Southern University opened the 2026 season with a 30-17 loss to Alabama State on Saturday, and head coach Marshall Faulk believes the Jaguars’ biggest problem was one they could control.
Mistakes.
Faulk said he was pleased with the effort from most of his team, but costly penalties, missed opportunities and defensive breakdowns prevented Southern from finishing plays and drives.
“For the majority of the guys, I was pleased with their effort,” Faulk said after the game. “The guys, they played hard. We just have to finish plays. We got to finish drives.”
For the first half of the Marshall Faulk era, Southern did not resemble a team that won two games in 2025.
The Jaguars took it to an Alabama State team expected to appear in the Celebration Bowl and built a double-digit lead at one point.
Then the Hornets woke up from their… pic.twitter.com/9Cx4ppYIEA
— HBCU Sports (@HBCUSports) August 29, 2026
The Jaguars committed several penalties, including holding calls that killed promising drives. Faulk said those mistakes are exactly what Southern must eliminate moving forward.
“We really put ourselves in some bad situations,” he said. “Some costly holding penalties, just different things that we always talk about that are drive killers.”
Faulk was direct about discipline
“The number one thing that I told you guys we can’t do, which is beat yourself,” he said. “You can’t do that. You cannot do that.”
If players don’t correct those mistakes, Faulk said Southern could turn to less talented players who execute better.
“We’re going to work with those guys on those things and try to get them to fix it,” he said. “If not, we’re going to find guys to play that might not be as talented … but at least they won’t beat themselves.”
Defensively, Faulk said Southern’s problems went beyond tackling. Poor positioning and spacing also contributed to the Jaguars’ struggles.
“We just had guys kind of going rogue, doing their own thing,” Faulk said.
Still, he found encouragement in the defense’s response late in the game. After Southern turned the ball over on downs, Alabama State threatened to extend its lead. Instead, the Jaguars forced the Hornets to settle for a field goal.
“You don’t build character when things are good,” Faulk said. “We’re down two scores … and they went out there and they forced the field goal.”
Quarterback Christian Johnson also impressed Faulk with his toughness. Johnson, primarily a pocket passer, showed a willingness to run when passing opportunities weren’t available.
Faulk said Johnson’s ability to fight for difficult yards demonstrated the toughness required at quarterback.
How did Ckelby Givens look?
Defensive standout Ckelby Givens made an impact in his return, although Faulk acknowledged he played more snaps than planned. Alabama State’s tempo made it difficult to rotate defenders.
“Ckelby is Ckelby,” Faulk said. “He’s going to make plays. It only gets better from here.”
Southern also dealt with numerous cramps, prompting Faulk to say the program will examine everything from conditioning to diet.
Ultimately, Faulk said the Jaguars must learn to sustain momentum and avoid the mistakes that cost them against Alabama State.
“The only one — there’s only one way to play with a lead: get a bigger lead,” Faulk said.
For Southern, the message after Week 1 is clear: effort wasn’t the issue. Execution was.
And Faulk intends to fix it.
