Ismail Mahdi
{{Short description|American football running back (born 2003)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college football player
|name=Ismail Mahdi
|image=
|image_size=
|alt=
|caption=
|school=Arizona Wildcats
|currentnumber=21
|currentposition=Running back
|class=Senior
|major=Exercise and Sports Science
|pastschools=
- Houston Christian (2022)
- Texas State (2023–2024)
- Arizona (2025–present)
|bowlgames=
|highschool=Plano East
(Plano, Texas)
|birth_date={{birth date and age|2003|5|28}}
|birth_place=Kenya
|height_ft=5
|height_in=9
|weight_lb=185
|highlights=
|espn=5084798
|cbs=
|si=
|yahoo=
|rivals=
}}
Ismail Mahdi (born May 28, 2003) is a Kenyan college football running back for the Arizona Wildcats. Mahdi began his college career with Houston Christian before transferring to Texas State Bobcats in 2023.
Early life
Mahdi's father was Somali and his mother was Kenyan.{{cite web | url=https://txst.com/news/2023/10/6/-who-is-that-guy-mahdi-is-introducing-himself-to-the-college-football-world.aspx | title="Who is that guy?" Mahdi is Introducing Himself to the College Football World | publisher=txst.com | accessdate=15 October 2024 | author=Kutz, Chris}} They fled Somalia due to the Somali civil war, and Mahdi was born in a refugee camp in Kenya on May 28, 2003.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-06 |title=Ismail Mahdi: From Refugee Camp to College Football Star |url=https://bvmsports.com/2023/10/06/ismail-mahdi-from-refugee-camp-to-college-football-star/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=BVM Sports |language=en-US}}
In late 2003, Mahdi and his family migrated to the United States, residing in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-06 |title="Who is that guy?" Mahdi is Introducing Himself to the College Football World |url=https://txst.com/news/2023/10/6/-who-is-that-guy-mahdi-is-introducing-himself-to-the-college-football-world.aspx |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=Texas State Athletics |language=en}} Mahdi attended Plano East Senior High School in Plano, Texas. As a junior, he totaled 1,607 yards and 15 touchdowns.{{Cite web |last=Kretzschmar |first=Rick |date=2021-09-22 |title=Angles have been key for Plano East RB Ismail Mahdi, 6A’s rushing leader |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/football/2021/09/22/for-plano-east-rb-ismail-mahdi-angles-have-been-the-key-to-becoming-6as-rushing-leader/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=Dallas News |language=en}} As a senior, Mahdi rushed for 1,362 yards and 14 touchdowns, before his season was ended due to a knee injury.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-26 |title=Plano East loses star running back Ismail Mahdi, quarterback Drew DeVillier to injuries |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/football/2021/10/26/plano-east-loses-star-running-back-ismail-mahdi-quarterback-drew-devillier-to-injuries/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=Dallas News |language=en}} He committed to play college football at Houston Christian University.
College career
= Houston Christian =
As a freshman, Mahdi recorded 568 rushing yards, 333 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns, being named a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-21 |title=FB: Mahdi Named Jerry Rice Award Finalist |url=https://hcuhuskies.com/news/2022/11/21/football-fb-mahdi-named-jerry-rice-award-finalist.aspx |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=Houston Christian University Athletics |language=en}} After the season, he entered the transfer portal.
