Off Field, Faulk Is Silenced

Marshall Faulk had nothing to say. He wouldn’t talk; he couldn’t talk. And perhaps that was appropriate.

San Diego State sophomore tailback had spent Saturday afternoon ramming the football at USC, the school known as “Tailback U.”

Faulk shoulder-dipped, stutter-stepped and head-faked the Trojan defense silly. He had 220 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries.

But when the Aztecs had chances to defeat the USC in what wound up a 31-31 tie, Faulk’s services were not suitable. He doesn’t kick field goals, and SDSU didn’t call his number on a last-gasp sideline pass to Keith Williams, which Williams dropped.

Instead, Faulk crouched on the sidelines and watched along with 52,168 fans at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium as Andy Trakas missed a 30-yard field-goal attempt with 58 seconds left and a 55-yarder with three seconds to go.

When asked for comments in the locker room, Faulk said, “Not now.” SDSU publicist John Rothenthal later announced that Faulk was “emotionally distressed” and, for the first time, would not accept any interview requests.

“He’s hurting,” Coach Al Luginbill said. “I think you guys can understand that. He plays to win.”

Faulk might be getting tired of contributing mightily in big games that the Aztecs can’t seem to win. He rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns in SDSU’s 52-52 tie with Brigham Young last year. He had 157 yards rushing and 42 receiving in a 28-17 loss to Tulsa in the Freedom Bowl.

USC hadn’t had its hands this full since Cal’s Russell White riddled them for 229 yards on 23 carries last year.

They won’t finish the season without remembering four plays: Faulk’s third-quarter touchdown runs of 11 and 59 yards, his 30-yard run to the USC 38-yard line late in the fourth and a three-yard burst that put 6-foot-6, 240-pound linebacker Willie McGinest temporarily out of the game.

“He proved today he’s a great back,” said Stephon Pace, USC’s three-year starting strong safety. Faulk blew past Pace (who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4) on the 59-yard sweep that gave the Aztecs a 31-27 lead late in the third.

Twice Faulk used fakes to get free. On the 11-yard touchdown, a sweep left, safety Jason Sehorn tried to tackle Faulk by the shoulder pads and got spun around like a top. After taking a delayed handoff on his 30-yarder, Faulk galloped straight at sophomore cornerback Jerald Henry. Faulk wiggled and zoomed upfield; Henry appeared to be looking for a chair.

“It was just a mental mistake,” said Henry, who missed Faulk completely but refused to acknowledge he was over-matched. “I was ready. It was just . . . like I said, a mental mistake.”

Most impressive, however, was how Faulk plowed his helmet into McGinest’s stomach, knocking the wind out of the junior linebacker, who had two sacks. Faulk gained three yards on the play.

“We contained him,” said McGinest, who perhaps got his bell rung, too. “Our goal was to stop him and I think, basically, we did that.”

Faulk, 19, who led the nation in rushing as a freshman, kept his thoughts to himself. It was perhaps his most emotional game, what with his mother attending her first Aztec game and the fact he’s being touted for the Heisman Trophy.

“I don’t think he has anything left to give,” Aztec quarterback David Lowery said. “It’s hard to keep giving.”

Without winning.