Marshall Faulk has worn plenty of titles during his football life — All-American, NFL MVP, Hall of Famer, TV analyst.
But now, as the head coach at Southern University, he’s taking on what he calls his most meaningful role yet: builder.
Speaking from Super Bowl LVIII Radio Row this week, Faulk said his focus as Southern’s head coach is to restore the Jaguars’ recruiting base by keeping Louisiana’s best talent close to home and reconnecting the state’s high school stars with the program’s proud traditions.
“Usually you get that next tier — the guys that don’t go to LSU, but don’t want to leave the state,” Faulk said. “They’ll go to a Southern. But we weren’t getting that out of Baton Rouge or New Orleans. We’ve got to bring those kids back home so they have that experience.”
Southern, which only won two games in what was arguably the program’s worst season in decades, took a step in that direction by inking 24 recruits on National Signing Day.
“It’s probably one of the best athletic recruiting seasons that we’ve had around at Southern for a while,” said Southern associate head coach Curtis Johnson.
Building within the boot
The 2026 class is headlined by a bevy of in-state transfers and high school standouts, including St. Augustine’s quarterback Vashaun Coulon, who finished with 3,165 yards passing, 588 yards rushing and 50 total touchdowns as a senior.
The Jaguars were also able to secure a commitment from Coulon’s teammate, linebacker Chad Jones Jr. He is the son of former LSU player Chad Jones.
They join tight end Isaiah Pina. He is ranked the No. 51 tight end in the senior class, according to ESPN, and flipped his commitment from Virginia Tech to sign with Southern.
Faulk, a New Orleans native who starred at San Diego State before heading to the NFL, said taking the Southern job was about impact as much as opportunity. He turned down other head-coaching interviews before deciding that Baton Rouge was the right place to build something meaningful.
“I’m all about my impact — where I can have the most reach,” he said. “This just fit. I’m not the guy who chooses the easiest thing. I know what Southern means to this state, and it wasn’t meeting those standards. That’s a challenge I wanted.”
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Faulk initially resisted coaching after retirement, but his perspective changed after working alongside Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders during a stint at Colorado. The experience rekindled memories of his own recruitment — and the life-changing impact of receiving that first scholarship offer.
“Helping Coach Prime recruit opened my eyes,” Faulk said. “When I saw a kid accept a scholarship and his parent start crying, it hit me — that was me once. That’s impact. That’s purpose.”
Faulk has filled out his staff with coaches who know Louisiana’s high school scene well, including Baton Rouge native Ben Miles, the son of former LSU coach Les Miles, and longtime coach Curtis Johnson of St. Rose. That’s no accident; Faulk said local familiarity is vital to the Jaguars’ blueprint.
“We want to recruit in-state,” he said. “We want guys who understand the landscape — and the rich history of Southern football. If not, it’s just another HBCU.”
A message to Southern fans
As he begins his tenure, Faulk said the program’s success starts with support from the community — not just financially, but in presence and engagement.
“We need bodies,” he said. “Show up. Let us know when we’re doing good and when we’re doing bad. These kids are still learning how to grow up. We just want to guide them the right way.”
For Faulk, that guidance extends beyond football. He said his ultimate goal is to develop players who leave Southern ready for life — whether that means the NFL, a corporate career, or leading a family.
“Football teaches accountability, teamwork, structure — the same traits they’ll need in the real world,” he said. “If we can do that, we’ve done our job.
