n n n ‘. concat(e. i18n. t(“search. voice. recognition_retry”),’n
The Southwestern Athletic Conference football landscape is very different than it was in the days when Jackson State, T. C. Taylor replaced Deion Sanders less than a year ago. Today, school presidents and sports administrators seem to be patient and letting anything small like a contract for an underperforming coach keep them from winning.
Southern got an early jump on 2024 by firing football coach Eric Dooley on Nov. 14, 11 days ahead of its season finale.
Dooley had two years remaining on a contract that paid him $310,000 according to the Associated Press. He was 12-10, including 9-6 in the SWAC at Southern. Dooley’s overall record is 32-27 after coaching at Prairie View (2018-21).
On Tuesday, Grambling football coach Hue Jackson was fired from his $400,000 contract with two years remaining, according to the Miami Herald. In two seasons with the Tigers, Jackson went 8-14, going 6-10 in the SWAC.
Texas Southern will not renew coach Clarence McKinney’s contract, which expires Dec. 15 after five years, according to the school’s football website. McKinney is between the ages of 12 and 34, has a 9-26 SWAC and earns $331,500 a year. According to public records.
Taylor knows the importance of her next generation of recruiting. His rookie season celebrated with a 7-4 record after having to replenish a nearly empty closet. Taylor signed 60 players after much of the 2022 team left sometime after Sanders. But in a program that won the SWAC championships in 2021 and 2022, progress is expected and may simply be seen as a make-or-break season for Taylor, who has two years left on a three-year contract.
Here are the 3 biggest recruiting wishes for Jackson State football in 2024.
For Taylor, recruiting starts with the offensive line. He wants to find bigger athletes with long arms, like the first-year left-hander facing Quaveon Davis, the blind side of quarterback JaCobian Morgan.
Taylor will have to upgrade two All-SWAC players on the offensive line, right-hander Deontae Graham and middle Evan Henry. Right guard Kirk Ford also graduated. The same goes for the D tight ends. J. Stevens and Hayden Hagler, who have been used extensively as blockers on running plays.
The line will bring back Davis and left guard D’Andre Townes-Blue. Cameron James, Douglas Fowler, Chris Gonzales and Cameron James are back and may only be starters if they don’t get into the move portal.
Jackson State wants to avoid the skid, and that means big players who play fast and with attitude. The Tigers have enough athletes in the back seven to fly and play, but they want to be strong up front.
To compete for the SWAC crown, Jackson wants to return to the dominant defense of 2022, when he allowed 13. 5 yards while restricting his warring parties to 117. 2 rushing yards per game and 3. 2 yards per carry. In 2023, those numbers are higher than 23. 9 yards and 148. 5 rushing yards per game with an average of 4. 6 yards per carry. That can’t happen in 2024.
After satisfying the desires at stake, Jackson State can be picky and meet the need. When Taylor took over, he didn’t have that luxury. With so many players coming out through the movement portal, I needed bodies.
FIVE JSU PLAYERS ON ALL-SWAC TEAM Jackson State football places five on All-SWAC team, first-team lineman Deontae Graham
Taylor and his coaches have proven they can spot skills and expand them. With the physical quality of the football played through Jackson State, there has been a successful “next man up” approach. If players are ready and stay ready, they can have a chance to play.
Jackson State hit home runs on recruits such as quarterbacks Jason Brown, a Virginia Tech transfer who started the season, and backup JaCobian Morgan, a transfer from Syracuse who ended up starting the last four games.
When running back J. D. Martin injured his toe, Wofford’s move, Irv Mulligan, took over and he became SWAC’s leading running back until he was injured in Game 6. Then freshman Ahmad Miller had chances, rushing for 57 yards in one half against Alabama State and averaging 6. 0 yards on 18 carries in the remaining games.
This elegance in recruiting may be the difference between the Tigers betting on the SWAC name and Taylor feeling the warmth heading into the final season of his contract.
This article originally published in Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State Football’s Three Biggest Recruiting Needs for 2024