When NFL Hall of Famer, Deon Sanders, began his four year, $1.2 million contract to

Coach Football at Jackson State University, he spoke about how special a moment that was

for him.

That was Sanders speaking at the historically black university back in 2020.

His hire was special for Jackson State football too.

JSU had been struggling on the field in recent years and given his NFL resume, Sanders could

probably have gone anywhere to begin his college coaching career.

But he said he had some help in choosing Jackson State.

Whether by divine intervention or sheer coaching talent, Sanders did succeed at turning things

around at JSU, ending this last season with a perfect 12-0 record and a second straight

conference championship.

And Sanders, he was on top of the world.

Here he is speaking to ESPN last October.

That moment is over.

Sanders announced this month that he would be cutting his time at JSU short to take the

head coaching job at the University of Colorado.

In coaching, you get elevated or you get terminated.

Ain't no other way.

Sanders had brought a national spotlight to Jackson State and raised the profile of HBCU

Athletics too.

Now, in announcing his departure, Sanders said part of his motivation was to tackle disparities

at the higher levels of collegiate football.

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