Marshall Faulk stunned many fans when he announced that he had accepted the head coaching job at Southern University, a major move that instantly sparked headlines and debates across the college football world.
The former NFL legend had been closely connected to Deion Sanders’ program at Colorado, making his decision to leave CU even more surprising to supporters who expected him to remain part of Coach Prime’s fast-rising staff.
And now the biggest question dominating search trends is simple: How much will Marshall Faulk earn at Southern University, and how does that compare to what he made or was expected to make at Colorado?
While SU has not yet disclosed contract terms, existing HBCU salary data and industry coaching trends allow us to estimate Faulk’s expected earnings with strong accuracy.
How Much Marshall Faulk Earned at Colorado
Before accepting the head coaching job at Southern University, Marshall Faulk was earning one of the most competitive assistant compensation packages in the Pac-12 ecosystem.
According to publicly available salary data, the Hall of Fame running back began his college football coaching career at Colorado with a $400,000 total compensation package in 2025, placing him among the program’s highest-paid assistants under Deion Sanders.
His contract included a $300,000 base salary, reflecting his role and national profile, plus an additional $100,000 dedicated to community outreach tied to Colorado’s branding and university mission.
That outreach bonus was scheduled to increase to $125,000 in Year 2, meaning Faulk’s projected earnings at Colorado would have surpassed many Power Five assistant benchmarks.
Marshall Faulk’s Expected Earnings at Southern University
Marshall Faulk’s move to Southern University marks one of the most high-profile coaching hires in recent HBCU history, but the exact terms of his contract remain undisclosed.
Faulk is replacing Terrence Graves, who was dismissed in October 2025 after a poor start to his second season. Graves had a three-year contract through 2026 with a $250,000 annual base salary, including a liquidated damages clause that guarantees the full remaining value of the deal if terminated “without cause” during the first two years.
This means Southern is on the hook for approximately $500,000 in buyout, significantly impacting the program’s payroll.
Given Faulk’s Hall of Fame NFL career and coaching experience under Deion Sanders at Colorado, he is expected to earn well above Graves’ base, potentially in the $300,000-$400,000 range or higher, factoring in performance incentives and outreach initiatives.
Southern’s recent history shows the high cost of coaching changes, as the former coach Eric Dooley received a $460,000 settlement, demonstrating the financial stakes of leadership turnover.
Beyond salary, Faulk brings national attention, credibility, and recruiting leverage to Southern University, signaling a major upgrade for the program.
While numbers are speculative, his hiring represents a significant cultural and financial boost for HBCU football, underscoring the increasing investment in top-tier coaching talent.
Also Read: Do High School Football Head Coaches Make More Than College Position Coaches?