Since Deion Sanders arrived in Colorado, the school has seen a dramatic shift in the talent and overall play from its football program. Last season, the Buffaloes had one of the most prolific passing offenses in the sport.
However, their rushing offense was one of the worst, and new running backs coach Marshall Faulk explains why the ground game has struggled during Sanders’ tenure and how they plan to fix it in 2025.
Marshall Faulk Backs Deion Sanders’ Plan to Revamp Colorado’s Run Game
It’s no secret that Colorado’s rushing offense has struggled since Sanders took over the program. In 2024, the Buffaloes averaged just 65.2 rushing yards per game, the worst mark in the FBS and an abysmal number.
To address that, Sanders brought in NFL legend and Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk as the program’s new running backs coach for the 2025 season.
During a press conference, Faulk spoke about last year’s rushing issues, noting that Colorado didn’t need to rely on the run game because the offense was so prolific overall.
“Overall, in the past, just to make this statement, it was tough to tell exactly what we had in the backfield in the sense of talent, because when you have four guys in the NFL and the quarterback, obviously, you’re throwing the ball,” Faulk said.
Faulk makes a fair point. Colorado’s passing offense was stacked with talent, with four wide receivers, including Heisman winner Travis Hunter, and starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders all moving on to the NFL after the 2024 season.
Despite a poor rushing attack, the offense remained productive thanks to a passing game that ranked sixth nationally in yards per game.
However, with so much talent lost in the passing game, the Buffaloes will need to take a different approach and run the ball more in 2025, something Faulk believes Coach Prime is ready to do.
“Last year, they just didn’t rely a lot on the running game, and this year, [Deion Sanders] wants to implement that,” Faulk said.
The Buffaloes have playmakers at the running back position, led by Dallan Hayden, who transferred from Ohio State to Colorado before the 2024 season and rushed for 196 yards last year.
They also brought in transfer DeKalon Taylor from Incarnate Word this offseason. Last season, he ran for 909 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging six yards per carry.
With potentially the best offensive line Sanders has ever fielded at Colorado, the running game has a real chance to improve this season. Given Faulk’s statements and Sanders’ willingness to run the ball, the rushing attack should be much better in 2025.
