star has up his sleeve for the 2024 season.

In just three games last season, running back Justin absolutely dominated, racking up 311 total yards and scoring 2 touchdowns. His best game was in the first game of the season, where he ran for 106 yards on 25 carries. Justin gave all the credit to his running back coach, Jeremy Moses. He said, “Moses gave me some flashcards. I wrote down the plays and memorized them.” It’s clear that Justin’s hard work and Moses’ coaching were a winning combo last year. Well, the Rams might not have had the best record last season (5-7), but the fans were pretty impressed with what they’ve got in the running back room: Marshall!

Furthermore, Moses mentioned, “Recruiting-wise, we saw the versatility, we saw the bust and the twitchiness in space. But we saw him be able to run through tough contact in order to create that space for himself, which are usually signs of a great tailback,“. And Justin also knew he was a valuable asset to the Rams. He had other great options like Indiana, Nebraska, and Purdue, but the 3-star RB knew CSU was the best fit for him. He wanted a school that would help him grow and develop as a player, and CSU was the perfect choice.

Fortunately for him, it seems he has finally found what he was searching for, as his HC Norvell, also acknowledges his work. He also has hinted that we’ll “see a lot of Justin this week,” giving hype for his 2024 season. Let’s explore the qualities that make him such a promising player in Norvell’s eyes.

Justin Marshall’s vigorous performance

Justin Marshall’s young career is off to an incredible start. On Saturday, the red-shirt freshman running back amassed a team-high 106 yards, marking his first 100-yard performance of the 2024 campaign against Texas. However, he has averaged 104 yards per game on an amazing 5.1 yards per carry in four starts since the end of the previous season. 

After practice on Tuesday, Marshall acknowledged that he had a lot of contact to process in his first game of the season, but that it helped to ease some of his nerves. Alongside, he spoke briefly with Rams insider Mike Brohard after the game, stating that while he wishes he could have scored, his confidence is at an “all-time high.“

The most intriguing fact is that, along with the offensive line in front of him, Marshall reaffirmed that he feels good about his performance against Texas. However, he stressed that he wants to find a way into the end zone in Week 2 and reward the big boys in the trenches. Let’s wait and watch for their next step in the journey.