No, the Florida State grad and former Atlanta Falcon is looking to get into coaching. He was a guest on the Dan Patrick Show Tuesday and expressed interest in following in his former coach Bobby Bowden’s footsteps and become a head coach at a college football program as soon as next year.
Now, is this a realistic goal for the former two-sport star? Not really. Coaching at the college level is much more than just understanding X’s and O’s. It’s recruiting. It’s sucking up to donors so you can get a new practice facility. And yeah, it’s a little bit of being a therapist. These are kids you’re dealing with.
How much experience does Sanders, 52, have in this arena? Next to none. He held a minor position at the Prime Prep Academy, the school he founded that was famously (or infamously) shut down in 2015. And that’s mostly it. So… yeah. Probably not a great resume to submit to colleges looking for a head coach.
But, this is not to say that “Leon Sandcastle” becoming a coach is a pipe dream. The electrifying kick returner and cornerback could get an assistant job at a Division 2 school, or even a lower level position coach job at a smaller Division 1 school looking for some good PR, work his way up, and maybe become a head coach in the future.
Hands baby Hands! #CoachPrime @primetruth7v7 pic.twitter.com/DnF6dyMIyH
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) January 26, 2020
I mean no disrespect to Prime Time, because he was one of the most athletically gifted football players of all time (excluding the legendary Bo Jackson, of course). But coaching is not something that a former player can simply jump into at any time. It’s a tough gig. There’s a reason so many former players simply take the cushy broadcasting job that Sanders currently has at the NFL Network. It’s easy, it’s secure, and people love to see their former heroes on TV.
Besides, Sanders’ dream job is probably at his Alma Mater, Florida State, and they just hired a new coach in Mike Norvell. They probably won’t fire Norvell for at least another three years, as his contract is for six. This will be enough time for Sanders to perhaps work his way up the coaching ranks, and maybe if Norvell flops (like Willie Taggart before him), FSU looks Sanders’ way. It would be great PR for the school, by then Sanders will maybe have more experience in the work of coaching, and maybe the hire would galvanize a fan base that has been… unhappy with the way the football team has been playing recently (and would probably erupt if Norvell produces similar results).
Other major Florida schools such as Miami, USF, and FAU have similar problems with head coaches. Their coaches are either recently hired (USF just hired former Clemson assistant Jeff Scott and FAU just hired former FSU and USF coach Willie Taggart) or probably on their way out (Miami’s Manny Diaz is coming off of a 6-7 season in the very weak ACC). Maybe the Fort Myers native takes a job at one of those schools to remain in his home state of Florida.
Still, all of this is simply just talk if Sanders doesn’t get some coaching experience. Universities don’t throw millions of dollars at a head coach that lacks experience or is unqualified. If Prime Time is serious about becoming a head coach somewhere, he needs to get a job, and not one that involves fishing with Randy Moss for fun (although I think that would probably be the most entertaining fishing trip of all time).
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This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 6, 2020.