How come Marshall Faulk didn't go to LSU?

I was only 1 or 2 years old when Faulk was probably being recruited by colleges, so I have no clue what all went on. But I just found it strange that he went all the way to California to play ball even though he played right here in Carver. Well, I guess it's not all that strange because McKnight just kind of did the same thing ;p

But still, was LSU close to getting him to come here? Or was he not considered a major prospect at the time? SDSU isn't that big of a program so maybe he was a bit of an unknown? But they always say he was a standout at Carver and I'm sure that caught the attention of some big schools...

Anyway, if anyone could shed some light on this I'd appreciate it, thanks.

 

Too young to rember the Curley years.....if we could all be so lucky.

According to this site

 

Thanks for making me feel old. Appreciate it.

 

It's true...LSU, along with a lot of other "big time" colleges, wanted him to be a defensive back. SDSU was one of the few that said they would let him be a running back. So much for recruiting expertise...:nope:

 

it might also have to do with curley recruiting many other top rbs. dont remember if they were in the same class as faulk, but he did get--robert davis, james jaquet, david butler, germaine williams, robert toomer. did i forget anyone? didnt follow recruiting back then but i remember this rb class was supposed to be great. harvey williams was still around, too.

 

I remember the 1991 BYU game, They were all about Faulk that game. The play by play guys were talking about his passion to play RB. And they mentioned that the RB coach was from LA and was close to MF.


Sept. 14, 1991— College coaches envisioned Marshall Faulk as an impact player — at cornerback. Faulk disagreed. He wanted to slash past defensive backs not join them.

So Faulk signed with San Diego State, where coach Al Luginbill made him a deal. "The understanding was that he needed to leave spring practice as one of the top two running backs," Luginbill recalled. "If he didn't, we reserved the right to move him to defense."

Faulk clawed his way to No. 2 before the 1991 season opener. An injury to starter T.C. Wright in San Diego State's second game brought Faulk off the bench. He responded by rushing for a then-NCAA Division I-A record 386 yards and seven touchdowns to lead San Diego State to a 55-34 thumping of Pacific.

"It certainly got the entire nation's attention," said Luginbill, coach of the Arena Football League's Detroit Fury. "It was a truly remarkable performance."

Faulk's days as a reserve were over. He racked up 1,429 rushing yards in 1991 while leading the Aztecs to an 8-4-1 record and a birth in the Freedom Bowl. Before bolting to the NFL, Faulk shattered the San Diego State all-time rushing mark with 4,589 yards in three seasons.

 

Yep, Curley was hellbent on him being a defensive back.

Same for Steve McNair, though that wasn't unique to LSU.

I think some impact players like that have changed recruiting, in that the coaches will recruit guys with understanding that they will at least get a shot to play their position of choice.

 

I thought for sure it was a tape mix up and that SDSU was the only school to actually receive an offensive tape.

Just found this:

 

Don't agree. Hallman was just a f'n idiot who laid the law down on the wrong things throughout his tenure at LSU. Plenty of coaches were recruiting this way while he was here.

I would be interested to know Mcnair's grade situation coming out of HS

 

"Hard to imagine that barely anybody recruited him as a running back out of high school in New Orleans and the one that did, San Diego State, initially sought to redshirt the man who would become the first freshman to lead the nation in rushing and scoring. Had it not been for a mix-up in sending high school game tapes, Faulk might have ended up at cornerback. Nebraska, LSU and Texas A&M were among those pursuing him on defense where, on one tape, he had three interceptions in a game and ran two back for touchdowns alternating between split end and cornerback. But the tape the Aztecs got was of a different game, one in which he was a running back rushing for 200 yards and five touchdowns."

Bad excuse. If he's from LA, there should have been stories, anecdotes, people watching his games in person.