Deon Sanders has responded to criticism of leaving Jackson State for Colorado
Deon Sanders will coach Jackson State on Saturday in the Celebration Bowl, his last game as head coach of the Tigers before transferring to the University of Colorado.
Coach Prime’s move was criticized as much, perhaps more, than celebrated.
Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, has heard all the noise since he made his departure official.
But he set the record straight during a news conference Friday in Atlanta.
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Deon Sanders, Colorado’s new head football coach, answers questions at the Arrow Touchdown Club during a press conference on December 4, 2022 in Boulder, Colorado.
(Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Sanders noted that he never claimed he would stay in Jackson State forever.
He said, “I never said they’d put up a headstone with my name in Jackson State. So I’m not going to die here. You all know that.”
But Sanders also had to make it clear that he accomplished everything he said he was going to do when he took over the college president’s first coaching gig. Sanders has made headlines in recent years for helping revitalize a much smaller football program at historic Black College.
“Everything I said I would do, I did. Everything I said I wanted to happen, I boldly tried to make it happen. We, I think, exceeded expectations, in some areas,” Sanders said.
Deion Sanders holds a jersey after being introduced as the new head football coach at the University of Colorado during a press conference on December 4, 2022 in Boulder, Colorado.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
“But when I do not conform to another’s plan and purpose, there is now ridicule. But you have forgotten my plan, and God’s purpose. And here comes the imbalance…
“At what point do we continue to be dominant, and don’t you get mad at us for our dominance? Because it’s a level of dominance when you start to shift. And I felt like we were starting to get nervous about our people, because you’re dominant.” …but there comes a time when that’s not all for me. I’m a winner. I always win. I will win…
Deion Sanders officially named head coach at Colorado
“I’m a football coach and a good coach. Name one thing in football that we haven’t achieved and we said we would. But it’s bigger than that. Until we address these fundamental issues that no one wants to talk about, nothing will change.
“I’m a change agent… When we leave, you’ll find out what we did. Because they don’t really talk about the positive ’til we go.” You’ll discover everything we did for Jackson State and everything we wanted to do for Jackson State. I just pray we get some understanding of change and where change really begins. He does not start in the football section. “
So, despite the criticism he’s received, Sanders seems at peace with what he’s done for Jackson State and historically black universities.
Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders watches his players before the Southwest Conference Athletic Conference championship against Southern University on December 3, 2022 in Jackson, Miss.
(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
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With Jackson State, Sanders went 27-5, and his team went 12-0 for the second straight season.
The Colorado program fell on hard times, and coach Carl Durrell was fired after an 0-5 start to the season.
The Buffs finished their 2022 campaign 1-8 in the Pac-12 and were Ripped off by Utah In their final game, 63-21.
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