Steelers Hiring NC State’s Eddie Faulkner as Running Backs Coach

According to Ian Rapoport, it looks NC State is losing their 4th member of their football coaching staff. The Wolfpack’s Tight End Coach, Fullbacks Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Eddie Faulkner is joining the Pittsburgh Steelers as their Running Backs Coach. Faulkner also recently took on the title as Recruiting Coordinator at NC State.

The #Steelers are expected to hire #NCState TEs/FBs coach and ST coordinator Eddie Faulkner as their new RBs coach, sources say. A hire from an unexpected place to work with James Conner and others.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 16, 2019

Of course, Eddie Faulkner coached Jaylen Samuels at NC State. Perhaps Mike Tomlin and #Steelers brass liked what they saw while scouting Samuels. https://t.co/hpEc5p9UaE

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 16, 2019

Even though Faulkner hasn’t coached Running Backs in his time at NC State (6 seasons) he did run the backfield for Doeren in 2011 at Northern Illinois.

In that one year, he coached All-MAC tailback Jasmin Hopkins, who rushed for 956 yards and 15 touchdowns on 187 carries (5.1 avg.). NIU boasted the #12 rushing attack in the nation with an average of 234.1 yards per game.

Prior to that, Faulkner was the Running Back’s Coach at Ball State for 6 seasons. In 2008, they went undefeated, and MiQuale Lewis rushed for a Ball State record 1,736 yards.

Faulkner is now officially reunited with Jaylen Samuels, who he recruited from Mallard Creek (Charlotte, NC) to Raleigh, and groomed into an All-ACC player who ended his career with the most receptions in school history (202).