Move over, Lane Kiffin?
Former NFL Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk was also recruited by a college in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, over the weekend.
But not from the school, which is involved in all sorts of turmoil and confusion because of the coach it hired. That would mean the Louisiana Securities and Exchange Commission would hire Kiffin from Mississippi.
It will be the Southern HBCU, which ended a nine-game losing streak with a season-ending win over Grambling State in the storied Bayou Classic rivalry tournament on Saturday.
“Coach Faulk will take the reins. Welcome to Jaguar Nation,” the Southern University athlete wrote in the magazine. publish on X.
Faulk joins a growing list of current and former HBCU coaches with distinguished careers in the NFL.
Last year, DeSean Jackson was recruited by Delaware State and Michael Vick by Norfolk State. Sean Gilbert is the head coach at Livingston College.
Eddie George was the coach at Tennessee, Greg Ellis at Texas A&M and Chris Dishman at Texas Southern. The tradition dates back to when Super Bowl-winning quarterback Doug Williams coached at Morehouse and Grambling.
While Faulk, 52, doesn't have much of a coaching track record, he makes up for it with accolades as a player.
Faulk, whose No. 28 jersey was retired by the Rams, was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year, a three-time Offensive Player of the Year, the 2000 MVP, a six-time All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl player.
He just started coaching this season, working as the running backs coach at Colorado under Deion Sanders, another coach who spent time at the HBCU Jackson State.
Faulk said it as if he wouldn't train just anyone.
“Let me say this in the nicest way possible: I'm not your average dude,” he told ESPN. “If I'm going to work for someone or train someone, it has to be to be someone“
And at Monday's introductory press conference as Southern's head coach, Faulk seemed like he wouldn't leave Colorado for anyone either. He credited several prominent Southern alumni — “the catalyst for my being here” — for pushing him to take this chance: his former teammate and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams and former NBA standout Avery Johnson, who were both in attendance.
They were happy to contribute, and Johnson thanked everyone who had a hand in the decision, later saying it was a “turning point.”
“I graduated from Southern University in 1988,” he said of New Orleans native Faulk, “and I have never been more thrilled that a football coach hired Marshall Faulk.”
For his part, Faulk nodded at what could have been. “I could have stayed in Colorado. I was comfortable. But I never succeeded in life when I was comfortable… And I won't lie to you,” he said, according to USA today. “It’s uncomfortable and I like it.”
And he made a promise on time conference live on Monday on YouTube by HBCU game day: “I have no fear. Winners win.”
After five seasons with the Colts, Faulk helped lead the Rams' “Greatest Show on Turf” offense to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV in January 2000. The following season, Faulk was named NFL Most Valuable Player.
It was the St. Louis Rams. Faulk retired in 2005, long before the team returned to Los Angeles in 2015.
Williams noted that Faulk has more to offer than just his playing accolades and that he is one of the smartest people he has played with.
“He was taught by the best,” he said. “A lot of people don't know that when Marshall played at San Diego State, Coach Sean Payton was his offensive coordinator. He was mentored by Mike Martz, our head coach… He's a teacher.”
Williams continued: “He's excited. I'm excited. And Jaguar Nation should be excited…Southern is getting ready to move.”
Associate Editor Dawn M. Burks contributed to this report.
