Written by When many of us think of Deion “Prime Time” Sanders, we think of how he completely dominated the NFL for 14 seasons. But now, the 2x Super Bowl Champ has found a different way to impact the great sport of football. Deion Sanders is in his first year as head coach at Jackson State University (JSU), located in Jackson, Mississippi. Sanders’s coaching hire and coaching style are huge for the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) sports culture. According to 247Sports, Jackson State’s 2021 recruiting class was ranked 55th in the nation, the highest of any HBCU, and ahead of schools with significantly larger athletic budgets like Duke and Iowa State. The allure of coming to Jackson State to be coached by a living legend is certainly a factor in why some athletes recruited from Florida State, Auburn, UCF, Louisville, and other schools, decided to come to Jackson State. But his celebrity status is not the only reason students are committing to JSU and believing in his coaching methods.
Jackson State founded in 1877 during a time when the nation was racially divided, and traditional universities and colleges did not let African American students enroll. Jackson State was built to educate the African Americans of Mississippi and surrounding states. HBCUs are vital to the community in terms of offering a safe space for African Americans to learn while preserving and teaching them about their history and heritage.
Unfortunately, HBCUs are heavily underrepresented in recruiting, national game coverage, and exposure when it comes to sports. Deion Sanders has recently brought this underrepresentation to public light. In a recent post-game press conference, Coach Sanders asked why the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), does not put the players’ names on the back of their jerseys. Other Division I football conferences have their players’ last names on the back of their jerseys, prompting Sanders to bring up the fact that SWAC players have worked hard to get to this point in their lives and careers, and deserve to have their name on the back of their jersey. Sanders also stated that players’ mothers, family members, and friends would like to see their loved one’s name on the back of their jersey. This may seem like a simple request, but the attention to detail and emphasis on seemingly “small” items are essential in shifting the culture of HBCU sports. The athletes at these HBCU schools work hard just like their counterparts from other Division I schools and deserve to be recognized and receive the same perks as them, including something as simple as putting their names on the back of their jerseys. The players seeing Coach Sanders bring awareness to these discrepancies and being passionate about SWAC getting their deserved recognition, also shows them that Sanders is dedicated and cares about the program as well as the players. When someone with the star power and influence as Deion publicly brings forth an issue, the chances of that issue being addressed are significantly increased. Coach Sanders knows this, and the players know this as well, so for the athletes to see Coach Sanders use his fame for their benefit will allow them to continue to have faith in him and what he’s doing with the program at Jackson State. This public display of Coach Sanders publicly advocating for his players and the conference will likely attract recruits to commit or transfer to Jackson State to play for him.
However, Deion Sanders’s presence spans far past convincing players to come play for “Prime Time” at Jackson State. Coach Sanders bringing awareness to issues within SWAC, will pressure the conference to make changes across the board for all teams. The positive change that Coach Sanders creates at Jackson State will naturally have a trickle effect on other schools and help improve the athletic experience at all HBCUs and draw talented athletes to strongly consider HBCU schools during their recruitment process.
Currently, Coach Sanders isn’t the only NFL superstar that is a head coach at an HBCU this season. Heisman Trophy winner and 4x Pro Bowler Eddie George is the head coach at Tennessee State. Just like Deion, Eddie’s star power has brought some well-deserved attention to HBCU football. At the beginning of this month, both Sanders’s and George’s schools kicked off their season with nationally televised games. On September 5th, Coach Sanders and Jackson State faced Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) at the Orange Bowl Classic that aired on ESPN2. On the same day, Eddie George and Tennessee State face Grambling State on the NFL Network. These two games being televised on this level is a massive deal for HBCU sports because it brings attention and awareness to these schools’ talented programs. One of the biggest problems that HBCU’s face is lack of exposure. Fans and professional team scouts don’t get the opportunity to see the players at these schools like they do other Division I schools that acquire more television time. This lack of exposure deters high school athletes from signing to these schools in fear that they won’t get enough recognition to make it to the next level. But with star-powered coaches like Sanders and George producing talent, more television networks may adapt HBCU games into their schedule and give them the opportunity to be seen that they deserve.
Historically black colleges and universities hold a special place in the African American community. They help educate the next generation of black leaders while preserving the brave history of the African Americans who founded these institutions and saw it essential to make sure that black people were afforded the chance to be educated. With Deion Sanders making a meaningful impact at Jackson State, hopefully, his work will transfer over to other HBCUs and improve the culture and dynamic of how sports and athletes from HBCUs are viewed; receiving the respect they deserve.