PRESS BOX: You can’t replicate Coach Prime

Kyler Gilliam, Staff Writer

Former Philadelphia Eagles teammates Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson were hired to coach at historically Black colleges and universities for the 2025 college football season.

The move to hire Vick and Jackson is reminiscent of Jackson State University hiring NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders as its head coach in 2020.

But we haven’t seen anyone like Sanders in college football, and we likely never will again. 

Vick is the new head coach of the Norfolk State University Spartans, and Jackson is the coach for the Delaware State University Hornets. Both had minimal coaching experience beforehand. 

Jackson was the offensive coordinator at Woodrow Wilson High School in California in 2024. Vick was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Legends, a professional team in the Alliance of American Football League in 2017. He also coached as an intern for the Kansas City Chiefs, helping with the development of former NFL MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Sanders also had minimal experience before getting the JSU job — only having coached high school football. However his influence far outweighed his experience. 

Sanders — or “Coach Prime” — dominated on the field and brought many eyes to HBCU football. Before his departure to the University of Colorado in 2022, watchful eyes were always on the city of Jackson, Mississippi.

While Vick and Jackson have gained interest for NSU and DSU, their personalities cannot galvanize a movement like Sanders — and it is unfair to expect them to.

We’ve seen other universities try to replicate “Prime Time.” Eddie George at Tennessee State University and Ed Reed at Bethune-Cookman University both fell short of capturing the general public like Sanders did.

Vick and Jackson are in a tough position to recapture the energy that Sanders brought to HBCU football. Sanders at JSU was a one-of-one.

The Spartans are having an unimpressive season. A 1-3 record with quarterback uncertainty has dragged the energy Vick produced for his team in the offseason. 

Vick has the name recognition to come close to Sanders, especially with his connection to the Tidewater area and Virginia as a whole.

He needs to turn around this NSU program quickly before his high favor runs out. If he doesn’t get the train back on the tracks, HBCUs will remain on the back burner of college football.

Jackson’s tenure at DSU has started off better. At 3-1, the Hornets are averaging the most yards per game in the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference.

DSU has dominated in Jackson’s debut season, mustering hope that he will be the one to bring attention back to HBCU football. Sadly, Jackson does not have the needed name power.

Jackson was a good receiver when he played in the NFL. Though his speed was game-breaking, he wasn’t game-changing like Vick or Sanders.

If Jackson can bring the energy he had on the field when he was catching bombs to the sidelines and the press room, then DSU will be a keystone to bringing the attention back to HBCU football.

Vick and Jackson will play against each other in Philadelphia on Oct. 30, the city where they were once teammates. This game will be nationally televised and will be the chance for both programs to put HBCU football back on the map.