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The Jackson State Tigers and head coach T.C. Taylor made program history on Saturday with 28-7 victory over South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl. It marks the first time in program history that Jackson State has won the de facto national championship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
It also means that Taylor, a Jackson State alumnus, was able to achieve something that predecessor Deion Sanders was unable to do. But that doesn’t mean that Sanders doesn’t get to share in the success. He recommended that Taylor, who had previously served as his offensive coordinator, take over him when informing Jackson State that he was leaving to coach Colorado.
“I would like to recommend T.C. Taylor as the next head coach,” Sanders said to his players, who began clapping. “But that is just my recommendation. Everyone knows how I feel about T.C. (Taylor) and several of the staff members will be retained here. I would love for someone in the house to get the job,” Sanders said according to the Clarion Ledger
The victory also validates Sanders, who hit back at haters who suggested he used the program to elevate himself and then left Jackson State in the dust.
“Everything I said I would do, I did. Everything I said I wanted to happen, I tried my darndest to make happen,” Sanders said. “We’ve exceeded expectations in some realms, but when I don’t fit into someone else’s plan and purpose, now there’s ridicule.”
Jackson State is undoubtedly in a better position now than it was before Sanders showed up. And the Pro Football Hall of Famer has a lot (everything?) to do with it. But Taylor also deserves a ton of credit, and he should be considered one of the top up-and-coming coaches on the FCS level.