ATLANTA — Just 29 days ago, T.C. Taylor arrived at SWAC Media Day in Birmingham, Alabama, representing what was the new reality for Jackson State football.
Gone was Deion Sanders. He left for Colorado and the spoils of Power Five riches. Before he would take more than a dozen former JSU players with him to Boulder, including his son Shedeur Sanders and five-star athlete Travis Hunter, Coach Prime had vouched for Taylor, who played at Jackson State as quarterback and wide receiver two decades ago, to be his hand-picked replacement.
“I would like to recommend T.C. Taylor as the next head coach,” Sanders said to his players during a meeting following the 2022 SWAC Championship Game last December, 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.”
At the time, nobody knew how Jackson State would fare under Taylor, who would be a first-time head coach after years of waiting his turn as an assistant, especially after a near-complete overhaul of the roster that resulted in more than 60 new players and question marks at quarterback, in the backfield, and throughout a defense that was the class of the SWAC.
That uncertainty led to the Tigers being picked second behind Florida A&M in the SWAC East — an opponent it dominated in consecutive Orange Blossom Classic games — in the conference preseason poll. Only DJ Stevens was named to the All-SWAC team.
In response to all the doubt that the once mighty Tigers could stay that way, Taylor, at SWAC Media Day, presented a clear message of conviction.
“They just don’t know,” Taylor said in July about those who believed JSU is on a downturn. “We have a lot of unknowns, but I see these guys at practice every day and see how hard they work. I know what we have going into the season.”
Against South Carolina State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Taylor and Jackson State answered a lot of questions.
Transfer quarterback Jason Brown, who did not officially get the nod until the day of the game, went 25-of 29 for a MEAC/SWAC Challenge record 361 yards and 3 TDs.
Reserve running back Irv Mulligan, a Wofford transfer, rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown in the 37-7 win on Saturday at Center Parc Stadium in front of 24,238 fans.
Jackson State (1-0) returned to Atlanta in 2023, the site of back-to-back defeats in the Celebration Bowl, and asserted its physicality and unveiled a new depth of talent.
It all started with Mulligan, a 5-foot-10 rusher, who took a Brown handoff, broke a tackle, and rushed 46 yards for the game’s first touchdown at the 12:31 mark of the first quarter.
Irv Mulligan takes his first carry of the year to the house, and puts @gojsutigersfb in front! pic.twitter.com/UZ7ndV2M8O
— Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge (@MEAC_SWAC) August 27, 2023
Despite a Duke Miller fumble and a missed 35-yard field goal attempt by Gerardo Baeza, Jackson State was never threatened, thanks to a defensive front led by tackle Jeremiah Williams that helped hold the Bulldogs to 201 total yards and starting QB Corey Fields Jr. to 27 yards passing on 17 attempts.
“They didn’t know,” said a proud Miller after the game. “They didn’t know what we had. We came out and showed them from the jump, and we came out a got on their necks.
“That’s how it’s supposed to be.”
The trophy is back with @TheSWAC. Congratulations to @GoJSUTigersFB on winning the @MEAC_SWAC Challenge❗ JSU 37 | SCSU 7 #JSUinATL #GuardTheeYard pic.twitter.com/M6kueOsZ9e
— Jackson State U. (@JacksonStateU) August 27, 2023
But Brown was the story for Jackson State.
The Virginia Tech transfer established himself as the unquestioned starter after a fall camp battle with Zy McDonald, Philip Short, and Jacobian Morgan.
His record-breaking performance was one that had been a long time coming for a quarterback looking to make the most of his last collegiate opportunity.
“I knew I would have another chance to go out there and have another opportunity to go prove to the world what I can do,” said Brown. “I know myself, and I know what I can do.”
Rico Powers led all wide receivers with 95 yards. Andre Hunt, DJ Stevens, and Jency Riley each hauled in touchdown receptions for Jackson State.
“Now, we’re not gonna sneak up on nobody. I guarantee you that,” Taylor said.. “We’ll have everybody on the schedule. They watching that film tomorrow and starting to get ready for Jackson State. So we understand it, we get it.
“That’s what I said at media day – they don’t know – and that’s what I said tonight. Now they do know, and we’re not going to stop.”
