Deion Sanders throws Jackson State’s ex-OC under the bus

Jackson State University head football coach Deion Sanders speaks to media during a press conference at JSU’s Walter Payton Recreation and Wellness Center in Jackson, Miss., Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020.

Deion Sanders is not shy about offering some brutal honesty as Jackson State head coach. Even members of his coaching staff aren’t safe.

Sanders’ Jackson State spring game was featured on ESPNU Sunday, and Coach Prime was a huge part of the broadcast. When chatting live with ESPNU during the game, Sanders took time out to praise new offensive coordinator Brett Bartolone. Sanders suggested that Bartolone would make the Jackson State offense less predictable, which was apparently a huge problem in 2021.

“They pretty much were calling out our darn plays last season, we were that darn predictable,” Sanders said, via John Brice of Football Scoop. “If you have a run game, that means you’ve got an option and you’re not predictable.”

Jason Phillips called offensive plays for Sanders and Jackson State during the first four games of the 2021 season, then was replaced by T.C. Taylor. Taylor is still on Jackson State’s staff, which probably means there’s some good-natured ribbing present in Sanders’ remarks.

Sanders does things differently at Jackson State. This may not be the most prominent example of that, but he’s not shy about airing his concerns.