Deion Sanders‘ Jackson State Tigers just completed the first 11-win season in program history. The team also won the SWAC Championship for the first time since 2007 and participated in their first Celebration Bowl.
Throughout the historic season, the media hype was usually centered around the Pro Football Hall of Famer as the head coach and his four-star QB Shedeur Sanders.
Coach Prime and Shedeur deserve a huge bulk of the credit, as any team needs a competent leader at head coach and QB who can be an extension of him on the field. Deion and Shedeur took home the coveted Eddie Robinson and Jerry Rice Awards for their efforts this past season. And those were well deserved, but other pieces played a part in the team’s success.
Deion Sanders and son Shedeur receive their FCS Jerry Rice and Coach Eddie Robinson Awards. Can’t wait to see this duo back at it next season. (📸 @DeionSanders) pic.twitter.com/yLxlQPhV49
— Andscape (@andscape) January 8, 2022
Shilo Sanders Leaves SEC for The SWAC
Not to be forgotten is Shedeur’s older brother Shilo, who transferred from Power 5 School South Carolina to join his dad and brother as part of the Sanders triumvirate invading the SWAC.
Shilo Sanders, welcome to Thee I Love Jackson State University! This cat will probably wear 2⃣1⃣#IBelieveJSU21 x #BleedTheeBlue x #NSD21 pic.twitter.com/xIav3mwjzW
— Jackson State Football (@gojsutigersfb) December 16, 2020
When Coach Prime took the job at Jackson State in September 2020, rumors immediately swirled about the fate of his talented sons. Shilo was already at the University of South Carolina and Shedeur was committed to Florida Atlantic University. Both decided to follow their dad on a journey to change the culture of HBCU football. The rest is pretty much history. Shilo entered the transfer portal on Dec. 14, 2020, and committed to his dad and the Tigers the following day.
A new @247CrystalBall
prediction for former South Carolina DB Shilo Sanders to join his father, Deion Sanders, at Jackson State:
https://t.co/LbH3hFGVmM pic.twitter.com/GowqmMIlrI— 247Sports (@247Sports) December 14, 2020
Shilo tweeted his decision to transfer.
“Pops said he needed some dawgs! So I’m joining my brother to help change the game at JSU and level the HBCU playing field.”
Pops said he needed some dawgs! So I’m joining my brother to help change the game at JSU and level the HBCU playing field #BIG21 #IBelieveJSU21 pic.twitter.com/OllRo5ZFDb
— Shilo Sanders (@ShiloSanders) December 16, 2020
Shilo is a member of the class of 2019, a three-star safety prospect from Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill, Texas, where he played for his dad and with his brother Shedeur.
He chose South Carolina over Colorado State, Florida State and the University of Georgia.
Shilo Was A Big Get For JSU: Ballhawk In The Secondary
Coach Prime is a Hall of Fame defensive back and arguably the greatest cornerback to play the game. So the opportunity to once again be coached by his dad played a huge role in Shilo’s decision to transfer to Jackson State. Deion’s belief is a strong secondary makes the opposing team one-dimensional on the offensive side of the football. Adding Shilo fortified a Jackson State secondary that was going to be average without him and transformed the unit into a strength.
Shilo Sanders with the big interception and almost scored a touchdown on the exciting return for the @gojsutigersfb 🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/1wbrHBrBMZ
— Andscape (@andscape) October 23, 2021
Shilo displayed a savvy and understanding of multiple coverages in defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman’s NFL-based scheme. Sanders was the quarterback of the defense, and things went pretty smoothly for the Tigers until the shocking Celebration Bowl loss to South Carolina State.
“Young Prime,” as he calls himself, did have a pick in the de facto Black College National Championship Game loss to the Bulldogs.
Shilo Sanders aka "Young Prime" comes up with the pick for the JSU defense. #CelebrationBowl pic.twitter.com/Qb21U0Qpzp
— Andscape (@andscape) December 18, 2021
Shilo also had the pick that clinched the SWAC East division title against Southern. He made timely pass breakups and snatched game-changing interceptions all season.
Shilo Sanders came into the stands after @JacksonStateU beat FAMU today Lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/ls3BmWH4v6
— BG (@BGreene_) September 6, 2021
With the addition of No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter at cornerback and the incumbent corners having a year of development under their belts, Shilo will be leading a dominant secondary built in the mold of Deion Sanders. JSU’s pass defense will get more publicity next season, as will Shilo, and deservingly so.
The Sanders HBCU takeover isn’t a two-man show. There’s a third Sanders who turned his back on the most high-profile conference in the country to go all in on a family mission to transform the college football landscape. He’ll be playing on Sundays one day too.
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