Marshall Faulk should have been a Cane

DMoney

D-Moni
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This story is fairly well-known, but on his NFL Network documentary Marshall Faulk made it clear that he wanted to be a Cane. Erickson only offered him at CB.

The lesson: if you like the player, and he's dead-set on playing a certain position, give him a chance to prove you wrong. If he gets outplayed, it will be a lot easier to switch his position. If he wins the job, it works just as well.

Thankfully, Butch didn't make the same mistake with Clinton Portis.
 
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I remember that when I was watching Faulk play in college. The announcers said he wanted to go to Miami, but they only offered him as a DB.
 
Wasn't sdsu the only school to offer him as a rb? Sdsu was easily the lower of all his visits.
 
**** Marshall Faulk at Miami?!? He would have been Right before Edgerrin James too.... that would have been so unfair
 
This story is fairly well-known, but on his NFL Network documentary Marshall Faulk made it clear that he wanted to be a Cane. Erickson only offered him at CB.

The lesson: if you like the player, and he's dead-set on playing a certain position, give him a chance to prove you wrong. If he gets outplayed, it will be a lot easier to switch his position. If he wins the job, it works just as well.

Thankfully, Butch didn't make the same mistake with Clinton Portis.

This ^^^^^ is exactly why I laugh when people slurp any coach as if they're infallible.

I agree. You bring the kid in and let him compete at his preferred spot.

Best case scenario he proves he's a stud and makes the coach look like a genius. Worst case scenario you move him to a different position. It's a win-win.

Unfortunately, coaching egos often get in the way of common sense.
 
Golden did this with Rudolph.

I will say, despite his MANY flaws as a required and coach, that randy did the right thing and gave Allen Bailey a shot at LB.


Not sure why more coaches won't let the kid "try out" for the position they want. If they make it great, if not you say well there's position B (or the door).
 
Golden did this with Rudolph.

I will say, despite his MANY flaws as a required and coach, that randy did the right thing and gave Allen Bailey a shot at LB.


Not sure why more coaches won't let the kid "try out" for the position they want. If they make it great, if not you say well there's position B (or the door).

Was going to say the same thing after reading D$'s post; hopefully others would realize faster than Bailey did when it makes sense to change positions.
 
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This story is fairly well-known, but on his NFL Network documentary Marshall Faulk made it clear that he wanted to be a Cane. Erickson only offered him at CB.

The lesson: if you like the player, and he's dead-set on playing a certain position, give him a chance to prove you wrong. If he gets outplayed, it will be a lot easier to switch his position. If he wins the job, it works just as well.

Thankfully, Butch didn't make the same mistake with Clinton Portis.
Dude was only the most talented rb of all time. Why let him decide he doesn't want to be DB?
 
Faulk is one of the few guys who would've been a hofer at multiple positions . Db, wr or rb.

I've heard former coaches and teammates say his hands and route running were the best they've ever seen. He was a once a lifetime player
 
This story is fairly well-known, but on his NFL Network documentary Marshall Faulk made it clear that he wanted to be a Cane. Erickson only offered him at CB.

The lesson: if you like the player, and he's dead-set on playing a certain position, give him a chance to prove you wrong. If he gets outplayed, it will be a lot easier to switch his position. If he wins the job, it works just as well.

Thankfully, Butch didn't make the same mistake with Clinton Portis.

A good friend of mine went to school with CP, most coaches ( obc included ) wanted him at db.
 
Faulk is one of the few guys who would've been a hofer at multiple positions . Db, wr or rb.

I've heard former coaches and teammates say his hands and route running were the best they've ever seen. He was a once a lifetime player

I was just thinking that as Cam Newton being recruited as a TE was mentioned in another thread. I agree though in that obviously they ended up excelling in their desired positions but in some cases there's a decent chance they actually may have ended up great at a number of positions. As has been established though, you obviously don't want to lose these type of kids over insisting (initially) that they play something else than what they're set on and have options elsewhere to play.
 
Golden did this with Rudolph.

I will say, despite his MANY flaws as a required and coach, that randy did the right thing and gave Allen Bailey a shot at LB.


Not sure why more coaches won't let the kid "try out" for the position they want. If they make it great, if not you say well there's position B (or the door).
Torrrence Gibson also
 
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Do we beat Bama in '92 with Faulk?

That team was so over confident that it doesn't matter, they knew Bama had no chance. One of the few times I remember a Mia team losing focus leading up to a big game.
 
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This story is fairly well-known, but on his NFL Network documentary Marshall Faulk made it clear that he wanted to be a Cane. Erickson only offered him at CB.

The lesson: if you like the player, and he's dead-set on playing a certain position, give him a chance to prove you wrong. If he gets outplayed, it will be a lot easier to switch his position. If he wins the job, it works just as well.

Thankfully, Butch didn't make the same mistake with Clinton Portis.

A good friend of mine went to school with CP, most coaches ( obc included ) wanted him at db.

True! Butch gave him his shot at RB and the rest is history. We played against CP in high school. You knew then that he was playing on Sunday's!
 
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