Coach Prime can use his platform to help son get more Heisman talk

Oct. 14—Last Saturday, Shedeur Sanders was mentioned in the same breath as Steve McNair, one of the SWAC's all-time greats.

If the Jackson State quarterback gets a few more mentions like that, maybe he'll start to be name-dropped when talking heads take up the Heisman on TV.

That's when he'll enter the conversation.

JSU coach Deion Sanders has advocated for his son's inclusion in the conversation. He doesn't say Shedeur is a lock but that Shedeur should be discussed.

"You put his numbers up next to the guys in the Power 5s, he's doing as much or more than they're doing right now," the elder Sanders said in a late September SWAC media call.

Shedeur Sanders was rated a four-star prospect and the No. 241 player overall on the 247Sports composite list as a senior at Trinity Christian School in the Dallas suburb of Cedar Hill in 2020.

According to 247Sports, he had offers from Alabama, Georgia, and the other major Power Five schools that one might expect of his recruiting resume but chose to play for Dad in Jackson.

He's been instrumental in helping Dad, also known as Coach Prime, win 20 of his first 25 games at Jackson State.

In doing so, the son has helped increase the coaching profile of the father.

The irony is that the father's larger-than-life personality gets in the way of notoriety for Shedeur, and Shedeur's own hype machine has to get rolling if he is going to enter the conversation as his father desires. When people talk about Jackson State they're talking about Deion, not Shedeur.

Jackson State is 5-0, leading the SWAC and ranked eighth in FCS, but the story you see and hear on social media is whether Deion Sanders will be hired to coach an FBS team.

In his short time in Jackson, Deion Sanders has shown he can recruit and win.

He's worthy of a shot to coach at the next level.

But there's a lot to consider between worthiness and a signed contract. There needs to be the right fit. The athletic director and president who want to see Sanders win and attract talent to their school need to be ready to hand off complete control of the program. Same with their boosters.

Nothing about how Sanders has run his successful JSU program suggests a man who governs by coalition or blends easily with chain of command.

Potential next-level employers need to be good with a coach who lives the best and worst of life before millions of social media followers.

The most recent round of Coach Prime in the news came after the Tigers' 26-12 when over Alabama State. Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson Jr., accepted Sanders' postgame handshake but pulled away from the second round of appreciation, the attempted hug that followed.

Robinson, citing his examples of disrespect, went on to say of Sanders, "He ain't SWAC."

Sanders, instead of saying his piece in response and letting the news cycle settle down, extended the story Monday as he appeared before his team in a hoodie that said, "Who is SWAC?" on the front, and "I am SWAC" on the back.

Shedeur Sanders completed 30 of 46 passes for 332 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against Alabama State. Those are good numbers, but not Heisman-esque, especially for quarterbacks competing at the FCS level.

That didn't stop Robinson from praising the younger Sanders in his postgame address.

"His son should be up for the Heisman Trophy," Robinson said. "I love Shedeur, great player. I love what he's doing for the conference, probably one of the best we've had since Steve McNair."

Speaking of McNair, his 1994 season at Alcorn State saw him pass for 4,863 yards and rush for 936 for an NCAA record 5,799 yards of total offense. He threw 47 touchdown passes.

Slowly, a buzz built for McNair and the Heisman, one that included a Sports Illustrated cover, and with all of that he finished third in the voting.

Shedeur Sanders is on pace to throw for a little less than 4,200 yards but won't have near the rushing yards that McNair did.

Sanders isn't going to win the Heisman, but that's not what his dad is asking. He says Shedeur should be discussed. Maybe Coach Prime can use his platform more often and with greater volume and get that ball rolling.

PARRISH ALFORD is the college sports editor and columnist for the Daily Journal. Contact him at parrish.alford@journalinc.com.