NFL Network analyst Marshall Faulk during a pre-game show before an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans, in Cincinnati, on Sept. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Frank Victores, File)
Marshall Faulk is the newest hire for the University of Colorado football program, and will lead coaching duties for Colorado’s running attack. Faulk played running back for 12 seasons in the NFL, earning the 2000 MVP award, three Offensive Player of the Year awards and an induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This will be his first ever collegiate coaching job.
The hiring comes at a pivotal time. CU football is losing some major offensive talent to the 2025 NFL draft. Will Sheppard, Jimmy Horn Jr., LaJohntay Wester, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are all heading out the door. The exits of these cornerstone players will certainly shake things up, bringing in a new era of offensive football in Boulder.
The Hall of Famer will begin working with promising sophomore Isaiah Augustave. Augustave transferred from the University of Arkansas in 2024 and became Colorado’s primary running back. In 2024, he ran 394 yards and had four touchdowns. The hiring of Faulk signals that the program wants more support from its running backs this upcoming season.
For this to happen, the Colorado back field needs to be more effective than it has been in the past two seasons. In 2023, Colorado finished last in Pac-12 rushing yards. In a new conference, Colorado had the same old problems. In 2024, Colorado again ranked last in Big 12 rushing yards. Combining the rushing totals from the past two seasons, the program had just 1,674 rushing yards, which would rank 11th in the Big 12 for just this past season.
The one dimensional play of CU’s play last season was obvious to not only fans, but opposing coaches. Pulling this running attack from the depths of insignificance is a tall task, especially for a first time coach. But Faulk may have the on-the-field experience to accomplish such a task.
As the saying goes, wins follow wisdom. Faulk surely brings wisdom to Boulder, but only time will tell if the wins come too.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Joshua Loehr at joshua.loehr@colorado.edu.
