MEAC Football

Former NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson is excited for the next chapter of his football career as the head coach at Delaware State.

"The opportunity for me to help write another chapter here at DSU is a once-in-a-lifetime moment consistent with my journey as a young boy finding his way to manhood through mentorship, accountability, achievement, and discipline," he said in a statement (h/t ESPN). "If we build that kind of culture at Delaware State University, we will attract the right talent and radically change the trajectory of this program. I cannot wait to get started."

Jackson, 38, spent 15 years in the NFL as a dynamic wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2023.

The three-time Pro Bowler and one-time champion registered 641 catches for 11,263 yards and 58 touchdowns in his career, and in his prime was one of the NFL's most dangerous deep threats, leading the NFL in yards per receptions in four different seasons.

Now, he's making the transition to the world of coaching. While he doesn't bring any experience to the position, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that sources said Jackson always dreamed of coaching at a historically Black college or university.

"DeSean Jackson is a perfect fit for our institution—incredibly competitive, optimistic about the prospects for our collective future, and focused on the fundamentals of the institution: Students first," athletic director Tony Tucker said in a statement.

Jackson has his work cut out for him—Delaware State has posted just one winning season since 2008 and last reached the postseason in 2007, losing that year in the first round to Delaware in a Route 1 Rivalry showdown.

Jackson's former teammate, quarterback Michael Vick, is also joining the MEAC coaching ranks, having taken the head-coaching position at Norfolk State earlier in December.

"It's an honor to announce that I'll be the new head coach of Norfolk State University... looking forward to coming back home," Vick said on social media on Dec. 17.

DeSean Jackson is taking a crack at collegiate coaching.

Delaware State officially announced the former NFL player as the team's new head football coach on Friday, per Ralph Russo of The Athletic.

Pete Thamel of ESPN first reported Thursday that the retired wide receiver was "finalizing an agreement" with Delaware State.

Desean Jackson and Delaware State are finalizing an agreement for him to take the head coaching job there, per ESPN sources. He did an on-campus interview in recent days and the sides are expected to come together in the near future. pic.twitter.com/KXO0AvGVbL

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 26, 2024

Thamel also reported that it's "aways been a dream" of Jackson's to coach an HBCU program. He retired in 2023 and spent the 2024 season as an assistant coach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California.

He joins Bill Belichick, Deion Sanders and Michael Vick as notable NFL names who have moved to the college landscape in recent seasons.

College football coaches:

DeSean Jackson
Bill Belichick
Deion Sanders
Michael Vick https://t.co/mKkSe1JzOz

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 26, 2024

Jackson last played during the 2022 season with the Baltimore Ravens, where he had nine catches for 153 yards in seven games. He finished his career with 641 catches, 11,263 yards and 66 total touchdowns.

The 38-year-old also had a legendary college career at Cal, as he had 162 catches for 2,423 yards and 23 total touchdowns, being named an All-American in 2006.

He ventures to the FCS level for his first collegiate coaching opportunity and will take over a Hornets team that went 1-11 in 2024.

Michael Vick says the first person he reached out to after being named head coach at Norfolk State was Deion Sanders.

Vick mentioned Sanders when he was introduced on Monday as the 19th head coach in Norfolk State history.

Michael Vick said the first person he reached out to was Deion Sanders.

People have asked if he would be the "next Deion Sanders", Vick said there's no replicating what/who Deion is.

"Deion is Deion. I'm Michael Vick."

— Michael Sauls (@mcsauls) December 23, 2024

Vick said that when he asked Sanders about beginning his college coaching career, the Colorado head coach told him he "might as well get into it."

"I don't know what you're waiting for," Sanders said, according to Vick and 13 News Now's Connor Rhiel.

Sanders responded by praising Vick on Twitter, saying he has "forever changed" the NFL and college quarterback position and will have "tremendous impact" on college coaching.

Let’s go baby! We’ve got to support, encourage, assist & show consistent Love to Coach Vick! He’s forever changed to QB position in @cfb @NFL & he will have tremendous impact on Coaching & Leading men to their true destinations. Love ya my brother. @MichaelVick pic.twitter.com/xZYN8ROftl

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) December 23, 2024

Sanders previously coached an HBCU football program at Jackson State before taking the helm at Colorado in 2023.

Vick previously told Fox Sports' RJ Young about reaching out to Sanders, who won two SWAC titles with Jackson State before joining the Buffaloes.

