NASHVILLE – Deion Sanders has been all over national TV, putting Jackson State in the spotlight every time his insurance commercials air. At Tennessee State, hiring Eddie George has had a similar effect.
Thanks to their high-profile football coaches, Jackson State and Tennessee State are reaping benefits ranging from bigger crowds to more interest from top recruits to companies wanting to tap into all the hype, making deals with both universities and players under the new name, image and likeness rules.
Just as officials at the two historically Black universities hoped.
“It’s just reestablishing our football brand that was so dominant for many decades and just restoring that,” Tennessee State athletic director Mikki Allen said of George. “He’s been everything that I could ask for in a head coach.”
Allen said Tennessee State’s enrollment already is up, and four- and five-star recruits are looking closely at George and the Tigers. The Nashville program hosted 317 recruits one weekend.