Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders has officially announced he will coach one final game at his Southwestern Athletic Conference School. He has accepted a new job at a Power 5 Conference program and plans on transitioning multiple players from Jackson State University to Colorado.
In two full seasons as the head coach for the Jackson State Tigers, Coach Prime compiled a record of 23 wins, only two losses, and back-to-back SWAC championships. Sanders provided a spark for the football program and for the city of Jackson, Mississippi.
Prior to Coach Prime’s arrival, Jackson State had a record of 5-5 in 2018 and 4-8 in 2019. Coach Prime signed with JSU in 2020, but unfortunately, it was a season that was downsized and played in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite all the obstacles, Sanders led his team to a 4-3 record.
The past two seasons in Jackson, Mississippi, have been truly magical as the NFL Hall of Famer, Deion Sanders, elevated the Jackson State football program. Sanders is a polarizing figure who was able to utilize his gift of motivating and encouraging his student-athletes successfully.
Coach Prime led the Tigers to an 11-2 season in 2021, signed the number 1 rated college recruit Travis Hunter in Jan. 2022, and is on the verge of attempting to secure an undefeated season on December 17 when Jackson State clashes with North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl.
The Celebration Bowl will represent the final chapter of Coach Prime’s tenure as the head coach of JSU. In a very short period of time, Sanders changed the narrative at Jackson State. He turned the football squad into a winning program, placed the team under the national spotlight, and boosted the economy in Jackson, Mississippi.
Now Coach Prime is ready for a fresh challenge in his new location of Boulder, Colorado. Once again, he has rebuilt a program, as the Buffaloes ended the 2022 season with a record one win and 11 losses. On Sunday, December 4, Deion Sanders addressed the media as the new head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes.
“Now that I’ve gotten here, and I can see, and I can understand it, and I can grasp it, and I can feel it, and I can touch it, and I can taste it, I truly understand what you want.” Sanders went on to state, “All you want is an opportunity to win. To compete, to dominate. To be among the elite, to be among the best, and darn it, I’m gonna give you that.”
After addressing the media, Coach Prime spoke with current Colorado Buffaloes football team members. “We got a few positions already taken care of because I’m bringing my luggage with me, and it’s Louis Vuitton.”
In addition to stating his plans to bring some of his own players, Coach Prime encouraged some of the current Colorado players to enter the transfer portal. Sanders spoke about his desire to win, and he also announced the fact that his son Shedeur Sanders will be the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback for the 2023 college football season.
The Colorado Buffaloes quarterback from the 2022 season Owen McCown, has already entered the transfer portal. Along with Shedeur Sanders, his brother, safety Shilo Sanders, cornerback Travis Hunter, and about seven others are expected to make the transition from Jackson State to Colorado.
Most are happy regarding Coach Prime’s new opportunity, but some members of the HBCU community feel betrayed. They assumed Coach Prime would lead the journey in regards to closing the gap between Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Power 5 schools. Instead of leading the charge, Sanders has joined the elite.
However, during his brief coaching career at Jackson State, Deion Sanders did an outstanding job of generating revenue, placing the HBCU brand in the national spotlight. Because of the influence of Deion Sanders, HBCU football programs received more television time, and the Jackson State vs. Southern University game was featured on the popular pregame show ‘ESPN College Gameday.’
By accepting the Colorado job, Coach Prime’s compensation jumps from 300K to 5 million dollars annually. He also receives the opportunity to coach on the big stage under the bright lights. Realistically, Sanders has a big rebuilding job ahead of him, but hopefully, at some point in his Power 5 coaching career, he will excel to the level of competing for a national championship.
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