Another Hall of Famer may be on their way to Boulder as former great NFL and college running back Marshall Faulk has become a "top candidate" to serve as the Buffs running backs coach, per the Daily Camera's Brian Howell.
Faulk would be replacing running back coach Gary “Flea” Harrell, who is no longer with the program following his two years at Colorado.
Faulk has never served as a running backs coach nor held any coaching role at any level prior to his new opportunity at Colorado. Despite the lack of coaching experience, Faulk adds further NFL experience to the Buffs staff in addition to head coach Deion Sanders, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston and four other assistants that played in the NFL.
Faulk was drafted in the first round with the second overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts following a successful career at San Diego State in which he was a two-time All-American and finished second in the Heisman Trophy award voting in 1992. As a NFL rookie in 1994, he rushed four 1,282 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns and won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award as well as the Pro Bowl’s Most Valuable Player.
In five seasons with the Colts (1994-1998), Faulk recorded four 1,000-rushing yard seasons and five straight seasons where he recorded 420 receiving yards or more. In his final season with the Colts he finished with 908 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. He was a second-team All-Pro selection in 1994, 1995 and 1998.
In 1999, Faulk was traded to the St. Louis Rams and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl title, amassing 1,381 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 1,048 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. Faulk went on to spend seven seasons with the Rams, earning first-team All-Pro in 1999, 2000 and 2001 before retiring in 2006.
Faulk is the first player in NFL history to record 2,000 yards from scrimmage in four consecutive season (1998-2001) and retired as the league’s ninth-leading rusher of all-time, completing his career with 12,279 rushing yards and 100 rushing touchdowns. Following an outstanding 12-year career in the NFL, Faulk was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Faulk brings a plethora of experience to Colorado’s coaching staff in taking over a rushing attack that has struggled in Sanders’ two years at Colorado. In 2023 and 2024, the Buffs finished last in FBS in rushing yards per game, averaging only 65.2 rushing yards in 2024 and 68.9 rushing yards per game in 2023.
Colorado’s lack of commitment to the run has been very apparent these last two years, and perhaps with a Hall of Fame running back, Faulk can set a new standard for CU’s run game.
