When Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime, accepted the head coach job at Jackson State last September one had to know that his son Shedeur, a class of 2021 four-star recruit, would de-commit from Florida Atlantic and follow dad to the HBCU world.
Sanders’ other son Shilo also transferred in from South Carolina to play defensive back for his Pro Football Hall of Fame dad. Coach Prime has always coached his sons from their Pop Warner days through high school where they starred for Prime Prep and Trinity Christian. Now he has them together on the D1 level.
Together, they are an extension of everything Deion is trying to implement at JSU. His principles, his vision, his culture and the talent level he’s trying to field consistently to represent the best HBCU football has to offer.
Whatever happened to manners? Thank you, no sir yes sir, no maam yes maam, please, you're welcome. We're only polite when someone sneeze. Let's restore kindness, goodness, appreciation, respect & love. Together we can do this, apart we can't accomplish anything. #Truth
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) September 22, 2021
The Crowned Prince Of HBCU Football
Shedeur arrived on campus in January as an early enrollee but wasn’t eligible to play in the spring season of the SWAC, as the COVID-19 pandemic stifled his plans. Prime was so confident in his offspring’s abilities that he alerted the other signal callers on the roster that they’d be competing for a backup spot once Shedeur became eligible in the fall.
If telling them wasn’t enough, Coach Prime’s comments to Shedeur during a spring season loss to Alabama A&M should’ve been.
“This is never going to happen on your watch,” Prime told his son.
It’s Lil’ Prime Time
Shedeur has been a huge addition to the Jackson State program at the most important position on the field. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder is an elite pocket-passing prospect.
He’s averaging 250 passing yards per game while tossing seven touchdowns and just one interception this season in leading the Tigers to a 3-1 record, including victories over FAMU in the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami and Eddie George and his Tennessee State Tigers in the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis.
Both of those games were nationally televised, and Shedeur’s given the country an early glimpse of his diverse skill set.
Black College Football Player of the Year Spotlight: @GoJSUTigersFB QB Shedeur Sanders had 25 completions for for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Tigers win over Delta State 🏈 pic.twitter.com/ASOn7BQDs1
— BlackCollegeFootball (@BCFHOF) September 27, 2021
Shedeur has thrown for 1,093 yards in JSU’s four games and he has an impressive completion percentage of 71.6. He had a high of 362 yards passing in a 38-16 win over Tennessee State and he hasn’t had a QB rating less than 124.5 in any of the games he’s started.
https://youtu.be/lnDDKzOCcog
The rise of Jackson State began on the recruiting trail last December once Shedeur — the highest-rated player to ever sign with the Tigers — was in the fold.
Coach Prime didn’t stop there. He ballhawks blue chippers on the recruiting trail the same as he did when he was jumping routes in the League. JSU’s recruiting class ranked as the highest in FCS and 40th amongst FBS schools. Some have called it the greatest recruiting class in HBCU history.
The Son of Prime Time
Shedeur exudes a swagger that one can only attribute to his father, a guy with enough energy and confidence to captivate and motivate an entire HBCU community.
Coach Prime has turned the HBCU world upside down in a year. With goals of providing young Black men with more resources, upgraded development, and a winning culture, Coach Prime’s impact can’t be denied.
Who better to lead the way and be the face of the new HBCU standard and elevation than the son of the man who has forged this new culture while becoming the No. 1 advocate for the athletic, educational and cultural enhancement of HBCU football programs?
Shedeur has already secured his NIL bag so he’s playing football for the love of the game and to be a part of history in the making with his Dad and sibling.
Shedeur Sanders, 19, Is Now Beats by Dre’s Youngest Endorser https://t.co/gX0kJidSEL pic.twitter.com/BOD2OJPsWd
— Level Headed Mktng (@LevelHeadedMktg) September 21, 2021
The Tigers are primed for a huge season, and the national spotlight will be on them in every way. Beyond the glitz and the glamour and the branding and the pomp and circumstance, the story of JSU’s rise back to prominence is not a football story at all. It’s about a father and his sons and the legacy they have the opportunity to build together.
