Two Philadelphia Eagles legends are now HBCU head coaches following the announcement that ex-NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson will fly in the same pattern as ex-teammate Michael Vick as a new college football head coach, with the acclaimed vertical threat heading to Delaware State University.
The three-time Eagles Pro Bowler was announced on Thursday night, just one day after Christmas festivities, as finalizing a deal to become the Hornets’ brand-new leader. The ex-NFL receiver was asked to undergo an interview with the university, completing Jackson’s lifelong dream of being the head coach of an HBCU.
Jackson has never held a coaching position in the NFL or Division 1 college level. In August, he was hired as an assistant wide receivers coach and punt return specialist at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. Jackson has 11,263 career NFL receiving yards, 1,315 punt return yards, and four returned touchdowns.
The player-turned-coach and “25/10 podcast” host worked under head coach Travis Clark, and the team finished the 2024 season with a record of 9-5. He worked closely with 6-foot-2 wide receiver Maxwell Barbee, who finished last season with 68 taches, 1220 yards, and 12 touchdowns. Just one season prior, Barbee had 16 catches for 281 yards and three touchdowns as a junior, showing Jackson’s impact with the youth.
Vick was recently announced as the new head coach of Norfolk State, pitting the former teammates against each other in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The former Eagles quarterback threw Jackson passes for four NFL seasons. During their time together in Philly, the pair connected on 220 catches for 4,044 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns.
Upon stepping on campus, Vick and Jackson will be tasked with establishing a major overhaul for their programs. Jackson’s Hornets finished the season with a 1-11 record overall and went 0-5 in the conference six teams last season. Delaware State has a combined record of 12-33 in the past four years.
According to FBSchedules, Delaware State’s first four games next season will be against Delaware on Aug. 28, Albany on Sept. 6, Monmouth on Oct. 4, and SC State on Nov. 22. The Hornets lost to Norfolk State 38-19 last season, with their only victory coming in a hard-fought 17-15 win against Sacred Heart in August.
The university will use Jackson’s name and star power to entice recruiting prospects and elevate the program. 24/7 Sports reports that the top two recruits on Jackson’s radar from the class of 2025 are three-star Virginia quarterback Au’tori Newkirk and cornerback Arion Lang.
Jackson will be in direct competition with Vick to land Newkirk, as he’s received interest from nine universities, including Norfolk State, and both will have to deal with the recruiting power of household university names like Temple and the University of Massachusetts. He and Vick join a laundry list of NFL alums who joined the college ranks, including Bill Belichick [UNC], Deion Sanders [Colorado], and Eddie George [Tennessee State University].
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