Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders to miss Saturday's game following foot surgery

Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders will not be on the sidelines for the Tigers' home game against Bethune-Cookman on Saturday.

Sanders recently underwent foot surgery. Running backs coach Gary Harrell will lead the Tigers with Sanders unavailable, according to a statement Wednesday from JSU Athletics.

"Due to a follow up on Coach Prime’s recent surgery and on the orders of his doctors, he will not coach this Saturday," JSU associate athletic director Dennis Driscoll wrote. "Coach Gary Harrell will lead the team this weekend. Coach Prime looks forward to returning to the sideline. We wish Coach a speedy recovery and can’t wait to see him on the field."

Harrell, 49, joined Sanders' staff in November 2020 after spending one season as the running backs coach at Alabama State. Previously, Harrell spent two seasons as Lane Kiffin's wide receivers coach at Florida Atlantic.

A wide receiver in college at Howard (1990-93) and for four games in the NFL with the New York Giants (1994-95), he started his coaching career at his alma mater working with receivers in 2002-03. Howard was receivers coach at Texas Southern (2004-05), receiver coach at Florida A&M (2006-07), quarterbacks coach at Morgan State (2008) and offensive coordinator at Bowie State (2009-10).

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Harrell was the head coach at Howard from 2011-12 and 2014-16 and had a 20-36 record.

JSU (5-1, 3-0 Southwestern Conference) is coming off a 28-7 homecoming victory over Alabama State at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. The announced attendance was 53,578, which was the largest homecoming crowd in school history and the 10th largest for a home game.

"Tiger nation I need yall to do me a favor this weekend," Sanders wrote on Twitter. "I need yall to really show out and pack the Vet. Due to my recent foot surgery I will be following my team of Doctor's orders and I will not be coaching this weekend, my right hand, will be leading our team and carrying out our mission to win all four quarters and play smart, tough, fast and disciplined.

"You already know I-Believe and I know darn well you do too! Go Tigers."

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Deion Sanders to miss Jackson State game after undergoing foot surgery