Deion Sanders

The Jackson State Tigers added a weapon to their future passing attack Saturday when wide receiver Kevin Coleman joined their 2022 recruiting class.

Coleman made his surprising announcement during the 2022 Army All-American Bowl. He cited Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders as the main reason behind his commitment to the Tigers. The Miami Hurricanes had been considered the heavy favorite to land Coleman entering Saturday.

Kevin Coleman, the number 4 WR in the nation, is going to Jackson State to play for @DeionSanders! #BleedTheeBlue | @AABonNBC pic.twitter.com/hgPGRNJrHE

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) January 8, 2022

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Coleman, who checks in at 5'11" and 170 pounds, is a 4-star prospect and the No. 44 overall player, No. 4 wide receiver and No. 1 player from the state of Missouri in the class of 2022.

He drew interest from some of the biggest powerhouses in all of college football throughout the recruiting process, underscoring just how much of a difference-maker he can be if he lives up to expectations.

The 247Sports list of interested schools included Miami, Florida State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State and Texas at one point before he ultimately chose Jackson State.

Allen Trieu of 247Sports projected Coleman as a future first-round NFL draft pick and pointed to Emmanuel Sanders as a player comparison.

He also provided a scouting report for the wide receiver, pointing to Coleman's "sudden" speed and ability to create "a lot of separation with his explosiveness out of his breaks." Coleman is also known for his hands and is someone who can make defenders miss in the open field and turn short passes into long gains.

In 2019 alone, he tallied 76 catches for 1,512 yards and 21 touchdowns, per 247Sports, and brings the potential to develop into a No. 1 receiver during the course of his collegiate career.

If he does that, he will be one of the biggest wins of the entire 2022 recruiting class for Jackson State.

Travis Hunter's commitment to Jackson State took the college football world by surprise. Shedeur Sanders, on the other hand, was convinced well before that that Hunter would join the Tigers.

Sanders, the son of JSU head coach Deion Sanders, told Khari Thompson of the Clarion Ledger a TikTok that Hunter posted in November led him to believe his commitment was in the bag.

"I made my own stuff. I don't do dances," Sanders said of the video. "I'm not a dancer like that. So I was like, 'Hey, man.' He wanted to make a TikTok. So I was like, 'Alright, if I make this TikTok, you're going to commit, right?' And then we made it. So right then and there I knew he was coming to Jackson State."

Some have argued that star high school athletes should join historically Black colleges and universities to help address the inequities that have emerged between HBCUs and other schools.

Perhaps Hunter will be a trend-setter in that regard. The Georgia native was the No. 1 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2022.

His commitment was also a testament to what Deion Sanders is building at Jackson State.

Jackson State's historic 2021 season ended on a sour note with a 31-10 loss to South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl on Saturday.

South Carolina State was playing in its first bowl game since 1997. The win is the program's first postseason victory since the 1994 Heritage Bowl against Grambling State.

The Tigers won a school-record 11 games during the regular season and won the Southwestern Athletic Conference title for the first time since 2007.

Head coach Deion Sanders started this week on a high note by flipping cornerback Travis Hunter, the top overall recruit in the 2022 class, from Florida State to Jackson State.

That momentum seemed like it was going to carry over into the Celebration Bowl. Shedeur Sanders hit Keith Corbin III for a seven-yard touchdown catch that helped give the Tigers a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

.@GoJSUTigers strikes first! @theswac Freshman of the Year Shedeur Sanders hits Keith Corbin from 7 yards out #AChampionWillRise pic.twitter.com/wlDq7Qoa4x

— Cricket Celebration Bowl (@CelebrationBowl) December 18, 2021

South Carolina State responded by scoring 24 unanswered points in the second and third quarters to take a 17-point lead.

Sloppy play by Jackson State aided the Bulldogs' scoring run. Their four scoring drives, including three touchdowns, only gained a total of 76 yards. The first touchdown came after Sanders lost the ball after Patrick Godbolt sacked him at his own 8-yard line.

Shaquan Davis scored the first touchdown for South Carolina State and paid homage to Deion Sanders by doing the "Prime Time" dance in the end zone.

Shaquan Davis reels in a TD and then hits THE PRIME! 😮 pic.twitter.com/GjYElBROje

— Cricket Celebration Bowl (@CelebrationBowl) December 18, 2021

Shedeur Sanders, who finished 16-of-36 for 175 yards, had all three Jackson State turnovers in the loss. He threw two interceptions deep in his own territory in the second half that led to 14 points for South Carolina State.

The freshman quarterback entered the game with just four interceptions in 11 games all season.

South Carolina State's defense was dominant in all phases. The unit held the Tigers to 19 yards rushing on 29 carries.

The Jackson State defense did its best given the circumstances the offense put it into. South Carolina State had just 268 total yards and averaged 2.8 yards per rush on 37 carries.

