12/11/22 Auburn Articles

[aubiefifty 18,255]

Where are the Alabama, Mississippi All-Stars heading to college?

Published: Dec. 10, 2022, 6:34 a.m.

4–5 minutes

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The 36th Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic is set for noon today at South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium.

The game features three Alabama commits, three Auburn commits and a host of other future SEC players.

Here is a look at today’s roster and where players are currently committed to play college football.

ALABAMA

Number, name, school, Position

0 Sylvester Smith, Munford, DB (Tennessee)

1 Earl Woods, Hueytown, QB (Jacksonville State)

2 TJ Metcalf, Pinson Valley, DB (Arkansas)

3 Khalifa Keith, Parker, RB (Tennessee)

4 Drew Pickett, Russell County, RB (Wake Forest)

5 Braylyn Farrington, Calera, WR

6 Will James, Theodore, DB (Southern Miss)

8 Kameran Shanks, Prattville, WR (Liberty)

9 Collin Dunn, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, OLB (Kansas State)

11 Peter Woods, Thompson, DL (Clemson)

12 Jacorius Hart, Loachapoka, DB (Auburn)

13 Sawyer Deerman, Tuscaloosa County, ATH

15 Keldric Faulk, Highland Home, DL (Florida State)

16 Klark Cleveland, Auburn, LB

17 Christopher Vizzina, Briarwood Christian, QB (Clemson)

18 Seth Hampton, Thompson, DE/LB

19 Amare Thomas, Pinson Valley, WR

20 Johntarious Green, Montgomery Catholic, DB

21 Dallas Young, Gardendale, DB (Arkansas)

23 Jeremiah Cobb, Montgomery Catholic, RB (Auburn)

25 DaKaari Nelson, Selma, DE/LB (Penn State)

26 Bentley Basden, Muscle Shoals, LS

27 Karmelo Overton, Carroll, DE/LB (Memphis)

32 Carter Kelley, Mountain Brook, TE

34 Yhonzae Pierre, Eufaula, DE/LB (Alabama)

35 Kaleb Jackson, Hoover, DE/LB

37 Peyton Argent, Hoover, K/P

47 Davion Dozier, Moody, WR (Arkansas)

51 Tyce Khatri, Prattville, DL

55 Anthony Miles, Ramsay, OL (Vanderbilt)

56 J’yheam Ingram, Muscle Shoals, DL

70 Avery Ferris, Auburn, OL

72 Vysen Lang, Pike Road, OL (Tennessee)

74 Koby Keenum, Mars Hill Bible, OL (Kentucky)

75 Bradyn Joiner, Auburn, OL (Auburn)

77 Stanton Ramil, Thompson, OL (Michigan State)

78 Maddox Sunderman, Bob Jones, OL (Jacksonville State)

82 Harrison Knight, Foley, WR

88 Hunter Osborne, Hewitt-Trussville, DL (Alabama)

97 Kelby Collins, Gardendale, DL (Florida)

MISSISSIPPI

Number, name, school, position

1 Ayden Williams, Ridgeland, WR (Ole Miss)

3 Dante Dowdell, Picayune Memorial, RB (Oregon)

4 Suntarine Perkins, Raleigh, LB (Ole Miss)

5 Brayson Hubbard, Ocean Springs, QB (Alabama)

6 Javieon Butler, Scott Central, WR (Southern Miss)

7 Jeleel Fleming, Vicksburg, DB

8 John Slaughter, Southaven, DB (Tennessee)

9 Tabias Hinton, Hattiesburg, LB (Miss. State)

10 Jaylen Aborom, Oak Grove, ATH (Miss. State)

11 Isaiah Spencer, Madison Central, WR

12 Mack Howard, Oxford, QB (Utah)

14 Christavious Savior, Louisville, DB

16 Quindarrius Jones, Meridian, DB (Florida State)

20 Alex Sanford Jr., Oxford, LB (Arkansas)

26 Chris Rodgers, Corinth, LB (Southern Miss)

27 Mo’Trell Chapman, South Panola, LB

28 J.Q. Gray, Oak Grove, RB (Southern Miss)

29 D’Mariun Perteet, South Panola, RB

30 Ny’Jadus Roberts-Holloway, Starkville, LB

32 Jordan Gowdy, West Lauderdale, LB

40 Kelley Jones, Clarksdale, DB (Miss. State)

44 DeCoreyea Buchanan, Brandon, TE (Ole Miss)

45 Caleb Bryant, Vicksburg, DL

64 DeQuarious White, Holmes Co. Central, OL (Jackson State)

66 Kelten Mickell, Petal, DL

70 Lardarius Jordan, Gulfport, OL

71 Malachi Breland, Laurel, OL (Memphis)

72 Griffin Berch, Clinton, OL

73 Jeremy Flora, Pascagoula, OL

76 Luke Rogers, Brandon, OL (Southern Miss)

77 Isaiah Alexander, Tupelo, OL (Miss. State)

78 Amari Smith, Brookhaven, OL

80 Lester Miller, Brandon, WR

83 Bart Edmiston Jr., Ocean Springs, K

88, Luke Beard, Choctaw County, LS

89 Omarion Blakes, McEvans, WR

90 Amarion Ware, Harrison Central, DL

91 Jamarious Brown, Moss Point, DL (Ole Miss)

92 Malaki Pegues, Oxford, DL (Troy)

99 Zavion Coleman, Picayune Memorial, DL

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[aubiefifty 18,255]

Why the claim that Deion Sanders donated half his salary to Jackson State is a prime lie

Updated: Dec. 10, 2022, 9:13 a.m.|Published: Dec. 09, 2022, 2:13 p.m.

