The Jackson State Tigers were without their head coach Deion Sanders for the third straight week. Coach Prime’s been ordered by doctors to stay off his feet as he recovers from foot/toe surgery.
Sanders was recently in the hospital for an unspecified situation that’s been linked to his healing from the surgery. But his team hasn’t missed a beat, going 3-0 and outscoring their three opponents 111-52.
Word coming out of Mississippi is that Sanders is recovering. Interim coach Gary “Flea” Harrell said the timeline for Sanders’ return remains up in the air,
“Well you know with Coach Prime, you just never know. We have a meeting today and I’m going to speak to him later on. But you know, that still (depends) on how things go on here with the doctors’ orders and Coach Prime.”
He added, “We just don’t have all the information…we want to make sure Coach Prime we respect his wishes at this time and his family, I know they’re going through a lot as well so we’re just trying to make sure we do our part here and let Coach Prime take his time on what he’s trying to get done.”
Last week Harrell noted that Sanders is getting better each day.
“Coach Prime is still getting better and better, every time I talk to him,” Harrell said. “I talked to him last night: I talked to him this morning to update some things he wanted to make sure we keep incorporated and pretty much showing how proud he was, how proud he is of the staff and the players and how we’re doing.”
In a week where Sanders’ name has come up as a candidate for the head coach job at TCU, his Tigers came out, executed his game plan, stayed within the culture and dismissed any rumors about Coach Prime not being committed to JSU for the long haul.
For Sanders, this is a mission, and until he completes the total overhaul of HBCU football culture, don’t expect him to be on the move.
Gary “The Flea” Harrell Continues To Be An Extension Of Coach Prime
Sanders has placed his trust in his running backs coach Harrell to run the team in his absence. Flea hasn’t disappointed, leading the Tigers to a (3-0) record. Sanders showed his gratitude for the team and the coaching staff from his hospital bed after last week’s 28-19 win over the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils.
Sanders tweeted the following message:
“We have truly been tested these past couple of weeks regarding our strength, mentally, physically, as individuals and as a team. I am so darn proud of each and every one of these young men an women that are a part and connected to this team.”
Saturday’s 41-21 win against a confident and gritty Texas Southern team is another validation of Coach Prime’s leadership. The way his team persevered to get the win without Prime’s presence is proof that he has instituted a winning culture more than anything.
For more information on Deion Sanders’ health and when he will return to the coaching sidelines, click here.