Quarterback Corey Fields Jr. finished 12-of-31 for 166 yards, but he threw four touchdowns.

Despite the bitter end to this season, Sanders has Jackson State trending in the right direction. He won 11 games in just his second season with the program and is getting high-level recruits to come play for him.

Despite rumors about top recruit Travis Hunter getting a $1.5 million name, image and likeness contract to go to Jackson State, head coach Deion Sanders denied the reports Thursday on ESPN's KJM (3:21):

"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard," Sanders said. "You know what that is, that means we kicked your butt, we took what was ours and now you gotta make up an excuse why. Ain't nobody got no million and a half. I wouldn't pay my son a million and a half."

The quote comes after Hunter announced Wednesday he would attend Jackson State after previously being committed to Florida State.

https://twitter.com/TravisHunterJr/status/1471166038834356237

Hunter is considered the No. 1 overall player in the 2022 class, per 247Sports composite rankings. The 6'1" athlete plays both cornerback and receiver with the potential to excel at either at the next level.

The Georgia native earned scholarship offers from nearly every top program in the country, including Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and more, but he shocked the world by choosing to play for an HBCU.

The surprising move led to immediate speculation about a payoff, but Sanders denied the rumors.

As Sanders explained, it was a normal recruiting situation, and Hunter especially enjoyed going to Jackson State's homecoming game.

The Tigers have also been thriving under Sanders, who took over as head coach in 2020. The squad went 11-1 this year, winning its first SWAC title since 2007.

Hunter is the first 5-star prospect to sign with an FCS school since ESPN began its rankings in 2006, per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren.   

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is set to partner with a number of college athletes on the launch of his new BRADY clothing line.

Brady announced partnerships with college football players Shedeur Sanders (Jackson State), Cade McNamara (Michigan), Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina) and George Pickens (Georgia), tennis players Andrew Fenty (Michigan) and Patrick Zahraj (UCLA), hockey player Jack St. Ivany (Boston College) and basketball players Julian Reese (Maryland) and Jermaine Samuels (Villanova).

Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Henry Davis is also among the athletes with endorsement deals at launch, which is set to take place Jan. 12.

Brady's clothing line is focused on active and casual wear, with the goal of becoming a Jordan Brand-esque cultural staple.

"He loves clothes way more than I do," Brady's wife, model Gisele Bundchen, told the Wall Street Journal earlier this year. "He has great taste and understands and really cares about what people want, what can help them feel good. That's what fashion is about."

New NCAA rules allowing players to make money off their name, image and likeness allow the student-athletes to sign endorsement deals without impacting their eligibility.

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Jackson State football head coach Deion Sanders has led the Tigers to their first SWAC Championship since 2007 after his team beat Prairie View A&M 27-10 in the conference title game on Saturday.

The Coach Prime effect 🐐 pic.twitter.com/gL16u8sy1e

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 5, 2021

Sanders is in his second season as Jackson State's head coach. The Tigers went 4-3 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign before rolling to a 11-1 mark this year.

The Jackson State program had fallen on hard times before Sanders' arrival, failing to register a winning season since 2013.

That's all changed under Sanders, who has now guided the Tigers to a 15-4 record over two years. Jackson State's defense has been tremendous in particular, allowing no more than 21 points all season.

The only time the Tigers allowed more than 17 points resulted in a 41-21 win over Texas Southern.

Jackson State has outscored its opponents 348-162 on the year, with its only loss occurring by a 12-7 score to Division I-FBS Louisiana-Monroe. The Tigers went undefeated versus fellow Division I-FCS opponents.

Thanks to its efforts, the Tigers entered Saturday No. 15 in the FCS Coaches poll.

The Celebration Bowl is next for Coach Sanders and his team, who will take on the MEAC champion South Carolina State. That game will go down on Saturday, December 18, in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. ABC will televise the matchup, which will begin at noon ET.

Deion Sanders is a two-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer, and he can now add another accomplishment to his resume.

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and The Athletic reported the SWAC named Sanders its Coach of the Year for the 2021 campaign after he directed Jackson State to a 10-1 record during the regular season.

The Tigers went 8-0 in conference play and won their first SWAC East Division title in eight years.

Jackson State made headlines when it hired Sanders as its head coach in September 2020.

After all, he played in the NFL from 1989-2000 and then returned from retirement for two seasons in 2004 and 2005. All he did was make eight Pro Bowls and six All-Pro teams while lacing it up for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Football Team and Baltimore Ravens.

While the football legend didn't have much coaching experience to fall back on, he has found immediate success.

The program's last winning season before hiring Sanders came in 2013, but it went 4-3 during his first campaign on the sidelines as a notable first step toward the success that would come this season.