= Texas State =
Following his decision to transfer to Texas State University, Mahdi led the FBS in all-purpose yards through five games, recording 934 total yards.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-02 |title=Texas State’s Ismail Mahdi leads FBS in all-purpose yardage, Bobcats off to best start since ’05 |url=https://www.kxan.com/sports/texas-states-ismail-mahdi-leads-fbs-in-all-purpose-yardage-bobcats-off-to-best-start-since-05/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=KXAN Austin |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Michalowski |first=George |date=2023-10-02 |title=GJ Kinne Won the Lottery with Addition of Elite RB Ismail Mahdi |url=https://theportalreport.com/2023/10/02/gj-kinne-won-the-lottery-with-addition-of-elite-rb-ismail-mahdi/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=The Portal Report |language=en-US}} In the first game of the season against Baylor, Mahdi tallied 83 yards rushing and two total touchdowns, in a 42–31 upset win.{{Cite web |last=Ciardello |first=Keff |title=Texas State's Ismail Mahdi scores Bobcats' first two touchdowns of the season in first win |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/college/football/2023/09/08/texas-state-running-back-ismail-mahdi-scored-the-teams-first-two-tds/70797707007/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=Austin American-Statesman |language=en-US}} Against Nevada, he rushed for a career-high 216 yards and two touchdowns.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-24 |title=Mahdi rushes for 216 yards to help Texas State rally past Nevada 35–24 |url=https://apnews.com/article/nevada-wolf-pack-texas-state-bobcats-1cca5ee309dbf9aca916d854ae9e88f2 |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=AP News |language=en}} The following week, Mahdi returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, while also rushing for three touchdowns, helping lead Texas State to a 50–36 victory over Southern Mississippi.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-01 |title=Ismail Mahdi scores four times and Texas State holds off Southern Miss in 50–36 shootout |url=https://apnews.com/article/texas-st-southern-miss-b59482a4281c6988442827f0a28c73be |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=AP News |language=en}} As a result of his performance, he was named the Hornung Award National Player of the Week.{{Cite web |title=Louisville Sports Commission – Louisville Knows Sports » WEEK 5: Players from Four Different Conferences Earn Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll |url=https://www.louisvillesports.org/ph-news/week-5-players-from-four-different-conferences-earn-paul-hornung-award-honor-roll/ |access-date=2023-11-05}}{{Cite web |last=Ciardello |first=Keff |date=October 3, 2023 |title=Texas State seeks 5–1 start behind Ismail Mahdi's strong start to the season |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/college/football/2023/10/03/texas-state-footballs-ismail-mahdi-has-mirrored-teams-strong-start/71047680007/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=Austin American-Statesman |language=en-US}}
On December 9, 2024, Mahdi announced that he would enter the transfer portal.{{cite web|url=https://www.on3.com/college/texas-state-bobcats/news/texas-state-rb-ismail-mahdi-plans-to-enter-ncaa-transfer-portal/|title=Texas State RB Ismail Mahdi plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal|website=On3.com|first=Grant|last=Grubbs|date=December 9, 2024|access-date=December 9, 2024}}
= Arizona =
On December 21, 2024, Mahdi announced that he would transfer to Arizona.{{cite web|url=https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/21/24326268/arizona-wildcats-football-ismail-mahdi-texas-state-bobcats-ncaa-transfer-portal-commitment-rb-2025|title=Ex-Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi commits to Arizona|website=Arizona Desert Swarm|first=Brian J.|last=Pedersen|date=December 21, 2024|access-date=January 1, 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ College statistics | ||||||||
| rowspan="2" | Season
! Games ! colspan="4" | Rushing ! colspan="4" | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD |
| colspan="12" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Houston Christian Huskies}}" | Houston Christian Huskies | ||||||||
| 2022
| 8 || 104 || 459 || 4.4 || 1 || 30|| 250 || 8.3 || 2 | ||||||||
| colspan="12" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Texas State Bobcats|color=white}}" | Texas State Bobcats | ||||||||
| 2023
| 13 || 223 || 1,331 || 6.0 || 10 || 20 || 275 || 13.8 || 1 | ||||||||
| 2024
| 12 || 183 || 991 || 5.4 || 4 || 24 || 195 || 8.1 || 2 | ||||||||
| colspan="12" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Arizona Wildcats|color=white}}" | Arizona Wildcats | ||||||||
| 2025
| 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | ||||||||
| Career || 33 || 510 || 2,781 || 5.5 || 15 || 74 || 720 || 9.7 || 5 |
References
External links
- [https://txst.com/sports/football/roster/ismail-mahdi/10416 Texas State Bobcats bio]
- [https://hcuhuskies.com/sports/football/roster/ismail-mahdi/5435 Houston Christian Huskies bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahdi, Ismail}}
Category:Players of American football from Texas
Category:American football running backs
Category:Plano East Senior High School alumni
Category:Texas State Bobcats football players
Category:Houston Christian Huskies football players
Category:21st-century American sportsmen