A day after confirming that Colorado had offered him its vacant head coach job, Deion Sanders once again addressed speculation about his coaching future.
When asked by a local Jackson TV reporter on Tuesday whether he wanted to remain at Jackson State, Sanders explained that he was “happy and pleased” to be in his current position.
“See, there’s a tricky question. So when I answer that question and it’s … I don’t want to go there because you know what it’s gonna start in this great question for you,” Sanders said. “I don’t want to go there. I am enthusiastically happy with where I am truly happy, proud and pleased. I feel like this is the best fan base in FCS football. By far, I think this is the best fan base in HBCU football that has been in quite some time.”
Sanders, who was named SWAC Coach of the Year on Tuesday, explained that “we have work to do” in reference to the team’s upcoming SWAC Championship Game against Southern on Saturday.
In his third full season with the Tigers, Sanders has led the team to an 11-0 overall record and second consecutive SWAC East championship.
“My team cares about what we tell them and how we work,” Sanders said. “Y’all act like these kids are crazy. You know darn well when you win this kind of stuff happens, everyone wants a piece of you. Everyone’s calling you this and calling you that. That’s part of life.”
On Monday, the Jackson State head coach confirmed a report that Colorado did indeed offer him its open head coaching job.
“The report is true. They’re not the only ones,” Sanders said during the SWAC coaches media call when asked by an HBCU Sports reporter. I’m not going to sit here and tell all of my business, but they’re not the only ones. And I’d be a liar if I told you they didn’t. You know they did. I know they did. Everybody knows they did. So it is what it is.”
There is interest from Sanders’ camp in taking the job, the report said, but no decision has been made at this time.
Colorado athletic director Rick George said CU has always planned to have an announcement of a new head coach before Dec. 5. An announcement, he said. would likely not come before Saturday’s SWAC title game if Sanders took the job.
Colorado quarterback Maddox Kopp, who works out with Shedeur Sanders in the offseason, told the Boulder Daily Camera that he waiting on a resolution just like everyone else.
“We work out with the same QB coach,” Kopp said. “I’m sure I may see him when I’m back (in Houston) over Christmas break. But, I have no idea (about the coaching rumors). If it happens, it happens and we just kind of go from there. Just kind of playing it by ear and kind of react when the ball comes flying.”
