Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders shows up at practice, doesn't talk TCU job

The past three weeks has been anything but normal for Jackson State football. Coach Deion Sanders hasn’t been at a game the past three weeks as he recovered from a recent foot surgery.

Despite his absence, interim coach Gary Harrell led the Tigers to three consecutive victories, including a 41-21 victory over Texas Southern last week.

Jackson State (8-1, 6-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) has won six straight games and has a chance to clinch a berth to the SWAC Championship game with a road win over Southern (4-5, 3-3) on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN3).

The Tigers got a sense of normalcy at practice on Wednesday as Sanders returned to the Jackson State facility for the first time this month. Sanders announced earlier in the day he was released from the hospital and his presence was a welcomed sight at practice.

“Even if he’s on the little wheelchair he’s still got great energy,” senior defensive end James Houston said Thursday. “It’s been exciting just him being here. I think it’s uplifted the team a lot throughout the week.”

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However, Sanders’ return coincided with reports of him interviewing for the TCU head coaching job on Monday. The Horned Frogs are reportedly looking at Sanders as a candidate following Gary Patterson’s resignation on Oct. 31, according to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram.

Harrell said Sanders’ interview wasn’t discussed with the team.

“We don’t address it because the players did a good job of impressively not even flinching,” Harrell said. “There were no conversations about it. The staff heard about it. We know Coach Prime was pretty much in the hospital and don’t know how that can happen.

“We can’t get caught up on what’s going on in social media. We can’t control those things. The players did a great job without asking any questions. I don’t know amongst themselves if the conversation happened, but as far as coming to us coaches, it didn’t happen.”

Harrell is unsure if Sanders will attend or coach Saturday. The situation is still “day-to-day” according to Harrell.

“The show gotta keep going,” Houston said. “It doesn't stop for one person. Although he’s our head coach and our leader.”

“You just have to block it out and focus on what you can control.”

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Harrell was impressed with how the players have stuck together and remained focused on the Jaguars. Winning the SWAC East was one of many goals Jackson State set out to achieve this year.

“When you watch this team for the past couple of weeks — especially this week — they are a close team,” Harrell said. “This team really loves each other. It’s a real close family environment. It showed this week as far as how they went out in practice throughout the week, even this morning in the rain, with so much energy and so much juice today. It shows the maturity level of where we are.”

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders shows up at practice, doesn't talk TCU job