Sanders broke the news himself on his 21st & Prime podcast, “God called me to Jackson State.”
In a statement this week, Sanders called his new role a blessing, and provided a look into his plans for the team, “I am truly blessed to be the 21st Head football coach of Jackson State University. It’s my desire to continue this storied tradition and history of JSU and prayerfully bring more national recognition to the athletes, the university, the Sonic Boom of the South, and HBCUs in general.”
JSU Athletic director Ashley Robinson called Sanders’ appointment “very big for Jackson State University”:
“Not only for Jackson State University, this is very big for the country right now. Very big for the state of Mississippi. To Coach Prime, Jackson State University — a blue blood program full of Hall of Famers — it’s just a great time.”
While this will be Sanders’s first head coaching job on the college level, he was rumored as a possible choice to lead the program at Florida State, Sanders’ alma mater last year. Mike Norvell was ultimately chosen.
Sanders currently serves as an offensive coordinator for Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill, Texas. He will finish out the season there before moving on to JSU in the spring of 2021.
In the short time since the announcement Sanders has already made waves at the university and in college sports on Thursday after offering his son, top-rated quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, a scholarship to Jackson State University.
The younger Sanders is ranked as the number 14 pro-style quarterback.
Very Blessed to receive an offer from Jackson State University! #IBelieve @Coach_O pic.twitter.com/qsREdhXlv1
— Shedeur Sanders (@ShedeurSanders) September 24, 2020
Fellow Hall of Famer, and Sanders’ former teammate on the Dallas Cowboys, Emmitt Smith also got in on the fun. In a tweet congratulating Sanders, Smith wrote, “Congrats are in order for my brother and friend, @DeionSanders! You’ve worked hard to get to this point and I’m proud to see the work pay off. If you need a RB coach with some NFL experience… I know a guy!😎”
Congrats are in order for my brother and friend, @DeionSanders! You’ve worked hard to get to this point and I’m proud to see the work pay off. If you need a RB coach with some NFL experience… I know a guy! 😎 pic.twitter.com/vjQo0Cedvd
— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) September 25, 2020
No telling yet, if Smith is making a serious pitch for a position on the team.
