Over the past week, speculation about Coach Deion Sanders gearing up to leave Jackson State loomed in the air. No one was sure if he would accept a job offer to a Power 5 or stay with Jackson State, a program he revived in only three years of coaching.
Well, Saturday after the Tigers defeated Southern University in the SWAC Championship game, 43-24, Sanders sat down with the team to deliver the heartfelt message that he has accepted the job at the University of Colorado.
Coach Prime is set to make $5 million per year.
College Football Fans Have Mixed Feelings Over Sander's Decision
As the news got out Saturday that Coach Prime accepted the job at Colorado, many college football fans took to Twitter to voice their opinion about his decision to leave Jackson State.
Not all opinions of Coach Sanders were critical. Others congratulated him on his new journey.
Though it may be mixed feelings about Coach Prime's departure. One thing you can't deny is the impact he made on Jackson State and his winning spirit.
Sander's Success During His Tenure At Jackson State
Before Coach Sanders took the job as head coach of JSU, the Tigers were a mediocre team in the middle of the SWAC standings. The last time the Tigers won the SWAC Championship was in 2007.
Under Sanders leadership over the past three years, Jackson State has compiled a 27-5 record to go along with back-to-back SWAC titles in 2021 and 2022. In 2022 the Tigers finished with an undefeated record of 12-0. The first undefeated season in the history of the program. The Tigers are currently #5 in the FCS rankings.
Sanders had an impact that was noticeable not only on the field but in the city of Jackson, Mississippi as well. The attendance at Jackson State's game was unbelievable.
Let's not forget Sanders was a special guest on 60 minutes, Good Morning America, and College GameDay. Each media outlet profiled Jackson State's football program.
Sanders shined a great light on JSU and the city of Jackson. He turned the football program into an FCS powerhouse and left Jackson State, in a better condition than when he arrived.
The "Coach Prime" Effect Is Real
There is no secret Sanders knows how to recruit and talk to players to buy into his system.
Heck, I'm sure he could sell a red Popsicle to a woman wearing white gloves in the middle of August.
Since he landed in Colorado on Dec 4, the "Coach Prime" effect has already taken the University by storm. The University of Colorado's Instagram followers increased by over 27k in 24 hours.
The Instagram followers on Dec 5 are now at 117k and counting.
Players in the transfer portal show interest and have reached out to be part of what looks to be something special in Colorado.
It is only the beginning, and it's hard to comprehend the amount of talent Sanders could bring to the University of Colorado. He revived the Jackson State football program. Who's to say he won't do the same in Colorado?