Jackson State's only loss during the 2021 campaign came by five points in a September matchup with UL Monroe of the Sun Belt Conference. It finished its regular season with a senior day win over Alcorn State and will face Prairie View A&M in the SWAC Championship Game on Saturday.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders led the way with 2,971 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions through the air to go with three touchdowns on the ground. 

That the freshman signal-caller just so happens to be the head coach's son surely helped in recruiting, and the Sanders combination has the Tigers competing at a level they have not in the past.              

Boosie Badazz says he's enrolling at Jackson State after performing at the school earlier this month.

Deion Sanders, the Hall of Fame corner turned Jackson State coach, isn't buying it. 

"You're talking about a young man that's very astute with life," Sanders said on his 21st and Prime podcast. "Understanding what he wants to say, what he wants to accomplish. Smart as a whip. And energy level is unbelievable. And I know he said he wanted to enroll. I don't believe that whatsoever. But I think if there was a school that he would enroll at it, I think it would be Jackson State."

Boosie, the 39-year-old rapper, performed "Set It Off" at Jackson State's win over Alcorn State. While he was a high school dropout before becoming one of the defining southern rappers of his generation, Boosie earned his GED in 2013 while serving a prison sentence. 

"I've been coming to Jackson since I was 14, and I love y'all," Boosie said. "Y'all love my stanky drawers, and I love y'all back. And I just wanted to tell y'all that y'all always been supportive of me, and it's a big secret I was going to let it out, but I'm enrolling in Jackson State next semester."

It remains to be seen whether Boosie will actually enroll, but he would be far from he only famous face to give college a try later in life. Former NBA guard J.R. Smith is attending North Carolina A&T, where he is a member of the golf team. 

Jackson State football head coach Deion Sanders put an end to the rumors that he's a candidate for the vacant head coaching position at TCU.

"Well, TCU is not the only one interested in my services," Sanders said, per Khari Thompson of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger. "(Jackson State athletic director) Ashley Robinson is interested in my services and finishing out what I completed. Never believe rumors, especially when I’ve been in the hospital for darn near a month. So never just go out there and believe what you hear, my man."

Sanders was referring to the time he was away from his team while recovering from foot surgery.

The Horned Frogs parted ways with longtime head coach Gary Patterson on Oct. 31, ending his 22-year tenure with the team. Reports surfaced earlier this month that Sanders was among the top options the school intends to pursue. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that he had already interviewed for the position.

The rumors of Sanders' candidacy made sense, considering his strong ties to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He played five years for the Dallas Cowboys during his Hall of Fame playing career. He also spent time coaching at Texas high schools before landing his position at Jackson State.

The Tigers won all three games while Sanders was out and improved to 9-1 (7-0 in SWAC) with a comeback victory over rival Southern in his return this past Saturday. Sanders boasted that his team's success has generated interest from other schools besides TCU.

"Trust me, TCU and several others are not the only ones interested in what we do here at Jackson State," he said. "People are trying to figure out the formula; it ain’t no formula.

"It’s loving on these kids, challenging these kids, holding these kids accountable, making sure they maintain themselves to be smart, tough, fast, and disciplined. And that’s the secret—not everyone has this recipe."

Jackson State is riding a seven-game win streak and will close out the regular season against Alcorn State on Saturday. The Tigers have already clinched a spot in the SWAC championship game on Dec. 4.

Deion Sanders is not happy with the way his Jackson State team handled itself at the end of Saturday's 21-17 victory over Southern.

There was a scuffle when some of the Tigers attempted to plant flags on the field of A.W. Mumford Stadium, and Sanders addressed the incident in an Instagram video.

"I want to formally apologize," he said. "We acted like idiots at the conclusion of the game. The gentlemen who thought it was proper to take flags out and plant them in the middle of the field were straight idiots. I want to apologize to all the fans, all the alumni, everybody associated with the Southern Jags. Hey man, that will never happen again."

The caption notably said, "That foolishness will not happen again on my watch."

Steven J. Gaither of HBCU Gameday shared a statement from the SWAC:

The Southwestern Athletic Conference is currently reviewing the incident which took place at the conclusion of the Jackson State at Southern football game. 

After a comprehensive review the Conference Office will make a determination regarding necessary next steps in accordance with the league’s constitution and bylaws. 

The Southwestern Athletic Conference upholds a high standard of good sportsmanship and any conduct deemed detrimental to those efforts will be handled appropriately.

Jackson State lost to Southern by 20 points in last year's matchup during Sanders' first season as the head coach. However, the 21-17 win on Saturday underscored the overall improvement for the program under the Hall of Famer's guidance.

The Tigers are 9-1 this season with their only loss coming by five points to a UL Monroe team that is in the Sun Belt with a schedule that includes matchups against Kentucky, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, LSU and Louisiana.

Sanders' squad is 7-0 in conference and will look to continue playing well when it faces Alcorn State in its regular-season finale.

The Tigers surely won't look to plant any flags in celebration if they win their eighth straight game.