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It wasn’t long ago Deion Sanders was a prominent former NFL star coaching a Historically Black college and university at Jackson State, and he is supporting DeSean Jackson as the former NFL wide receiver begins his own head coaching career at an HBCU in Delaware State.
“We’ve got to wrap our arms around this game changer and give him all the support he needs to become a successful college football coach,” Sanders said on social media. “He knows the game, knows what it takes to make it to the next level and he knows right from wrong.”
Jackson was formally introduced as the head coach of the Hornets on Wednesday.
“We’re not rebuilding,” he said, per Xavier Handy-Hamilton of CBS Sports. “This isn’t rebuilding. We don’t have time to waste. We’re doing this right now.”
The 38-year-old also said the immediate goal is to reach the Celebration Bowl, which pits the champions of the SWAC against the champions of the MEAC each year.
“We ain’t waiting,” Jackson said. “We want to be there this year. We want to win the MEAC this year.”
That would be quite the turnaround, as Delaware State was 1-11 overall and 0-5 in MEAC play during the 2024 campaign. What’s more, it won just one game during the 2023 season and hasn’t finished with a winning record since 2012.
However, Jackson brings instant name recognition to the program as a three-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens during his NFL career from 2008-22.
That should help on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal, which may set the path for a quick turnaround at Delaware State.
Sanders could be something of a blueprint, as he used his star power, coaching ability and influence to help turn things around at Jackson State. The Tigers went 4-8 in 2019 the season before he arrived but reached the Celebration Bowl in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022 before he left to take over at Colorado.
The Buffaloes have also found quick success under the Hall of Famer and improved from 4-8 in his first season at the helm in 2023 to 9-4 in 2024.
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