Tennessee State head coach and former NFL star Eddie George is laying down the gauntlet. His son Eriq George is a 6-foot-2, 260-pound edge rusher who plays at Montgomery Ball Academy in Nashville.
He’s already received offers from Eastern Kentucky, Marshall and UT-Martin, with other schools showing interest. Where he attends school is his choice, but his former NFL running back dad says he’s not attending Michigan or Jackson State, where Deion Sanders at the helm and making moves weekly. In many ways, George and Tennessee State are the Tigers’ rival, having played 28 times since 1990. While TSU holds a 17-11 lead in the series, Coach Prime and the Tigers rolled them 38-16 last season in the Southern Heritage Classic.
In an interview with The Tennessean, George let it be known that Eriq will not be heading to Mississippi or Michigan if it’s to play for the Tigers or Wolverines.
“He can’t go to Jackson State,” George said. “He’s not going there or that team up north (Michigan, the rival school of Eddie George’s alma mater, Ohio State). But I tell him to see all that’s out there and ultimately trust your intuition, trust your gut.”
Former #Titans RB Eddie George will be the new football coach at Tennessee State University.
The Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, Tennessee will feature a coaching battle of Eddie George vs Deion Sanders. 👀 pic.twitter.com/zAyEej5pGJ
— Tennessee Tyrant (@TitanUpTalk) April 11, 2021
George Says It’s Eriq’s Decision
While George is hopeful Eriq chooses to play for him at Tennessee State (as Sanders’ two sons Shedeur and Shilo have done with him at Jackson State) George knows it’s a process and doesn’t want to ruin the moment for his son.
“This is his deal, his process, his career,” said George. “He knows what I’m doing (at TSU); he’s around me every day and he knows how he’s going to get coached (if he chooses TSU). I tell him to go see what’s out there, go where your heart desires.”
But what if his heart desires to play for Coach Prime at JSU? Would George be OK with it? As much as it would probably sting, George is mature enough to know that with Coach Prime his son would be in good hands. But first Sanders would have to offer Eriq. As for Eriq, he’ll have a front row seat to the action in September at the Southern Heritage Classic, which is scheduled to go down at the Liberty Bowl. This, after a trying few months where Sanders and Jackson State pulled out of the game, citing it did nothing for them financially.
Mark your calendar!! pic.twitter.com/vYWYB9ZV4p
— Southern Heritage Classic (@ClassicMemphis) September 12, 2021
Sanders Helped Convince George To Take TSU Job: Both Are In It For Right Reasons
While landing five-star recruits at HBCU programs is rare, Sanders landed the nation’s top player in Travis Hunter during the 2022 recruiting cycle. Coach Prime and Coach George are the five-star recruits that Black college football craved. We’re talking two former All-Pro players in the NFL. Sanders is a Hall of Famer and George deserves much more recognition from Canton for his illustrious NFL career.
How Deion Sanders helped convince Eddie George to become Tennessee State's football coach https://t.co/2nK85AjHbW via @tennessean
— Mike Organ (@MikeOrganWriter) September 10, 2021
They bring immediate visibility, exposure and notoriety to HBCU football. Seeing them roam the sidelines is a big deal and they have a brotherhood. They are also fiercely competitive, and there’s probably no way in the world George’s son plays for Deion.
