Few coaches in college football have been as visible as Deion Sanders across the past couple seasons.
“Coach Prime” helped bring attention to HBCU football as the coach at Jackson State, and he is now working to rebuild the program at Colorado. He has had tons of support along the way, but recently he’s getting some blowback for comments he made about his recruiting strategies during a recent appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show”.
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end turned media personality Marcus Spears is among those not happy with what Sanders had to say.
So, what was it that “Coach Prime” said that has Spears and others up in arms?
Well, Sanders said that when he recruits a quarterback he looks for players with a “3.5 GPA and up,” and that they have to come from a “dual-parent” situation.
But, Sanders said, he looks for the opposite in defensive linemen saying he looks for them to come from single-parent homes and receive “free lunch.”
“I’m talking about just trying to make it,” the coach said. “He’s trying to rescue momma. Like, momma barely made the flight.”
Marcus Spears was not happy with Deion Sanders’ recent comments on recruiting. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)
“This (crap) ain’t funny,” Spears said retweeting a video of the interview.
Deadspin writer Carron J. Phillips responded, “Been telling y’all about Buddy since Day 1 of him taking that job at JSU.”
“Ion know prime like that but all my interactions with him been cool,” Spears responded. “I ain’t judging the man I just ain’t rocking with what he said right here. Ion know him well enough to claim he one way or the other but this wasn’t it.”
Another person responded, “So do we not want honesty or us never know how it works behind closed doors?”
“None of that (crap) based in fact on success which is what makes it the ultimate stereotype fam,” Spears responded. “But go off.”
The comments sparked a wide swath of reactions.
Some defended Sanders by saying it’s just how a lot of coaches think — which doesn’t really make it right — and others said he was just joking. Others were not as kind – taking their criticism further than Spears — in their reaction to his words.