Jackson State’s replacement for Deion Sanders might be a familiar name.
Football Scoop is reporting that current JSU assistant and former player T.C. Taylor is expected to be named the program’s next head coach.
Taylor had been identified by Sanders as the personal choice to take over following his departure to Colorado.
“I would like to recommend T.C. Taylor as the next head coach,” Sanders said to his players during a meeting following the SWAC Championship Game where he announced intentions to take the Colorado job. “But that is just my recommendation. Everyone knows how I feel about T.C. and several of the staff members will be retained here. I would love for someone in the house to get the job.”
Taylor previously coach at Coahoma Community College in Mississippi and was an assistant at Texas Southern and North Carolina Central. He was also the interim coach after Jackson State let go John Hendrick in 2019.
Taylor, McComb native, played quarterback and wide receiver at JSU from 1998-2001.
In 19 games as a receiver, he caught 188 passes for 1,793 yards, setting the single-season school record with 84 receptions for 1,234 yards and 11 TDs as a senior.
The website reported that school officials are working to keep a number of assistants on staff to help with the transition and maintain familiarity. Jackson State will lose defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, offensive coordinator Brett Bartolone and linebackers coach Andre Hart to Colorado.
Those assistants, Football Scoop, reported that coaches who could remain on the JSU staff include Otis Riddley, Alan Ricard and Jeff Weeks.
The report indicated that several candidates had an interest in the job, including unnamed former NFL players.
Jackson State is set to play North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl on Saturday in Atlanta.
