How Colorado Buffaloes' Deion Sanders Recruited NFL Legend Marshall Faulk Onto Coaching Staff

Colorado Buffaloes running backs coach Marshall Faulk is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for being one of the best to ever play the position in the NFL. How did Colorado coach Deion Sanders recruit Faulk to be apart of the Buffaloes program? According to Faulk, Sanders worked on him for a while.

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos head coach Deion Sanders against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders added legendary NFL running back Marshall Faulk to coach the same position on Sanders' coaching staff, but how hard was it to convince Faulk to begin a coaching career? Earlier in the week, Faulk told the story to reporters after one of Colorado's spring practices.

"I've been saying no to coaching since I left football. For the past like three, maybe four years, coach (Sanders) has been grooming me. You know, he'll call me and ask me certain stuff. He'll ask me about a player and we'll talk about this and that: 'Hey, come up and watch us practice.' So he's he's been grooming me, and I always felt like for for what I for what I invested in the game, it took away from me with my kids," said Faulk.

However, now that Faulk's kids are older, he has returned to the football field as a member of Sanders' coaching staff. Faulk joins Sanders and Buffaloes defensive analyst Warren Sapp as three members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame currently working at Colorado. In fact, Faulk's and Sanders' experience being inducted into the Hall of Fame might have led to the legendary running back's hiring in Boulder, Colorado.

Jan 31, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Indianaplis Colts former running back Marshall Faulk on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Symphony Hall. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

When talking about his relationship with "Coach Prime," Faulk talked about the time he spent with Sanders during the Hall of Fame experience, as well as working together on TV broadcasts.

"We worked in television together at NFL network, and we spent so much time on the road. We literally went through the Hall of Fame process, we were the same year. We actually had our party together. We've done a lot of stuff together," said Faulk.

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The 2025 season will be Faulk's first year with the Buffaloes, and he inherits a running back room that returns some experience. Colorado running back Isaiah Augustave led Colorado with 384 rushing yards in 2024, and he is returning for his junior season. Additionally, the Buffaloes return running back Micah Welch who appeared in nine games as true freshman.

"Where can we improve? That's the idea, and that's the mindset that we have to have. And that's what we want to instill in the football players we bring in here and that we coach," said Faulk. "I don't care how good you are. It's how much better can we make you? Where can you get better? And if that's all you do is focus on the things that you do well, then you're not improving. I gotta take your weakness and turn it into a strength."

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

A few of Faulk's many accomplishments in the NFL include a Super Bowl ring, an NFL MVP, three Offensive Player of the Year awards, as well as Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1994. He also holds a number of NFL records, including four consecutive seasons with 2,000 yards from scrimmage. He played with the St. Louis Rams and the Indianapolis Colts during his career, but now, Faulk is a Colorado Buffalo.

Will the running back room become a strength under Faulk's leadership in 2025?

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