DeSean Jackson did in his first year what three coaches, four athletic directors, two university presidents and three United States presidents couldn’t do over 12 years; he made the Delaware State football team winners.
While he may have been snubbed for the MEAC Coach of the Year award, he is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson award for NCAA Football Championship Subdivision’s top coach.
The latter is the one he should win.
Jackson, a 16-year NFL veteran with All-Pro nods and a Super Bowl ring to his credit, took over a Delaware State football program with a rich history that was living through a sad present.
The Hornets’ last winning season prior to this year was 2012. After Kermit Blount’s departure, DSU tried NCAA Football Bowl Series assistants and coordinators (Kenny Carter and Lee Hull) and even an alumnus with legendary status on the field (Rod MIlstead); nothing seemed to work.
Jackson, who had only served as a high school offensive coordinator for a year in California, was aware of the pomp and circumstance surrounding his hire but only promised that his version of Delaware State football would be a hard-working unit willing to fight for each other.
That promise turned to prophecy as DelState currently leads all of FCS in rushing yards (291 per game), averaged 32 points per contest and finished with an 8-4 record overall and 4-1 in MEAC play.
The 8 wins are the most since the Hornets last won the MEAC in 2007 and after winning just once in 2024, the seven-win turnaround is the largest in FCS.
Oh yes, there’s the cultural aspect and visibility factor.
Delaware State is often left out of the HBCU conversation because, well, it’s Delaware.
As a lifelong resident of the state and a proud DSU alum, I used to have to remind everyone I’d meet in professional settings that the University of Delaware is not the only school here and yes, Delaware State is in fact an HBCU.
That said, the football team’s success and Jackson’s name made headlines all season long, culminating with the HBCU Legends Game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Jackson and his quarterback (now Norfolk State coach) Michael Vick returned not as Philadelphia Eagles teammates, but head coaches of HBCU football teams and with nearly 48,000 in the seats and many more watching on ESPNU, it was a dream showcase for two schools who benefit greatly from the attention.
The FCS level has a lot of deserving coaches, especially another HBCU coach in Prairie View’s Tremaine Jackson.
None of the other finalists was charged with the task of taking over a program that had nothing to cheer about, only the hope that things would get better soon.
No one else has turned “soon” into “now” quite like DeSean Jackson.
That is why he should be the winner of the Eddie Robinson Award.
