Ali Ready To Go

MuAmmar Ali (5'8 200), the transfer running back from New Mexico State, says he just wants to play anywhere coach Walsh wants him to. There was a cloud of controversy surrounding his departure from NMSU, but he wants to put it all behind him and play some football. PSU fans have reason to hope he could be the next Joe Rubin.

MuAmmar Ali is fit, chiseled and champing at the bit to get started as the next great running back at Portland State.
But the 5-8, 200-pound transfer from New Mexico State, who will be a senior in eligibility this fall, isn’t pounding his chest with braggadocio, as a certain former heavyweight champ of the same surname might have.
“I’m going to do whatever coach (Tim) Walsh wants me to do, whether it’s at tackle, fullback, linebacker — it doesn’t matter,” Ali says. “I’m going to compete and contribute in any aspect I can.”
Ali, a Muslim, carries himself in a polite, respectful manner that belies the controversy surrounding his departure from New Mexico State, which brought him to Portland State in January for winter term.
The former star running back from Vacaville, Calif. — he was recruited by several Pac-10 schools out of high school but was a Proposition 48 academic casualty — butted heads with first-year New Mexico State coach Hal Mumme.
Ali reportedly was kicked off the team early last season after claiming he was criticized by Mumme for reciting a prayer from the Quran instead of the post-practice Lord’s Prayer said by most of his teammates. Ali says he also was questioned by Mumme about al-Qaida. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal religious discrimination suit against the university on behalf of Ali and two other Muslims, who also were dropped from the squad.
“I can’t speak on that because of a gag order,” says Ali, who had rushed for a team-high 561 yards and 10 TDs as a sophomore under previous coach Tony Samuels. “There’s more to it than you know. Things just weren’t clicking for me there.”
Ali was born into the Muslim religion. He attended the private elementary school in east Oakland, Calif., at which his mother taught. He says the religion “has always been in our family, whether at home or in school.”
Does the controversy that follows Ali to Portland bother him?
“It doesn’t bother me at all,” he says. “Comes with the territory.”
After a moment, Ali reconsiders.
“I have to take that back,” he says. “I’m not going to lie. It does bother me. It has really stressed me out, stressed my family out. I’ve never been a controversial person. Teammates, friends, family — they’ve always looked up to me. Me coming here, I carry a lot of ‘he said, she said’ baggage.”

Weight comes with power

After cameo appearances in three games for New Mexico State — he gained 24 yards on eight carries — Ali was booted from the Aggie squad. He considered a transfer to a couple of other Big Sky schools, “but my best opportunity was Portland State,” he says. “It has a reputation as a running-backs school, and coach Walsh had connections with some of the assistants (under Samuels).”
A physical specimen who has bench-pressed 355 and squatted 565 pounds during PSU’s winter workouts, Ali says he runs a “consistent” 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash. A gain of nearly 10 pounds since the football season has taken away none of the speed, he claims.
“My body has changed drastically, but I still have my quickness and speed,” he says. “I consider myself an elusive back who also has power and strength. The more weight I put on, the more explosive I’ve become.”

Big role calls for competition

Walsh has only seen video of Ali in action, but he was impressed. The longtime PSU coach compares Ali physically to school single-season and career rushing record-holder Charles Dunn and hopes the transfer can become as productive as Joe Rubin, who rushed for 1,702 yards and 17 TDs last season.
“Mo is good,” Walsh says. “He’s extremely strong and quick. He’s not quite Joe Rubin strong, but he’s in that category. Mo is more of a slasher like Charles Dunn was.”
Ali won’t be handed the starting job. He’ll be in competition with holdover Kelena Ho’okano, a 6-foot, 205-pound senior-to-be. Spring practice begins April 19, “and they will both get a ton of carries,” Walsh promises.
“Portland State has had some great running backs who have put up big yards,” Ali says. “If Coach Walsh decides on me for that position and gives me the opportunity, I’d like to pick up some yards for him.”
This is a chance for Ali to re-establish himself as a person, too.
“It’s a clean slate,” he says. “I’m really looking forward to getting a fresh start.”