Jackson State Football

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.

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.   

Travis Hunter, the No. 1 overall player in the 2022 college football recruiting class, pulled an early national signing day stunner Wednesday by flipping his commitment from Florida State to Jackson State.

Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports first reported that FSU was informed of Hunter's decision Wednesday.

To make his decision official, Hunter tossed aside Florida State, Georgia and Auburn hats before donning a Jackson State hat:

Hunter is the top player in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and while he is listed as a cornerback, he plays wide receiver on the offensive side as well.

Former Florida State star and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is Jackson State's head coach, and he pulled off one of the biggest coups for an FCS school in recent memory by landing a player of Hunter's caliber.

The electric Hunter is a 6'1", 165-pound athlete from Suwanee, Georgia, who has starred as a two-way player at Collins Hill High School.

Hunter committed to FSU in March 2020, but Jackson State has become a significantly more desirable option than it was nearly two years ago.

Sanders became Jackson State's head coach in September 2020, and after posting a 4-3 record in his debut season, he led the Tigers to an 11-1 mark, a SWAC title and a berth in the Celebration Bowl.

In many ways, Hunter is a similar player to Sanders, as Sanders was not only a shutdown corner but also an elite return man capable of playing snaps at wide receiver as well.

Andrew Ivins, the Southeast recruiting analyst for 247Sports, has compared Hunter to Charles Woodson, who won the Heisman Trophy at Michigan before starring in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers and becoming a Hall of Famer.

Woodson was primarily a cornerback in college, but he also starred as a receiver and punt returner, which could be similar to the role Hunter will have at Jackson State.

Per 247Sports, Hunter had 19 interceptions combined over the past three seasons in high school, and he is coming off a 2021 campaign that saw him finish with 76 receptions for 1,128 yards and 10 touchdowns after making 137 grabs for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2020.

While FBS will continue to be the standard for most recruits, since it provides the opportunity to play for the top national title and draws more eyes in terms of NFL scouts, that a player like Hunter would choose Jackson State could go a long way toward making FCS schools, especially historically black colleges and universities, more competitive in recruiting.

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.

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.          

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Jackson State head football coach Deion Sanders opened up about his recent hospitalization in a YouTube video titled "Lord I Thank Ya..." 

Sanders missed Jackson State's last three games after undergoing foot surgery and was released from the hospital Wednesday after experiencing complications from the procedure. 

"Lord, I thank you. I see you hear me say that, and you don’t know where that comes from," Sanders said in the video (h/t USA Today's Khari Thompson). "It’s a wheelchair right here, and I’m in that chair. Nevertheless, I say, Lord, I thank you. I can’t walk on my own, and people have to help me get in and out of everything, but I say, Lord, I thank you. It’s hard to even make it to the bathroom by myself without the assistance of others, but Lord, I thank you."

He added: "You have no idea what I've dealt with. ... You have no idea what the voices I've heard, you have no idea the pain I felt, you have no idea what I'm going through, and still Lord, I thank you. I hear you."

Sanders returned to Jackson State practices this week, but it's unknown if he'll coach Saturday's game against the Southern Jaguars. The Tigers went 3-0 under interim coach Gary Harrell, who said if Sanders doesn't return this weekend, he could return next week against Alcorn State. 

Sanders, 54, was announced as Jackson State's head coach in September 2020. The Tigers are 12-4 in his two seasons at the helm. However, his time with the team could come to an end soon. He interviewed for TCU's vacant head coaching job on Monday, per Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and is "squarely in the mix" for the position. 

SMU's Sonny Dykes, Louisiana's Billy Napier, Iowa State's Matt Campbell, and Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott are also reportedly being considered for the TCU vacancy.  

Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has been released from the hospital after suffering complications from foot surgery. 

The Jackson State head football coach updated his status in an Instagram post on Wednesday: "As you know there have been some complications following my foot surgery, but it brings me such joy to tell you that I'm now out of the hospital and on my path that we started TOGETHER."

He added: "I promise you I'm going to be smart and continue to adhere to my wonderful team of doctors orders. ... Don't be surprised when you see me back on the field in a new whip."

Sanders, who has been at the Mississippi university since September 2020, announced on Sept. 22 that he underwent a procedure to fix an issue with his toe that stems from when he was playing football.

The six-time first-team All-Pro was able to coach Jackson State's next three games, but the school announced prior to its Oct. 23 matchup with Bethune-Cookman that Sanders had been advised by his doctors to rest. 

Running backs coach Gary Harrell took his place and continued to oversee the Tigers against Mississippi Valley State and Texas Southern. 

It's unclear at this point if Sanders will be back for the Tigers on Saturday when they travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to take on Southern University. 

Jackson State currently leads the SWAC's East Division with a 6-0 conference record. The FCS program is 7-1 overall and can clinch a berth in the SWAC Championship Game with a win or a loss by second-place Florida A&M (7-2, 5-1) in either of the final two regular-season games. 

Sanders led JSU to a 4-3 record this spring in his first season as head coach. Its eight wins in 2021 is the most by the program in a single season since 2013 (8-4).    

Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders reportedly remains a candidate to fill the vacancy at TCU, according to Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram:

TCU is looking for a new head coach after parting ways with Gary Patterson last month. Jerry Kill has served as interim coach for the 4-5 squad.

Sanders is in his second season as head coach at Jackson State, leading the squad to an 8-1 record to start the 2021 campaign. 

A foot injury has kept Sanders off the sidelines, but his recruiting prowess has been especially notable for the FCS squad.

Jackson State had the No. 55 recruiting class in the country in 2021, per 247Sports, just two spots behind TCU. The class included Sanders' son, Shedeur Sanders, a 4-star prospect who has thrived for the HBCU program.

The quarterback has 2,414 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and three interceptions in nine games this season.

Deion Sanders' ability to turn Jackson State into an immediate winner could lead to more high-profile jobs. The former Hall of Fame player also has experience within Texas as a head coach at Trinity Christian School.

It could be a fit for TCU, which is looking to reestablish itself as a power in the Big 12 and nationally.

The Horned Frogs had 11 seasons with at least 10 wins under Patterson since 2002, but the team has struggled lately with just an 18-17 record from 2018-20.