It’s a comedic model we’ve seen in Hollywood lots through the years. The fish-out-of-water mentality. Pluck the primary character from their established world and place them right into a bizarre state of affairs the place any semblance of normality is gone. Legally Blonde nails it. So does The Jerk. My favourite of that style is Coming To America, the Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall traditional, the place Murphy performs an African prince searching for real love away from his kingdom in Queens, New York. There are hookers and criminals too. But Murphy by no means loses his journey as a fish out of water.
If there’s smoke the place there’s fireplace, and in faculty soccer, smoke normally means an inferno inside hours, Deion Sanders will probably be buying and selling out the SWAC for the Pac-12, the FCS for a Power Five Conference faculty. Colorado has provided Sanders its head-coaching job, per the Athletic, with either side having a vested curiosity in making this distinctive marriage a actuality. Prime Time was by no means going to be at Jackson State long-term. His bombastic nature, mixed with good points in NIL and recruiting, with a splash of on-field accomplishments, made Sanders probably the most intriguing head-coaching candidate in faculty soccer this millennium. But Colorado? A group that’s been in gridiron purgatory for a lot of the final 20 years?
I assumed Auburn would’ve cherished at hand its program to Sanders, as a substitute, it seems like Hugh Freeze will go to The Plains. Nebraska went with Matt Rhule. Georgia Tech may’ve been an outstanding match. Instead, Sanders is headed to the Rockies. Not precisely the land of Maseratis and Dom Pérignon, however you’ll find the wonder in something. His flashy nature makes Boulder a lot extra engaging in an space of the nation the place the recruiting floor is much from fertile. Persuading a top-level excessive schooler with Denver’s suburbs for 4 years isn’t a robust pitch. It’s all in regards to the tradition, and NIL cash, that Sanders will domesticate.
Those who’ve paid higher consideration to HBCU packages than I’ve mentioned it higher than I may: Sanders was solely utilizing Jackson State as a stepping stone as a substitute of actually digging himself in and organising roots to assist a program that received’t get the press he’s used to from the NFL and Florida State. He’s interviewed at South Florida, Colorado State, and TCU over the previous couple of years, however that is the primary observe file of a long-established high-level program showering Sanders with curiosity. Barring an enormous backtrack, he’ll be shifting on, simply as many anticipated him to do. Jumping from the SWAC to the FBS is uncommon and it’s unparalleled to go to the Power Five stage, particularly after three years as a university coach. Jay Hopson, a white man, was the one HBCU head coach poached by an FBS faculty for a similar place during the last 60 years, leaping from Alcorn State to Southern Miss. That divide between HBCU success and breaking into the best ranges of the game is one motive why Sanders is exclusive. Hopefully, he’s not the final to buck the development.
One underrated a part of giving Sanders the keys to the dominion is who he’ll carry with him to Boulder. Shedeur Sanders, Deion’s son, has seemed nice as Jackson State’s quarterback this season, passing for greater than 3,000 yards and 32 touchdowns with solely six interceptions. It’s arduous to argue with successful, and the Sanders duo went 11-0 within the common season. Travis Hunter, who Prime Time flipped from his alma mater to Jackson State, was the No. 1 general recruit within the nation final 12 months. An athlete with that a lot potential on the Power Five stage can be unbelievable. There’d even be enjoyable and ridiculous hypothesis as to the employees he’d put collectively. Most faculty soccer followers don’t perceive the internal workings of an FBS faculty and the way necessary the ten full-time assistant coach spots are. Sanders’ acquisitions going to Boulder could change that.
When Sanders didn’t publicly condemn the reporting of his transfer away from Jackson State, that’s as a lot of a affirmation as to his pursuits as you’ll get. Look at what Lane Kiffin did when he received closely linked to the Auburn job earlier this week. The alleged educational and monetary points from Sanders’ now-closed Prime Prep Academy must be an impediment for any Power Five Conference faculty to rent him. But why would grades and a bit of irresponsibility with cash cease successful soccer video games? It wouldn’t be the equal of hiring Will Wade or Jeremy Pruitt, not shut. Sanders’ previous isn’t squeaky clear too. That’s the bundle you get with him and to be truthful, most high-level coaches have some baggage. You don’t get to the highest with out ruffling lots of feathers alongside the way in which.
Sanders going to Colorado is the fish-out-of-water comedy that’d be appointment tv each Saturday. Hearing no matter comes out of Boulder from press availabilities will unfold like wildfire on social media. A program was going to chew on the boom-or-bust nature of hiring Sanders. Seeing as how Colorado has been one of many worst Power Five groups within the nation lately, doing worse actually isn’t an choice. It could possibly be the right storm for Sanders, or show non-traditional candidates can’t minimize it with out extra expertise. I do think about him peering out at Folsom Field saying “Good morning my neighbors!” I hope somebody is there to reply “Hey, fuck you!” But why would you yell that on the new soccer coach?