DeSean Jackson is the new head coach at Delaware State
Deion Sanders wasn’t an outlier, he’s a trendsetter. Following Michael Vick’s hire at Norfolk State last week, Desean Jackson is the latest former player to become a college head coach with little-to-no coaching experience. Jackson is the newest head coach at Delaware State, building off of his experience as a high school wide receivers coach for one season prior to now.
Breaking: DeSean Jackson and Delaware State are finalizing an agreement for him to take the head coaching job there, sources told @PeteThamel.
Sources said it has always been a dream of Jackson’s to coach at an HBCU. Victory Formation Media was first to report the news. pic.twitter.com/uhC5zrodAd
— ESPN (@espn) December 26, 2024
Deion Sanders also started at an HBCU with Jackson State prior to taking the job at Colorado and bringing two Hesiman candidates, including Heisman winner Travis Hunter, with him.
Jackson may not be so fortunate at Delaware State, unless he has the number one recruit in the country and his superstar QB son coming with him.
The two former NFL players, Vick and Jackson, will have a game against one another next year as unseasoned college head coaches.
Norfolk State HC Mike Vick and Delaware State HC DeSean Jackson will go head to head in a MEAC rivalry game next fall, appointment TV.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 27, 2024
These two will hardly be the last.
As college football becomes more about winning the transfer portal and less about winning football games, being “famous” or “popular” will trump being good at coaching. Maybe Jackson is a natural coach and will excel in the role and keep moving up as Deion did. But the real fallout of all these changes to college football won’t be known for decades.
Right now, it’s just as unexpected as it could get. How long until Aaron Donald is the head coach at Pitt?
He might do better than whoever they have now.