The debate of Deion Sanders' impact on HBCU sports continues to go on. It's similar to who's the top NBA GOAT between Lebron James and Michael Jordan.
There's no denying how influential Coach Prime has been since his time as the most successful two-sport athlete. We'll probably never see another player in a World Series and Super Bowl ever again. The ‘Prime Effect' is real with different companies wanting Sanders to represent their products to gain more market value because of his magnetic personality. The movement was right on time for HBCUs while he was at Jackson State University, attracting top-tier athletes to reimagine the impact they could have while at an HBCU.
When people talk about HBCU impact for sports, Eddie Robinson comes to mind and for good reason. The former Grambling State University head football coach won 17 Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC) regular season championships and nine Black College National Championships.
For comparison, Coach Prime won two SWAC regular season Championships but lost both HBCU National Championship games while at JSU. Fans who weren't following HBCU Football until Sanders arrived at Jackson State think he is the sole reason for some of the bowl games that are happening. They also don't know the history of why and how long these games have been going on.
The HBCU Legacy Bowl was created to allow HBCU football players to have their talents seen in front of NFL scouts with an opportunity to be drafted. It was created by James "Shack" Harris and Doug Williams, who both played for Grambling State University. The Orange Blossom Classic was started by Florida A&M President J.R.E. Lee Jr, in 1933 to 1978 and started back up in 2021 which Coach Prime and Jackson State won 2021 and 2022.
Like it or not, Coach Prime's outspoken personality makes some decision-makers in the room uncomfortable when they know they aren't being accountable for their actions. Sanders' impact on HBCU football will continue to generate a conversation that will cause people to think, "If it wasn't for Coach Prime, HBCU football teams wouldn't be on ESPN." That isn't true in the slightest. HBCU football has been showcased on national networks for over two decades. Some games were being shown on ESPNU, and ESPN+ before Sanders signed at JSU.
Charles Barkley turned off by LeBron James 'bullying' Stephen A. Smith
Give credit to the ‘Prime Effect' pushing for more exposure. The years Jackson State was on ESPN is due to the marketability of Coach Prime. People are attracted to him like a moth to a flame. And in a lot of ways, he has got it ‘out of the mud'. Sanders' timing to take over at JSU during the unrest that was happening around the country spoke volumes. He wanted to be a difference maker and talked about it in his latest book, ‘Elevate and dominate: 21 ways to win on and off the field. Witnessing the misconduct done to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin and so many others was something nobody would have imagined.
Deion Sanders given bad news by the NCAA
Now, Coach Prime's impact on college football is getting former NFL players to start their college coaching careers at HBCU programs. However, due to a lack of resources, many of the former NFL players have to rely on the rolodex of individuals to contact that can be valuable to their programs.
Coach Prime's marketability is what makes him great and the impact he will have on major college football has yet to hit the ceiling. If he is able to be the first black head coach to raise the National Championship trophy, it's because he did it his way, which is ‘Prime Time'.
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 12:26 PM.