The combination of Coach Prime and his son Shedeur Sanders continues to take HBCU football to new heights.
Deion Sanders has come in and not only walked the walk but doubled down on his commitment to improving the status and quality of HBCU football by bringing his own two sons — quarterback Shedeur and safety Shilo with him on the journey.
Some might describe them as sacrificial lambs, but Deion sees it as them being “the anointed” leaders of a social, athletic and cultural movement in college sports and education.
It took Coach Prime one season to get his footing and clamp down on the recruiting trail. Jackson State University can already be considered an HBCU powerhouse and the mouthpiece for the entire SWAC Conference.
Black College Football Player of the Year Spotlight: @GoJSUTigersFB QB Shedeur Sanders completed 18 passes for 309 yards and 4 touchdowns and currently leads the @theswac in completion percentage 🏈 pic.twitter.com/fdQo1bdY2h
— BlackCollegeFootball (@BCFHOF) October 25, 2021
Like it or not.
Deion isn’t some magician using his Hall of fame greatness to make his team perform better. He’s a strong father figure that’s invested in his players as people. So is his culture and team structure
On Saturday in Jackson, Mississippi, the Jackson State Tigers routed the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (42-12). The Tigers were without head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who was told by doctors to stay off his surgically repaired foot/toe.
Assistant coach and former Howard Bison legend Gary “The Flea” Harrell was left in charge. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders continued his excellence in his father’s absence, leading the offense to a very efficient and explosive day, while the defense shut down the Wildcats’ offense.
Coach Prime announced that he wouldn’t be roaming the sidelines for the game against Bethune-Cookman but instead would be staying staying home and off his surgically repaired foot/toe.
“Due to my foot surgery, I will be following my team of doctors’ orders, and I will not be coaching this weekend.”
“Coach Gary Harrell, my right hand, will be leading our team and carrying on our mission to win all four quarters and play smart, tough, fast, and disciplined.”
TOUCHDOWN, TOUCHDOWN Jackson State!!!!@ShedeurSanders connects with @mightymal13 for a 23-yard touchdown!
Q2 9:50 | JSU 7, BCU 9 #IBelieve x #BleedTheeBlue x #ProtectTheeBlock pic.twitter.com/5Zo4oZUsem
— Jackson State Football (@gojsutigersfb) October 23, 2021
Sanders had surgery on his foot/toe about a month ago and has been using a motorized scooter to get around, but doctors wanted him off his feet completely to give the foot area some rest and proper time to heal.
Shedeur continued the standard of excellence his father had implemented. He went 18-for-25 for 309 yards and four touchdowns, all four coming to star wideout Malachi Wideman, a 6-foot-5 freakish pass catcher who transferred to JSU after spending his freshman season at Tennessee.
Sanders has passed for 1,852 yards, 17 touchdowns, one interception and a 72 percent completion percentage. Talk about playing the QB position with precision and efficiency. Shedeur is doing just that. He could be doing the same things at a Power School, but he’s helping to lay a new foundation at the HBCU power. The NFL is calling.
https://twitter.com/G0dGiven_/status/1449772615795625984
Coach Prime labeled this season “SWAC title or bust” and the team has responded, going 6-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play. They seem to be on a collision course with either Prairie View A&M or Alcorn State in the 2021 SWAC Championship.
The Panthers and Braves face off in a couple weeks in a matchup likely to decide the SWAC’s Western Division race.
The Tigers’ dominance is rather prophetic, as Sanders predicted that his son Shedeur wouldn’t lose many games once he took over. During a SWAC spring season loss last season Deion looked at his son and said, “This is never going to happen on your watch.”
Coach Prime’s influence on the program is so strong that his team can win blowout games without their coach roaming the sidelines. As long as his son Shedeur acts as an All-Conference extension of his father’s winning principles.