"I reached out to Deion just to have a conversation with him," Vick said last week, per Young. "The conversation was more so about philosophy and the most important steps to get started. He reminded me I'd have a bunch of people pulling for me."

This is not the first time these two former NFL stars have connected. Sanders and Vick previously met in Boulder toward the beginning of Sanders' first season with the Buffaloes, according to a video from Well Off Media.

The Buffaloes improved from 1-11 in 2022 to 4-8 in Sanders' first season with Colorado, then took another step with a 9-3 record and a bowl game appearance in 2024.

Sanders took over at Jackson State with an NFL playing career behind him but no previous head coaching experience in either college or the pros. He did, however, bring with him a starting quarterback in his son Shedeur Sanders and a future Heisman Trophy winner in two-way star Travis Hunter.

Vick will look to find success at Norfolk State with a similar résumé, after spending 13 seasons in the NFL and the past seven years as an analyst with FOX Sports, but without the immediate boost of the players coming with him. The Spartans will now hope the draw of being led by the former Virginia Tech star will improve their recruiting heading into 2025.

Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick told David Teel and Michael Sauls of The Virginian-Pilot that he has interviewed for the head-coaching position at Norfolk State and expects a decision in the matter "soon."

"I know how to lead and I know what it takes," he added, saying that Norfolk State officials reached out to him about the position.

Vick has never coached but told Teel and Sauls he would bring aboard an experienced staff to aid him if he's hired.

He is originally from Newport News, about 35 minutes away from Norfolk State's campus.

Oh absolutely. Michael Vick becoming the head coach of Norfolk State would be a very big deal here in VA. I never knew how bad the 757 needed this until now. https://t.co/yH0CsGGlaY

— ✨🦫America Is Musty🦫✨ (@DragonflyJonez) December 16, 2024

Norfolk State's former head coach, Dawson Odums, was fired on Nov. 26 after going just 15-31 in parts of four seasons. Since 2012, the Spartans have had just one winning season, going 6-5 in 2021.

The team did post a 9-3 record in 2011, 6-5 record in 2010 and 7-4 record in 2009, but the NCAA stripped them of all of those wins after an investigation determined that the school's athletic department allowed 48 ineligible student-athletes to compete in a number of sports over a four-year period, including football.

As for Vick, the 44-year-old spent 13 seasons in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons (2001-06), Philadelphia Eagles (2009-13), New York Jets (2014) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2015), going 61-51-1 as a starting quarterback while reaching the postseason four times.

His career was halted for a two-year period in 2007-08 after he served 18 months in prison and two months in home confinement for financing a dog-fighting ring.

On the field, Vick was a four-time Pro Bowler, throwing for 22,464 yards, 133 touchdowns and 88 interceptions in his career, completing 56.2 percent of his passes. He was most famous for his electrifying scrambling ability, however, rushing for 6,109 yards and 36 touchdowns in his career.

He became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, achieving the milestone in 2006 (1,039 yards). The only other players to achieve that feat are Lamar Jackson (2019, 2020) and Justin Fields (2022).

The Delaware State football team, which is set to open the 2024 season against Hawai'i on Saturday, missed a Tuesday flight to Honolulu because of a "bus snafu" to John F. Kennedy International Airport, Stephen Tsai reported for the Star Advertiser.

A spokesperson for Delaware State said the team was "working on a plan," per Tsai.

The flight to Hawai'i is slated to take 10.5 hours, Tsai reported. The two teams are currently scheduled to open the 2024 season at 5:59 p.m. local time, or 11:59 p.m. ET, on Saturday.

Delaware State head coach Lee Hull said on Monday that the team was leaving at 4 a.m. on Tuesday to make the flight at JFK, per Steven J. Gaither of HBCU Gameday.

According to Gaither, Hull said on Monday that the team had faced some "issues" preparing for the almost 5,000-mile round trip between Dover and Honolulu.

"Today people coming in—'Oh we got an issue here, we got an issue there. What are we doing here?'" Hull said, per Gaither. "You know, so that last-minute stuff that that comes up because of the long flight. You know we got to drive to JFK, which is three hours away. And then we got a direct flight, which is another 10.5 hours. So yeah, but we're looking forward to it."

Delaware State was added to the Rainbow Warriors schedule after Hawai'i and Oregon agreed in December to reschedule their planned season opener following Oregon's move to the Big Ten.

