HBCU football fans have strong opinions of Sanders’ move

By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook Staff Writer

After ending the season with just one win, Colorado couldn’t punt. The clock was running and only at least a field goal could bring a victory.

A fourth-down Hail-Mary was what the Buffs’ athletic director Rick George fired when he hired Deion Sanders as the team’s next head football coach. It makes Sanders the fifth Black head coach in Colorado’s history.

That decision resonated far from the Rocky Mountains. Very far in the South where Sanders landed in Jackson, Miss., and brought national attention to how he has turned around the Jackson State football program in three seasons there. 

He won the SAWAC title the last two years — Colorado wants him to win a Pac-12 title soon. Speculation is that Sanders could do it in two seasons if not his first year.

There were others with impressive resumes that could have been hired, said George in a prepared statement. Sanders just had everything else the others didn’t, George figured.

“… none of them had the pedigree, the knowledge and the ability to connect with student-athletes like Deion Sanders,” George said. “Not only will Coach Prime energize our fanbase, I’m confident that he will lead our program back to national prominence while leading a team of high quality and high character.”

That’s what Sanders did in Jackson. His decision to leave left fans and supporters splintered. Thousands turned to social media to express their pros and cons last weekend.

For example, Carlton Beckford Dozier said he felt empty by the announcement Saturday evening that Sanders is the next coach of the Buffs. 

“The impact he had there and for HBCU football overall has been tremendous,” Dozier wrote in his post. “He put eyes back on HBCU schools. The HBCU combine is a result of him speaking out of the lack of players not getting drafted into the NFL. Honestly I think Colorado is a bad move for Coach Prime. It’s a total rebuild there.”

Others were more concerned about who would replace Sanders as head coach.

Sunny NL Johnson, suggested that JSU reach out to 

Carnell “Cadillac” Williams at Auburn.

Sanders told the team he recommended receivers coach T.C. Taylor to administrators for his replacement. “I hope that’s how that goes down,” Sanders said.

Other names were being tossed around on social media, including Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator; Vincent Dancy, head coach at Mississippi Valley State University; Herman Edwards, who was recently let go from Arizona State University; and  Ed Reed, UM football chief of staff. 

Some felt there wasn’t much else for Sanders to accomplish at Jackson State.

Tre Williams pointed out the Tigers’ run through the SWAC.

“His team just dominated the entire conference by going undefeated and put a National Spotlight on HBCU football (For the first time in History),” Williams wrote on Facebook. “He was considered a joke 3 years ago, now look at how much support and money he brought in the process. … Coach Prime should be the example for what it means to truly leave something better than when you found it!!”

Vice President of athletics at Jackson State Ashley Robinson and the university’s President Thomasa Hudson issued separate statements of support for Sanders. Robinson was at Sanders’ side when he told his team about leaving, following the Tigers 43-24 victory over Southern to win the SWAC title on Saturday.

Sanders told his players the decision to leave wasn’t easy because of them, giving the assurance that he will coach them in the Celebration Bowl. On Dec. 17, the Tigers will face Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion North Carolina Central in the bowl game for historically Black colleges.

“I’m going to finish what we started,” Sanders told his team. “We’re going to dominate. I going to be here to that end that conclusion, and with that conclusion I’m going to move on.”

Later on, Sanders, his son, quarterback Shedeur, and other family members toured the Colorado’s football facilities for the first time. Shedeur, some of his teammates and a few of Sanders’ assistants are also expected to make the move to Boulder.

As if he was responding to speculations that he might have been enticed by the $5.9 million offer from Colorado, Sanders told the players his move isn’t about money.

“It’s not about a bag,” Sanders said. “It’s about an opportunity.”

As a result of breaking his TSU contract, which expires in 2024, Sanders has a $300,000 payout to the program. 

Colorado has had a coaching carrousel since joining the Pac 12 in 2012. Sanders is replacing Karl Dorrell, who was fired after the Buffs’ 0-5 start on the way to finishing the season with just one win in 12 games.