Marshall Faulk already has moved on from the loss in his Southern coaching debut.
He is now focused on what his team needs to do to improve for its next game. When he was asked about how Trey Holly can bounce back after averaging 2.5 yards on 15 carries in a 13-point loss to Alabama State — the No. 2 team in BOXTOROW’s HBCU media poll this week — Faulk used the question to explain the mindset he’s stressing not only to Holly but also to his team.
“(Do) not try to bounce back,” the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back said at Wednesday’s media availability. “Go out and play our best game. That's what we're trying to do. I don't really look at it as a bounce-back (game). I just look at it as a chance to continue to move forward and get better.”
That is Southern’s mission when it plays its home opener against Division II Kentucky State at 6 p.m. Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium.
The last time Southern played a D-II program was Savannah State in 2024, which, like this season, was the home opener and the second game of the year after a season-opening loss. Against Savannah State, which finished 5-5 that year, Southern won 42-10.
Results from two years ago and the desire for Southern to earn its first home win since Nov. 16, 2024, aren’t noteworthy to Faulk. The Jaguars coach doesn’t feel a heightened pressure to snap the team’s five-game home losing streak. He instead feels an equal weight each time his team takes the field.
“I feel pressure to get every win,” Faulk said. “Here's the reality: When I played the game, I didn't have any pressure because I played the game. I was in the game. Now I'm standing on the sideline, there's all pressure because you know it's, ‘Did we do enough to get them ready? Did we give them enough information? And in the moments of the game, are they going to fight?’ You don't know that. And what I can't do is I can't go out there and affect the game.”
While the former 12-year NFL star can’t play anymore, he has made sure his team doesn’t overlook Kentucky State because of its D-II status.
“Don't you worry about that,” he said. “We don't have the right to overlook anyone. You know, in this game we might be the underdog. A lot of these teams, they've been together. We don't have a core yet, you know.
"If you really want to know, in that (Alabama State) game, we were feeling out and figuring out who the guys are we can count on and go to because it's one thing in practice … this is the landscape of football in today's world of the portal and bringing guys in.”
Kentucky State, which went 9-3 last year, is coming off a 41-14 road win over D-II Central State.
Southern junior linebacker Tay James said the Jaguars have no intention of looking down on anyone.
“Kentucky State, they’re a well-coached team just like we are,” said the Jones College transfer who led Southern with nine tackles last game. “Only thing we got to do is just go out there and play our best. No matter if they're D-II, D-I, D-III, whatever. We still got to go out there and play our best.”