THE RESURGENCE OF HBCU FOOTBALL!

 This network has talked about the world of HBCU football on our podcast "4th & 15 with Mel and Smooth" plenty of times enough to know that there was a strong possibility that a change was coming in that area of college football. It started with the hiring of head coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State University. Within this same season HBCU football games had been shown on ESPN more than they ever had before.


With the hiring of "Coach Prime" came another surprise hiring with former NFL great Eddie George at Tennessee State. Along with the Hiring if Coach George at Tennessee State, there have been rumors of another NFL great Marshall Faulk possibly being hired at Southern University. This may not seem like a big deal until you think about all that comes with these names. Take away the fact they are NFL greats for a second and think about the influence they have. The number one thing you have to do as a college coach is RECRUIT! Nick Saban, Ryan Day, Dabo Sweeney are just some of the names in division 1 football that have the top recruiting classes every year, and these men have a great power of influence to make a young man want to come play for them at a HBCU and possibly be NFL ready by the time they graduate.


Now, imagine "Coach Prime", Marshall Faulk, or even Eddie George sitting in your home talking to you about coming to their school. Telling you that there are other options if Ohio State, Michigan, or Alabama doesn't come calling. Now you as a high school athlete or you as a parent have another avenue to get your child to college. On top of that, if the NFL or something closer is the goal, keep in mind that some of the greatest NFL players have come from HBCU's. Jerry Rice, Willie Brown(r.i.p.), Aneas Williams, and even Doug Williams who became the first African-American to start and win a super bowl as well as set a record for touchdowns and yards in a quarter came from HBCU's.


This past NFL draft "Coach Prime" had a huge discrepancy. That discrepancy was that not one HBCU player was drafted. "Coach Prime" also said that he played against a multitude of players from other HBCU schools that were more than qualified to be drafted in the NFL, and he's right! There was and is talent on every level Especially in the HBCU's. Think about all of the historic HBCU programs. Just in the SWAC alone there's Grambling State, Southern, Jackson State, and Mississippi Valley State. Not to mention the historic coaches that have coached in HBCU football. Most notably Ace Mumford at Southern and the late great Eddie Robinson at Grambling State who won 9 black national championships and the first coach to surpass Alabama coach Paul "bear" Bryant with the most wins(408) at any level. A mark that stood until Joe Paterno passed him with 409 wins. 


That mark alone should show you the level of respect, honor, and determination of HBCU players, coaches, and programs in general. To make things even more surprising, the NCAA instituted the Transfer Portal, which gives Athletes a one-time chance to transfer schools should they not like the atmosphere of there first chosen school. This has had a bad and good impact on the HBCU world as many players have transferred schools and some have entered the HBCU world. Most notably the son of "Coach Prime" Shedeur Sanders transferring to Jackson State.


The best part of this change is that the HBCU game has expanded in the best way possible. For starters, the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic between Grambling State and Tennessee State will be coming back to Ohio and will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium( aka Fawcett Stadium) in September. The reason this is a big deal is simple. Ohio hasn't hosted a HBCU football game since the early 2000's. Also , The famed Orange Blossom Classic between Florida A&M and Jackson State will return to Florida after a 43-year hiatus in September and will be showed on ESPN as well. Another shocker will be that for the first time ever there will be a true battle of Louisiana when the LSU Tigers welcome Southern and Gambling State in back to back years in 2022 and 2023 in what will be the first time that LSU plays these two historic teams in "Death Valley"! The change has been so swift that starting next year the Senior Bowl and NFL will host the first HBCU combine next January!


For those reading, I am Not telling or trying to influence anyone not to pursue their dream school. My point is that there are other Options, and the HBCU's have a great experience that most schools don't offer. They also have a huge significance in the NFL that can't be denied. This change will have a very long ripple effect, and I for one welcome this change.

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