Former NFL Hall of Famer Gives High Praise to Houston's Defense
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Early this year, it was announced that Coach Deion Sanders had hired another hall of famer to his coaching staff for the Colorado Buffaloes.
Marshall Faulk, the former NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion, is now leading the running backs room in Boulder and joins Sanders as another gold jacket on staff.
One of the greatest to ever play the game.
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) February 7, 2025
Welcome our new Running Backs Coach, Marshall Faulk, to Colorado!#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/pv2z0SB2w8
With Sanders continuing to draw national attention to Colorado and the addition of NFL legends like Faulk on his staff, the Buffaloes remain one of the most talked-about programs in college football. Now, in a game that could turn out to be a chess match between Coach Sanders and Houston's own Coach Willie Fritz, the question now shifts to whether or not that professional experience can translate to college athletes.
When Faulk met with Buffs TV to talk about the season thus far, the running back coach gave high praise to the team's changing offense and the athletes he coaches. That confidence will be put to the test Friday night, as Houston’s defensive line faces the challenge of slowing down a Colorado rushing attack that has shown steady growth under Faulk’s guidance.
Coach Faulk Sees Strengths, But Openings in Houston’s Defense
So far this season, Houston's defensive line and secondary have looked much better compared to the 2024-25 season. With more depth at each position, the Cougars have allowed just under 2.5 yards per attempt against opposing run games. Even with their strong start to the season, it seems that Houston's run defense still doesn't quite get the flowers it deserves.
Based on Coach Faulk's evaluation of the Cougars’ defense, the Buffaloes believe they will have opportunities for big plays. The running back coach mentioned that because the Cougars stack the box and use run blitzes a lot, it opens things up in the passing game.
When Faulk was asked about his thoughts on Austin Armstrong's defensive scheme, the former NFL running back had high praise for how it was run, but believes that the Colorado offense will have opportunities to find big plays throughout the game.
"Love their defense," Faulk said. "Obviously, the defensive coordinator has little wrinkles, they like to blanket the top with coverage, and they dare you to run on them. They do some unique things in a manner of stunts and twists, and they love to run blitz."
Faulk added his thoughts by saying, "What I can ask from our fanbase is when you're watching this game, deal with the negative plays because the big plays are going to be very big."
With Coach Faulks belief that the big plays will come, the idea of this Friday's Big 12 matchup being a guessing game at the line of scrimmage doesn't seem too far-fetched.
The Colorado Running Back Room at a Glance
So far this season, the Buffaloes have averaged 3.9 yards per attempt in the rushing attack. Shockingly enough, the Buffaloes had more trouble running the ball against Delaware (3.3 yards per rush) than they did against a Georgia Tech team (4.7 yards per rush) that's known for having a solid defensive front.
While part of that may be because of offensive play calling or quarterbacks being forced to use their legs outside of the pocket, the question still remains whether or not Colorado has a running back they can trust.
Simeon Price
Total Yards: 84
Yards/Carry: 6.0
Touchdowns: 0
Previous Schools: Mississippi State/Coastal Carolina
Simeon Price, though questionable for Friday's game, leads the team in production with 84 yards on the ground over 14 attempts. If the Buffaloes do have an RB1, Price probably fits that role the best with his ability to create missed tackles by the defense.
Micah Welch
Total Yards: 78
Yards/Carry: 4.3
Touchdowns: 1
If Colorado does decide to go with a running back-committee style of offense, fans can expect Micah Welch, a sophomore who appeared in 6 games for the Buffaloes last year, to have a significant role in the offense.
Dekalon Taylor
Total Yards: 50
Yards/Carry: 6.3
Touchdowns: 0
Total Receiving Yards: 87
Yards/Reception: 12.4
Receiving Touchdowns: 2
One of the more interesting players in the Colorado running back room is Dekalon Taylor, a transfer from Incarnate Word who's become a focal point of the Colorado offense in both the rushing and passing game. If there's an emerging superstar on Coach Sanders' team, Taylor probably fits that description best.
