Saturday, January 29, 2000
Faulk major reason behind Rams' success
Versatile back huge pick-up for offense
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ATLANTA — Say the name “Marshall Faulk” in Cincinnati, and the collective groan can be heard from Anderson Township to the Zoo. Faulk was about five seconds away from being a Bengal in 1994.
That's the time Ohio State defensive lineman Dan Wilkinson ran in the 40-yard dash in a pro workout that convinced the Bengals Wilkinson was that rare breed of defensive lineman they had sought for years. So they made him the first pick in the draft, and Faulk, San Diego State's versatile running back, went second to the Colts.
The Bengals endured an excruciating debate. Drafting Wilkinson went against Bengals President Mike Brown's belief that scoring wins, but Wilkinson was too gifted to pass up.
But that's all water under the bridge. It's so long ago, Faulk scoffed when a reporter asked why he didn't want to get drafted No.1 by the Bengals: “I didn't want to go to Cincinnati. Why? Why not? You know, right? You must be in sports.”
It's no surprise Faulk is a major reason the Rams are in Sunday's Super Bowl after he set the NFL's season record for yards from scrimmage with 2,429. It just hurts more that Wilkinson never panned out and was traded.
“You can't say it worked out, but I would have made that pick,” said Gil Brandt, who built the Cowboys of the '60s and '70s. “Outside of the quarterback, the most important position is the defensive line simply because of its rarity. The third position is left tackle, and then running backs and wide receivers fall into place.”
When the name, “Marshall Faulk” was mentioned in St.Louis last spring after he was traded from Indianapolis, there was euphoria from St.Joseph to St.Charles. Especially in a Rams locker room needing a boost after finishing a 4-12 season with June Henley and Amp Lee in the backfield.
“I had played on a number of teams where the offenses went three and out,” Rams cornerback Todd Lyght said. “Sometimes we'd be on the field an average of 85 to 90 snaps. I knew instantly we'd get better. I told people we'd win 10 games and be a contender for the playoffs. They asked me why, and I said, "The team's good for six wins, and Marshall is good for four more.' He lit it up against us in '95 with 180 yards and had a 70-yarder called back, so I knew what he could do first-hand.”
Last year Faulk, coming off a season when he had reached 1,000 yards for both rushing and receiving, told the Colts he wanted to re-do a deal paying him $2.5 million in the last year of his contract. He would have returned if the Colts had paid him, but they figured Faulk had a lot of miles on him and decided to draft Edgerrin James. They virtually gave away Faulk for second- and fifth-round draft picks.
The Rams gave Faulk $6 million a year and watched him come to life under offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Faulk touched the ball 70 fewer times this year than last but racked up 202 more yards as he lined up all over the field.
More than any other coach has with Faulk, Martz has played chess with him, scheming to get him mismatched on slower, bigger players. So Martz lines him up everywhere: running back, in motion, in the slot, split as a receiver.
“He fit into this system; it wasn't the other way around,” Martz said. “And he gave us more leeway than in the past. When you look at the tape, you have to look real hard to realize he's not a wide receiver, because he's as fast and runs his routes as crisply as any receiver down the field. He's a good pass blocker — the consummate back.”
Faulk is more of a deep threat than former Bengal James Brooks, but he prefers running the ball. A man who runs as sparingly as he speaks, Faulk said his most unique physical attribute is his vision: “I see everything.”
And Faulk, who grew up poor in the New Orleans projects, is a smart player. He makes it his business to know each of his teammates' assignments on each play. He alertly saved a timeout against Tennessee on Oct.31 when he helped injured wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim to his feet and told him to stay on the field for a play.
All of which pleases Wilbert Montgomery, the Rams' running backs coach. Montgomery did for Dick Vermeil in Philadelphia in the early '80s what Faulk is doing for Vermeil now: providing versatility and outside speed.
Montgomery said Faulk is a player who must be challenged, so during the week when the offense is game-planning, he'll go to Faulk and show him a handful of plays he thinks should be game-breakers if run correctly.
“I'm not talking about short-yardage or the medium-yardage plays,” Montgomery said. “If you pop them, you pop them, but we're not expecting you to. He gives you a little bit more (on the potential long plays). You can feel it. You can see it in his mannerisms and in his face, and that means he really wants the ball.”
And the Rams wouldn't trade him for the world.
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