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Tennessee State Football: George adds NFL coaches to staff

By Dante Pryor

Eddie George and his mother, Donna, were all smiles after the running back announces his signing a 6-year, $42 million contract extension with the Tennessee Titans at a press conference at the team headquarters July 18, 2000.Tennessee Titans Eddie George
Eddie George and his mother, Donna, were all smiles after the running back announces his signing a 6-year, $42 million contract extension with the Tennessee Titans at a press conference at the team headquarters July 18, 2000.Tennessee Titans Eddie George /
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Eddie George to add longtime NFL coach Hugh Jackson to Tennessee State football coaching staff.

When Tennessee State football hired Eddie George to be its head coach, athletic director Dr. Mikki Allen and president Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover knew the Nashville legend had no coaching experience.

Perhaps it was the words of former player, and current Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders got through to George. During a conversation between him and George, “Coach Prime” told him to hire a great staff. 

“I said, ‘Eddie, you’re a leader of men. Get a great staff, and you’re going to be OK,” Sanders said in the conversation. George has put that advice to good use with his first hires.

Bringing the NFL model to college. 

Reports have George hiring former Raiders and Browns head coach Hugh Jackson to be the offensive coordinator for the Tigers. George said in the introductory presser that his former head coach Jeff Fisher had been a mentor to him during this process.

It appears that Fisher’s son, Brandon, is going to run the defense. Hue Jackson has some collegiate experience, having helped USC recruit Carson Palmer, who went on to win a Heisman Trophy for the Trojans. The younger Fisher was defensive coordinator at Southern Utah in 2019 and a defensive analyst at Auburn the last season.

George hiring staff with extensive NFL experience could signal an attempt to bring some professional philosophies to the Tennessee State football program. Using professional perspectives would not be the first time if this is the case, and using the NFL model could work.

Arizona State has seen some early returns using the NFL approach to recruiting and coaching. Instead of looking for four and five-star players, Herman Edwards and his staff look for players who have the measurables they seek to fit their philosophy.

That sort of philosophy could work at the FCS level.

Also, all signs point to George keeping Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as part of the defensive coaching staff.

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