Trey Holly felt like Southern coach Marshall Faulk vs. FAMU | Southern

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Trey Holly channeled his coach.

Southern’s star running back said he looked like Marshall Faulk in his team’s 42-14 win over Florida A&M (2-7, 1-4 SWAC) at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Holly rushed for 204 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. The only disagreement Faulk, who rushed for 12,279 yards during his 12-year NFL career, had with the comparison came on one play.

A third touchdown was within Holly’s reach with about four minutes remaining. The redshirt junior’s 67-yard run down the left side ended when a defender chased and brought him down at the 11-yard line.

“He talking about he wouldn’t have gotten caught on the last one, but I was tired,” Holly said. “I was out there exhausted, but I mean, no excuses. I’m still supposed to score at the end of the day.”

The 5-foot-7, 192-pound tailback overcame any fatigue throughout, running for the 171 yards needed against FAMU to become the first Southern running back to top 1,000 yards in a season since Herbert Edwards in 2017.

Faulk is proud of his top offensive player’s dominant season. He told Holly that doing his job at the position will allow Southern (4-5, 2-3) to win the battle of physicality and successfully wear down an opponent.

“We’re gonna run the ball, and that’s what we’re doing,” Faulk said. “I’m glad that he and I talked. I told him some things he had to do from spring to the summer. And he came ready, and that readiness, it’s showing.”

Holly credited his offensive line for his showing and the overall production in the game that had 312 yards rushing compared to FAMU’s 87.

Southern had a new wrinkle on offense with a wildcat package that featured Holly taking direct snaps instead of quarterback Christian Johnson, who had 112 passing yards and a touchdown. The Jaguars went to that play a handful of times with much success. Holly said he had been hoping that part of the playbook would eventually be unveiled.

“That’s something I’ve been begging for a lil minute,” Holly said. “‘Put the ball in my hand. Let me make a play.’ So I’ve been, begging for it for a lil minute, and you know, it finally went in.”

Faulk explained that the idea to give Holly direct snaps was one that came collectively.

“We just want to present as many looks as possible,” he said. “When we get into that look, you know, it’s like it’s 11-on-11. When you have a quarterback in there, sometimes it’s a little different. But giving Trey man-to-man, if he beat that man, you know, it’s a big run because we get a hat on a hat. I like that matchup, him versus anybody one-on-one.”

Southern cornerback Michael Williams knows as well as anyone how tough it is to prepare for Holly after facing him plenty of times in practice over two years. The redshirt junior, who had two interceptions, explained Holly’s two superpowers.

“Trey, he got great vision,” Williams said. “Some of the best vision I ever seen. And then also his balance. He already low to the ground, so he’s lower than the first man that gets there. So his balance and his vision make him one of the most dynamic players that I’ve seen with my own two eyes.”