Overview
- Southern executed a partially signed three-year agreement effective Jan. 1 that pays Faulk $400,000 annually and includes performance and ticket-revenue incentives, according to documents obtained via open records.
- If fired without cause before Dec. 31, 2027, Faulk would be owed $400,000 in liquidated damages, dropping to $75,000 thereafter, and he would owe $400,000 if he departs early.
- The contract grants Faulk 20% of new fundraising he helps generate and allows him to direct half of those funds to football, subject to academic and eligibility benchmarks set by the NCAA.
- Faulk has begun assembling a staff funded by a $950,000 pool, with reported hires including Todd Lyght as defensive coordinator and Ben Miles as tight ends coach, and additional reports naming Kyle Caskey as offensive coordinator, Donald Penn as offensive line coach, and Curtis Johnson as general manager and senior advisor.
- Southern is taking on this investment while still handling prior coaching costs, with local reports citing a $460,000 settlement tied to Eric Dooley and an estimated $500,000 obligation related to Terrence Graves’ in-season exit.