Despite actively working on behalf of the University of Colorado as its new head coach, Deion Sanders confirmed he will be coaching Jackson State in the Celebration Bowl.
“Yes, I will. And I’m happy, Sanders told JSU in-house reporter Rob Jay when asked whether he would coach in the Dec. 17 game against MEAC champion North Carolina Central. I would have it no other way. I wouldn’t allow anyone to tell me I couldn’t finish with my team. We’ve got to finish.”
Jackson State is fresh off a SWAC championship win, the second conference title in as many years, and boasts a 12-0 record.
Sanders also confirmed that quarterback Shedeur Sanders would play in the Celebration Bowl even though the sophomore has been tabbed as the starter for Colorado next season.
Also during the interview produced by Thee Pregame Show, Sanders said he is working closely with athletic director Ashley Robinson to find the program’s next head coach and coaching staff.
Sanders has been adamant that current Jackson State assistant and former JSU player T.C. Taylor take the reins moving forward, though no candidates have been publicly identified for the job.
“You either got to go in-house — to me — with someone who understands the culture and what we created,” he said. “Not the culture of SWAC, but the culture of what we created here. Or you got to go totally opposite because can’t nobody duplicate what we’ve done.
“People don’t understand what we’ve done because they’re not on the inside. When we leave, that’s when they will start saying, ‘You know they did that?’ ‘You know he (Sanders) took care of that?’ They won’t know that until we’re long gone.”
