"That feels like a lot": Denver podcasters break down how Marshall Faulk will change Colorado running game drastically

Marshall Faulk has taken over as Colorado's running backs coach, joining Deion Sanders' staff, which features several assistants with professional football experience. As a former standout ball carrier, Faulk brings valuable expertise to the role and understands how to effectively manage players during game action.

On Monday's edition of the "DNVR CU Buffs Podcast," Jake Schwanitz discussed what Faulk might do with the Buffaloes' stable of tailbacks and even chose a possible bell cow for that attack.

"Marshall was talking about how, you know, it's kind of an old-school approach to the running back position because he definitely went through it," Schwanitz said. "But he was talking about when he was a freshman at San Diego State, he was, like, sixth on the depth chart or whatever. He had to work his way up, right?

"But, you need carries. He's saying these guys who get, like, 10 carries a game, like, you can't really evaluate them on that. He wants to focus, I think, on having a true lead back, so I do think there will be a rotation at this position, but I do think that, in this case, Micah Welch, if he emerges as a starter, he could be getting at least 15, probably 20-plus touches a game."

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Schwanitz' podcast co-host, Ryan Koenigsberg, pointed out the difference in what that would look like compared to last season for Colorado.

"It's funny that that sounds like a lot," Koenigsberg said. "Like, that's a little. And it feels like a lot to us at this point. I mean, there were several games last year where the starting running back got less than 10 carries. And I'm with Marshall Faulk. ... Every running back I've ever talked to doesn't like the by-committee approach, doesn't like the hot hand thing. It's like, 'Let me go out there and just feel the game for the first quarter and, like, you gotta keep giving me carries after that so I can adjust."

Who might Marshall Faulk see as Colorado's starting tailback?

Micah Welch is heading into his sophomore season with Colorado having started three games for the Buffaloes last year. According to the podcast, Marshall Faulk could view Micah Welch as being the premier ball carrier on the team's roster.

Welch had 186 yards rushing on 43 totes last season and tied for the team lead with four touchdown surges. He was rated a three-star prospect coming out of high school, where he was a two-time first-team All-State honoree at Baldwin High School in Milledgeville, Ga.

Marshall Faulk will hope Welch is the answer for a rushing attack that was seriously lacking in 2024.