The Coach Prime Era has officially kicked off in Jackson Mississippi like the feds coming through the front door of the Carter. Don’t make me explain. That one was easy.
Deion Sanders has Jackson State putting the entire FCS Division on notice and he’s got the Power 5 looking over their shoulders because he’s snatching up their potential recruits left and right.
Up until Prime announced that he was taking over at JSU. It was a given that the best of the best black players in America were going to play at the Power 5 schools no questions asked. They had the money, the facilities and the television exposure. If all of the best players were going to the big schools there was no way an HBCU was going to compete.
Deion Sanders said that God brought him to Jackson and now the game has completely changed. The Tigers have assembled the best class in the history of HBCU football. They’ve got the top-ranked class at the FCS level, the top-ranked class in the SWAC, and a top 40 class in the FBS according to 247Sports and ESPN rankings.
In just three games playing this spring they’ve come out of the gate undefeated beating the brakes, transmission and doors off of NAIA Edward Waters 53-0. They went on the road and beat long time rival Grambling State for the first time in forever 33-28. This past Sunday they jumped all over in-state rival Mississippi Valley State 43-7.
In the past two weeks the Tigers have played on NATIONAL television on ESPN2. That’s big time exposure and that only brings in more money to the university.
Prime has only been in Jackson since December and everybody, their baby’s momma, Uncle LeRoy, cousin Man-Man and Ralph from both rural and suburban America knows who the Jackson State Tigers are now!!!! It’s become a household name all over this country in just three weeks.
Why? A) He’s Deion Sanders! B) He’s winning! C,D,E,F and G is…they’re playing in the spring and not competing against the FBS Division programs for air time. They’re the only show in town and that’s a GREAT thing for Jackson State, the SWAC and HBCU’s in general. They wouldn’t be getting this type of exposure in the fall competing with the rest of college football.
So why not play in the spring for the foreseeable future? If the SWAC is on television because of Jackson State it brings more exposure to the conference and to all HBCU’s. Heck, if Prime can do it in Jackson then others can do it in Grambling, Tallehassee, Alcorn, Houston, Huntsville, etc., etc., etc.
Who cares when they play as long as they play on TV and they’re getting the exposure they need to grow the programs? Money is green no matter when you make it.
There’s only so much room on the roster at Jackson State. Deion can’t sign them all. At some point with the amount of exposure the SWAC is getting other 4 and 5 star players will start going to other the schools. They don’t have to always show up at the Power 5 schools if they can play in the SWAC.
If Big Momma can see her baby playing on television and eventually getting drafted into the NFL. Why does a kid need to ignore the HBCU any longer? He can get a great education and potentially get drafted playing at an HBCU.
When the money starts to roll in the facilities will get better and we already know that the culture is great and inviting for black students. It’s a win-win for everybody involved.
I might be crazy but playing in the spring was the best financial move the SWAC could have ever made. Why compete with everyone else when you don’t have to? I say spring football it is until the tide changes and the SWAC becomes as notable as the Power 5 conferences. All it takes is the best players to consistently come to the SWAC over the next 5 to 10 years.
The money will start to change hands because the television and merchandising revenue will follow the horses. Yessir!!! The game has officially changed. Well…that’s if the SWAC keeps playing in the spring. Make that money. Stop me when I start lyin’!