Bo Jackson on Deion Sanders-Auburn football: ‘Depends on if AU is ready for Prime’

Auburn football legend Bo Jackson recently commented on the Tigers head coaching search on USA Today’s “Sports Seriously” — specifically the prospect of Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders making the Power Five jump from the SWAC.

Jackson said on the show that Sanders’ resume speaks for itself, citing the jump in recruiting ranks as well as the general jump in prestige Jackson State has experienced since bringing Sanders on in September 2020.

To Jackson, Sanders’ old-school mentality makes him a fit for any program in the country. No. 34 even believes that the former NFL and MLB star would be able to hang at the professional level should he choose to embark on that challenge.

Ultimately, though, regarding his alma mater bringing on Sanders, Jackson said that ‘it’s just whether or not the organization is ready for Prime.’

Auburn football may not be ready for ‘Prime Time’

If Auburn football wanted a complete culture re-set, the powers that be would hand the reins to Deion Sanders and let him work the same magic ‘Prime Time’ has worked while with FCS Jackson State. The Tigers of Mississippi’s ‘star city’ reeled in the 2022 recruiting class’ top recruit and are 18-2 the past two seasons.

Given the dysfunction of the past nine months on the Plains, Auburn football is not the most desirable coaching job — not for those afraid of a serious challenge. There’s not a more challenging job in the country by way of playing Alabama and Georgia every year and recruiting in the same region, but the expectations of recent history have amplified that even further. Not to mention the hunger fans now have for winning having endured a season and a half of heartbreaking results under Bryan Harsin.

Jeff Grimes appears to be the most likely replacement at head coach if/when John Hartwell is named AD, meaning that the organization simply isn’t ready for ‘Prime.’ If they were, Bo Jackson would likely sound a lot more optimistic than he does.