Marshall Faulk continues to reshape Southern University football and the broader HBCU landscape by adding former NFL All-Pro Donald Penn to his coaching staff. Penn will serve as Southern’s offensive line coach, bringing elite professional experience to Baton Rouge ahead of Faulk’s first season on the sidelines.
The move is another signal that Faulk is building his inaugural staff with intention. His goal is clear: surround Southern’s players with coaches who understand the highest level of the game and know how to develop pros.
Donald Penn’s NFL Journey Sets the Tone Up Front
Donald Penn’s career is a blueprint for consistency and toughness.
An undrafted free agent out of Utah State in 2006, Penn went on to play 14 seasons in the NFL. He appeared in 194 games, starting 189, and earned three Pro Bowl selections in 2010, 2016, and 2017. In 2016, he was named first-team All-Pro while anchoring the Oakland Raiders’ offensive line.
Penn built his reputation with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he became a full-time starter early in his career. He later enjoyed his most decorated years with the Raiders, starting every game he played from 2014 to 2018. He finished his playing career with Washington in 2019 and officially retired as a Raider in 2021.
Notably, Penn also tied an NFL record with four career receiving touchdowns by an offensive lineman, a reminder of his versatility and football IQ.
Durability and Accountability at the Core
Few offensive linemen in NFL history matched Penn’s durability.
From 2007 to 2017, he started 170 consecutive games, a streak that spanned more than a decade. That reliability became his calling card and now shapes his coaching philosophy.
At Southern University, Penn is expected to bring that same mindset to an HBCU program looking to establish physical dominance at the line of scrimmage.
Coaching Experience and Player Development
While Penn is early in his coaching career, his transition has been deliberate.
In summer 2024, he worked with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive line as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. That opportunity gave him direct NFL coaching experience and helped accelerate his move into the profession.
Since retiring, Penn has also remained active in youth development. Through his foundation, he hosts annual free football camps for low-income youth in Los Angeles. That background aligns with Southern’s mission of development on and off the field.
A Coaching Staff Built With NFL and Power Five DNA
Penn joins a Southern staff that is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing in HBCU football.
Faulk has already added several high-profile pieces:
- Curtis Johnson, former Tulane head coach, as General Manager, bringing college and professional leadership experience
- Todd Lyght, former NFL star and Notre Dame defensive backs coach, as Defensive Coordinator
- Ben Miles, Florida State graduate assistant and son of longtime head coach Les Miles, is coaching tight ends
Together, the group blends NFL credibility with major college experience. As a result, Southern enters the season with one of the most uniquely constructed staffs in the HBCU ranks.
Marshall Faulk’s Vision Comes Into Focus
Marshall Faulk, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, was hired in late 2025 after previously coaching running backs at Colorado under Deion Sanders. Now at Southern, he is applying that experience to build a comprehensive program.
Adding Donald Penn strengthens the foundation of Faulk’s staff. It also reinforces a larger message: Southern University is serious about competing and developing talent at an elite level.
As Faulk’s first season approaches, the Jaguars are positioning themselves not just as contenders but as a model for what this brand of HBCU football leadership can look like.