Deion Sanders’s Cultural Impact

Deion Sanders never backs down from a challenge, and he garners massive attention. When Primetime does something, you’re going to know about it. Yet for some reason most didn’t know about Coach Prime until Jackson State. Why is that?

Coach Prime is someone who enjoys fellowship, he enjoys teaching, and he enjoys helping student athletes go from young men to grown men. Shortly after retiring from the NFL Deion Sanders would trade in his player helmet for a coaching hat. One day while watching his two youngest sons practice, he found himself constantly getting up to help instruct drills during the practice. He decided that if he’s going to teach the game, he should fully become a coach of the game. His love for children made his decision that much easier. Coach Prime would begin coaching and grow his own football program.

Coach Prime would host football camps and travel with his team to play youth teams in other states. Giving them a chance to experience life outside of the Dallas Texas area. While building his youth football program, Coach Prime would be presented with the idea of being a part of a school. He would accept the offer and utilize his name for the school. After encountering different trials and tribulations, the school was subjected to closure. Coach Prime didn’t allow the incident with the school to discourage him or take him away from the main thang. He continued to coach his 7v7 team in the meantime.

In 2017 he would land a coaching position at Trinity Christian School. While at Trinity Christian, they would win 3 state championships and a national title with Coach Prime as offensive coordinator. Coach Prime was in contact with Division 1 programs during his time at Trinity Christian. When social injustice claimed more lives of Black individuals, Coach Prime decided to open up the lists of colleges in which he would like to coach at. The list added some amazing institutions classified as an “HBCU.” With the addition of these schools, conversations began to change among the black community. The time came for Coach Prime to make a decision on where he was going to coach. His decision was to impact the culture.

In September 2020, Coach Prime became the 21st head coach of Jackson State University football team, which is an HBCU and competes out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Cementing its place in history, not only for football but also HBCUs as a whole. During his time JSU Coach Prime led the Tigers to a 27-6 record for the three seasons he spent at JSU. Due to Covid-19 his first season was a shortened season that was played in the spring of 2021, which JSU’s record would be 4-3 overall and 3-2 in their conference with one of their wins by forfeit. In his second season with the program they would go 11-2 overall and 8-0 in their conference, winning the SWAC title and would make an appearance in the celebration bowl. In the third season JSU went 12-1 overall and 8-0 in their conference, won their second straight SWAC title and made another appearance in the celebration bowl. Subsequently the JSU Tigers would fall short in both of their celebration bowl appearances.

Before the JSU season had fully ended in 2022, a big announcement was made. In December 2022, Coach Prime was named the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes football team. This announcement caused an uproar throughout the HBCU community. When Coach Prime first got to JSU many people in the black community were beyond excited. A person of Coach Prime status, deciding to become a head coach at an HBCU and embody the culture that HBCUs offer, displaying the experience to millions of individuals who never thought of black institutions as a major deal. The amount of attention that Coach Prime brought to HBCUs was massive. Institutions were being spoken about on many media platforms that they weren’t mentioned on in the years prior.

Publicity of this magnitude sparked the interest of attending an HBCU to many student athletes. Also many opportunities were brought to HBCUs that were in great benefit of the schools and their programs. The newfound attention may have spewed arrogance in the hearts of certain individuals within the community. Coach Prime presents at an HBCU program gave hope to a community that was once forgotten about by the masses. There were people who had plans they envisioned on how things were going to be with Coach Prime at JSU. They were vicariously living through Coach Prime. His departure didn’t resonate as an opportunity for another black man to be in the position. It signified abandonment to many, which is something that the black community experiences way more often than one should. With that being so common, it became the first thing that people identified with as what was happening.

The groundwork that he laid for everyone to help build on wasn’t taken into consideration. People were looking for a savior, and Coach Prime was that savior in their eyes. Coach Prime accomplished amazing things during his time spent at Jackson State. The two are bonded for life, both being a part of the other’s legacy. Coach Prime going to Colorado wasn’t him abandoning HBCUs, it’s him continuing to shine light on the institutions. Being on a bigger stage, in front of more eyes they will mention the work he did at Jackson State. Giving more publicity to the program that didn’t have to be paid for. Coach Prime is a winner, who wins in great fashion and puts on a show while doing it.

Coach Prime arrival at the University of Colorado immediately boosted CU stock. It became a destination that many young student athletes started looking at as a place they would want to spend their college career. Coach Prime’s ability to impact the culture no matter where he goes and lift people’s spirits is of elite humanity. There’s been many speculations on whether Coach Prime will have success on the Power 5 level. A man that has succeeded on every level of the game as an athlete, can gravitate to the athletes that want to do the same as a player under his coaching. The world is watching, everyone is anticipating what his first season will be like, and how long will he last at the Power 5 level. Coach Prime knows talent, he knows how to bring the best out of talent. He assembled a great coaching staff that truly loves what they do.

They all love helping young men become exceptional athletes, students, and productive men in society. The combination of coaches and athletes that Colorado has been able to acquire breeds success. Coach Prime is not looking to replicate anything of previous years, he’s aiming to engrave his mark. Coach Prime is aware it’s going to take hard work for them to accomplish magnificent things at the University of Colorado. A challenge that everyone in the program has accepted. Coach Prime and those a part of CU have the opportunity to help put the school in the conversation with the powerhouses in the SEC. This season as well as the years to come, Pac 12 football will be exciting to watch once again.

Coach Prime is able to look directly at a player and see the path he’s able to take. He coaches his players on as well as off the field. He’s able to give them his experiences through conversation on what it takes to succeed on the professional level. What exactly were some things that he had to sacrifice to be the player that he was. What he witnessed his teammates go through and sacrifice to succeed, giving every young man the reality of what their dream will or possibly consists of.   

Written By JAY BAYTHIN