Henry Taylor/Commercial-Appeal/USA Today Network
The dominating theme that underscored the Southwestern Athletic Conference last season was the unparalleled impact of Deion Sanders.
The belief in the Jackson State coach to elevate the Tigers, and HBCU programs overall, became more than a popular catchphrase. Sanders’s words and actions provided a new perception to the conference’s deep-rooted legacy. “He [Sanders] has put an entirely different lens on the league,” league commissioner Charles McClelland told Sports Illustrated in December.
