Should Deion Sanders leave Jackson State for the Power Five?
By Dante Pryor
Don’t let the charisma and marketing genius fool you, Prime can coach
People look at the gold chain whistle, the “Coach Prime” moniker, hear the charismatic speech and look past the fact that not only can Deion Sanders coach, but he can also construct and run a football program. Prime’s use of the spring SWAC season was masterful; he used that abbreviated schedule to evaluate the existing talent at Jackson State and build his roster.
Sanders has done everything an athletic director wants a coach to do with a program. He can handle the pressure of being the most important person on campus or in a state. College football coaches who are successful acquire talent, develop that talent, and can hire a talented coaching staff.
When Jackson State lost to South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl last season, Sanders and his staff worked at JSU’s biggest weakness, the trenches. Jackson State isn’t where they need to be upfront, but they are noticeably improved from last year.
Sanders likes Tim Brewster (former P5 head coach and NFL coach), Dennis Thurman (veteran NFL coach and coordinator), and Andrew Zimmer as an analyst. He gets NIL and runs his program similarly to Dabo Swinney, encouraging a family atmosphere and culture of accountability.