As Deion Sanders leads Colorado toward FBS prominence, the players at the school he left behind say they’re rooting for him.
In an interview with Complex Magazine, three Jackson State players –- tight end Jency Riley, wide receiver Rico Powers, and defensive lineman Devonta Davis –- expressed gratitude for Sanders’ mentorship but also made note of some differences under new head coach T.C. Taylor.
“The standard has always been the standard at Jackson State. We’ve always been expected to win. But yes, a lot has changed,” Riley said. “When you look at Coach Prime, you look at who he is, who he was and how he is. And then you look at Coach T.C. as a head coach; it’s two totally different people. Coach Prime is Coach Prime. He’s a great man, but you know, Coach Prime, he is who he is. Coach T.C. is more of a laid-back guy.”
“Everybody now is focused on winning the game and making sure they’re doing everything right,” Davis said. “There isn’t a drop off because they both preach the same thing, and they both make us better as men.”
The current JSU players say they are rooting for Sanders and their former teammates, including Deion’s sons Shedeur and Shiloh.
“It’s all love at the end of the day. I still got a relationship with them,” Powers says. “I’m glad that they’re doing what they’re doing. It’s a bigger picture. It’s not really surprising. Deion has a reputation for winning.”
Riley says that the media show that once followed Jackson State is still present, but under Taylor’s watch, football comes before everything else.
“Coach Prime is the media machine. We would have different people just show up, like journalists, players, artists, and things. There would be a whole lot going on,” Riley explains. “I’m not saying that we don’t have that now because we still do, but it’s like it’s more controlled. We really focus on ball when we focus on being a member of this team.
“I feel like we still have that light that’s going on right now,” Powers added. “It might not be as big as Deion, but as far as HBCUs, I still feel like we’re the hottest HBCU and have the best players.”