The Hornets received a "lucrative payment" to cover travel costs in exchange for agreeing to the season-opening matchup, Kevin Tresolini reported for the Delaware News Journal.

Delaware State is looking to bounce back after a 1-10 campaign despite a difficult schedule to start the 2024 season.

The Hornets were already slated to have less than a week to recover from the six-hour time change in Hawai'i before taking on their second road game of the season, an Aug. 31 tilt against Sacred Heart. The team isn't set to play at home until Sept. 14 against visiting Wagner.

Now that schedule has been made more challenging, with Delaware State set to have fewer days to beat jet lag before opening the 2024 season.

After all football activities at Florida A&M were suspended by head coach Willie Simmons on Friday night due to the release of a rap video filmed in the team's locker room, the school announced that team activities have been cleared to resume on Tuesday.

The school's announcement stated that an investigation into the unauthorized video is ongoing.

Florida A&M players cleared to return to team activities on Tuesday, after they were suspended by Coach Willie Simmons on Friday https://t.co/QHmXL4DJyf

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 24, 2023

According to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, the video was released by Real Boston Richey for his song "Send A Blitz." The song contained references to guns and drugs plus sexually explicit lyrics.

In addition to several Florida A&M players being featured in the video, Richey was among multiple people seen wearing a Rattlers helmet and he also wore a team polo shirt that included the Nike logo. Also, the song's promo art on Apple Music includes Florida A&M's green and orange color scheme and appears to be a football play design, per Gerald Thomas III of the Tennessee Democrat.

Simmons said in a statement that the video contained "graphic language that is not consistent with Florida A&M's core values, principles and beliefs and an internal investigation is underway to determine who authorized the use of not only the athletic facility at Galimore-Powell, but also licensed apparel that potentially violates university branding and licensing agreements."

Simmons added that while he is "a proud proponent of free speech" and supports "all forms of musical expressions," he believes the football team "has a responsibility to protect the University's image."

Florida A&M is coming off a 9-2 finish to last season and will begin its 2023 campaign on Sept. 3 against Jackson State.

Florida A&M has suspended all football-related activities following the release of a rap video that was filmed in the team's locker room without proper authorization.

In a statement from head coach Willie Simmons, the video was filmed by a "prominent rapper" and contained "graphic language that is not consistent with Florida A&M's core values, principles and beliefs and an internal investigation is underway to determine who authorized the use of not only the athletic facility at Galimore-Powell, but also licensed apparel that potentially violates university branding and licensing agreements."

pic.twitter.com/X70jA7mbhR

— Coach Willie Simmons (@HCWillieSimmons) July 22, 2023

Per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, the video was from Real Boston Richey for his song "Send A Blitz" and features the rapper in the locker room wearing a Rattlers' t-shirt and team helmet.

Several Florida A&M players were also featured in the video.

The song contains sexually explicit lyrics, as well as references to guns and dealing drugs. The video features Richey and others donning a Florida A&M helmet. Richey is also wearing a Rattlers' polo t-shirt with the Nike logo and khakis.

Simmons' statement noted he is "a proud proponent of free speech" and supports "all forms of musical expressions," but the football team "has a responsibility to protect the University's image."

Gerald Thomas III of the Tennessee Democrat noted the song title promo on Apple Music is in Rattlers' orange and green and features a diagram for what appears to be a football play design.

The school has opened an investigation into how the locker room was able to be accessed for the filming of Real Boston Richey's video.

Florida A&M has claimed 16 national titles and has won 37 conference titles. Simmons is entering his fifth season with the program. He has a 33-12 record with one appearance in the FCS playoffs in 2021.

The Rattlers are scheduled to open the 2023 season on Sept. 3 against Jackson State.

HEIGHT: 6'3 1/2"

WEIGHT: 236

HAND: 9 1/4"

ARM: 32 1/2"

WINGSPAN: 77"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.62

3-CONE: 7.2

SHUTTLE: 4.56

VERTICAL: 34.5"

BROAD: 10'6"

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POSITIVES

– Great production as a pass-rusher with 19 sacks in 2021.

– Good get-off, quick to react to the snap and accelerates off the line of scrimmage well.

– Sets up his pass rush moves well by getting to square on the offensive lineman during the stem phase of the rush.

– Quick twitched and a good athlete to flush out an inside stick move.

– Also has a nice inside spin move that he can win with.

– Has good angles as a rusher and a pretty flexible lower half for good bend to take an efficient path to the quarterback. This helps as the looper in line games, too.

