Marshall Faulk has talked about consistency all season.
After Southern University’s 35-17 loss to Jackson State on Saturday, the Jaguars’ coach made it clear that the problem has gone beyond simply playing an uneven game.
It has become part of who Southern is.
“I just know that we’re better than what we did today, but if we continue to come out and be inconsistent and inconsistent, that becomes who we are,” Faulk said.
Following Saturday’s loss, Faulk’s frustration was even more direct.
He questioned the effort of some of his players and warned that those who aren’t willing to compete at the level he expects won’t continue to see the field.
“I don’t get it,” Faulk said in a postgame video posted in YouTube by Faulk Media. “And that’s who we are right now.”. “If this shit don’t hurt, if it don’t bother you, if you’re not holding back as a man trying not to be emotional about it, then something’s with you and you’re on the wrong team.”
Faulk said the coaching staff will be accountable for its mistakes, but players will have to take responsibility for theirs.
“We as coaches, we’re going to be accountable for our part. We’re gonna hold you accountable for your part,” he said. “You’re not gonna get to hide behind the shadows.”
The coach also challenged players who didn’t play to examine why they weren’t on the field, particularly after what he considered a lack of effort from some who were.
“We’re in the business of competition,” Faulk said. “Compete. We show you the ball, we put you in. That’s what happens around here.”
Then came the warning.
“If somebody is comfortable feeling like we need you, I promise you we don’t,” Faulk said. “You will not play another down here if you don’t play as hard as you can.”
For Faulk, the issue wasn’t simply that Southern lost. It was how the Jaguars lost — and whether the same problems that have followed them throughout the season are becoming their identity.
“That was not elite effort,” Faulk said.
He pointed specifically to players who, in his view, were simply going through the motions.
“We had some guys out there that was just out there,” he said. “And that’s not gonna be on this team. It’s not.”
That sets up a potentially significant stretch for Southern.
Faulk has spent the season challenging his team to become more consistent. After Saturday, he’s now talking about accountability, playing time, and potentially making changes to the group he takes into battle.