– Against the run, he's quick to get his hands up, is physical at the point of attack and strong enough to take on blocks from tight ends.

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NEGATIVES

– Lacks size for an NFL edge, he needs to add weight to hold up as a run defender versus offensive linemen.

– Takes on blocks with high pad level and stops his feet on contact. He's going to struggle to anchor versus offensive tackles.

– Struggles to shed/get off blocks from offensive linemen.

– Inconsistent with the timing and accuracy of his hands when working finesse moves. He'll miss, and tackles will make the first significant contact more often than not.

– Bad pass-rush-lane integrity. He will duck inside and lose outside against mobile quarterbacks.

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2022 STATS

– 8 GM, 23 total tackles (17 solo), 12 TFL, eight sacks, 2 PD, 1 FF

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NOTES

– Not ranked coming out of high school in the 2018 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings

– Injuries: 2022 (Hip, missed spring practices; LCL sprain (knee), missed 1 game)

– 2022 Honors: All-SWAC First-Team Defense, FCS Coaches All-American First Team

– 2021 Honors: Buck Buchannan Award Winner (best FCS defender), First-Team FCS All-American, SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-SWAC

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OVERALL

Isaiah Land burst on to the scene in 2021 as one of the most productive pass-rushers in the country with 19 sacks in 12 games. He wasn't quite as active this past season but still managed to rack up eight sacks and finished his college career with 29 in three seasons.

Land is a good athlete who can contribute as a third-down rusher, but his lack of size and strength will be a major issue as a run defender in the NFL. He does have room for growth on his frame, but he needs to add about 15 to 20 more pounds to become an "every-down" player at the next level, which could significantly impact his athleticism.

The Florida A&M product did show some position versatility at the Senior Bowl by taking a few reps as an off-ball linebacker, so some teams may ask him to switch positions. He has the traits of someone who could contribute on special teams, too, giving clubs more reasons to take a chance on him in the later rounds of the draft.

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GRADE: 5.7 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)

OVERALL RANK: 224

POSITION RANK: EDGE25

PRO COMPARISON: Chris Garrett

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

After Bethune-Cookman students voiced their displeasure over the dismissal of Ed Reed as the school's head football coach, interim president Dr. Lawrence Drake released a letter on Tuesday addressing the situation.

"To close the chapter on Mr. Reed, he was a tremendous player. Still, as we continued to observe him, we felt that his behavior was not aligned with the traditions of our founder Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and the university," the letter read.

A letter from Bethune-Cookman interim president Dr. Lawrence Drake has been posted on the school's website regarding the Ed Reed situation following student protests on campus yesterday. pic.twitter.com/VI7sLRPGUC

— Richard🇬🇾Johnson (@RJ_cfb) January 24, 2023

On Monday, students engaged in an on-campus protest against the university's decision not to ratify Reed's contract despite naming him head coach on Dec. 27. The students called for the Board of Trustees' removal and also voiced their issues with the Florida university's facilities.

Bethune Cookman students are calling for the Board of Trustees' removal. They say campus facilities have many issues the school isn't addressing. Ed Reed spoke out and contract negotiations broke down, which was the "icing on the cake." @WFTV pic.twitter.com/mSrsUSik8l

— Nick Papantonis WFTV (@NPapantonisWFTV) January 23, 2023

Prior to his dismissal, Reed recorded a live stream on social media in which he heavily criticized the school's athletic facilities. The 44-year-old later apologized for his actions after receiving pushback for publicly airing out the university's deficiencies.

"I(n) regards to my social media and comments about the University, staff and other institutions, I would like to sincerely apologize to all BCU staff, students and alumni for my lack of professionalism," he stated. "My language and tone were unacceptable as a father, coach and leader. My passion for our culture, betterment and bringing our foundation up got the best of me and I fell victim while engaging with antagonists on social media as well."

After his 25-day tenure as head coach came to an end, Reed expressed his disappointment to no longer be in the position during a lengthy rant he posted on Instagram.

"My vision is probably moving too fast for a lot of people," Reed said in the video. "I'm not withdrawing my name as they say. They don't want me here. They do not want me because I tell the truth. It hurts. This hurt because people don't care about these kids like I do, and they should be the ones leaving, not me, because I don't want to."

On Monday night, the Pro Football Hall of Famer revealed that he turned down an opportunity to replace Deion Sanders at Jackson State in order to accept the Bethune-Cookman job.