6–7 minutes

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There’s lots of talk — and feelings — about Deion Sanders’ decision to jettison Jackson State University and take the head football coaching job at the University of Colorado.

At the center of all that talk is the question of who benefited more. In one camp, there are people who think that Sanders, a Hall of Fame NFL back and ad pitchman, glommed onto an already honored JSU football tradition that produced greats like Jackie Slater and Walter Payton to boost his chances at a prestigious and lucrative job helming a Power 5 program.

Another vocal camp essentially argues that Sanders pulled Jackson State — which plays in the all-HBCU Southwestern Athletic Conference and is located in a poor state in a majority-Black city beset with infrastructure woes — out the mud. Further, this chorus of Sanders supporters asserts that Coach Prime, as he’s known, elevated JSU, the SWAC, HBCUs, and Mississippi’s capital city.

Viral posts on social media go a step further, detailing a laundry list of problems Prime had to deal with during his three seasons in Jackson, including claims that he donated half his salary, or around $150,000, to finish renovating a facility for players because the school ran out of money and another that Jackson State reneged on a deal pay Sanders a portion of home ticket sales, a key part of his compensation packages.

These claims are false, however.

“The JSU athletic facility was funded by the University and has been in the works since 2019. The University did not receive funding from Coach Deion Sanders. Coach Sanders donated certain amenities he wanted for the facility,” a Jackson State spokesman told Reckon about the purported salary donation.

More HBCU stories from Reckon.

The saga started when Jackson State gave Sanders his first college coaching job in 2020. Already wealthy from his successful pro football career that included stints with the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys, and who at one point owned the largest private residence in the state of Texas, Sanders was to be paid $300,000 annually by Jackson State with additional compensation provided by the school’s private foundation and other incentives.

The source of the false athletic facility donation can be traced back to a now viral video from July 2022, when Sanders gave a tour of the Walter Payton Center to Constance Schwartz-Morini, the founder of SMAC Entertainment, which represents Sanders. The Center is located in the heart of JSU’s campus. Inside a room that appeared to be under construction, he pointed out the future location of a bank of televisions and PlayStations, barber shop chairs (for which he made a plea to razor company Gillette to sponsor).

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Exasperated, Schwartz-Morini suggested the room is unfinished because the budget for the project is “tapped out” and prodded Sanders, to donate a quarter of his salary to finish the work before the start of the season in two weeks. Sanders upped the ante: “I’ll put more than that on it to get this done for these kids — I’ll put half on it to get this done.” Pointing to the camera, he adds: “If you don’t believe me, check me. I will send you the receipts.”

He later reaffirmed the offer during SWAC Media Day in late July. “I don’t promise nothing I can’t deliver,” Sanders said during the event

Other rumors have also persisted. In the run up to the Celebration Bowl, in which Sanders will coach JSU for the last time against North Carolina Central University, winners of the HBCU Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship, rumors have also swirled that JSU failed to pay Sanders the portion of ticket sales he’s owed per his contract. Under that agreement, Sanders would receive 10% of sales for games in which attendance exceeds 30,000.

In a recently resurfaced episode of the Earn Your Leisure podcast, Sanders stated, “How can we have 60,000 people in the stadium and you told me we sold out? I check the receipts and we only sold 28,000 tickets? Y’all better find out who’s stealing because that affects my pocket.” Text of the exchange has also started going around, used to imply that this alleged malfeasance is another reason Sanders left the school.

In a separate statement to Jackson TV station WLBT, the university said, “Jackson State University has honored all financial obligations of Coach Deion Sanders’ employment. The video in question was filmed on September 20 on our campus. Unfortunately, a seconds-long excerpt using a hypothetical example from an over 60-minute interview is being used out of context and circulated as fact.”

Still, Jackson State tells Reckon the school is grateful for Coach Sanders and what he and the school accomplished: We are invested in moving forward, providing championship experiences for our student-athletes, and continuing our elevation as a top-tier education destination.”

Meanwhile, the Jackson State faithful are continuing to show their love for the school founded in 1877 despite the slander.

Said Leslie McLemore II, an alumnus who writes for the popular website Black With No Chaser: “Deion was at Jackson State for a Prime Time, not a long time. And I’m OK with that. But just be upfront with it. He went to JSU for his own best interest.

“Yet, he painted himself to be this Black savior of HBCU sports. And while doing that, some of his actions portrayed JSU as a charity case. Meanwhile, JSU was the only storied football program to GIVE him a head coaching opportunity. We are not the charity case.”

Alexis Wray contributed reporting

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[aubiefifty 18,255]

 

[Mikey 16,781]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

Why the claim that Deion Sanders donated half his salary to Jackson State is a prime lie

So, Mr. "It's All About Me" Sanders leaves JSU amid a bunch of upset and controversy. Why are we not surprised? And there are still those who think Auburn made a mistake by passing on this sh** show.

[Warnugget 127]

41 minutes ago, Mikey said:

So, Mr. "It's All About Me" Sanders leaves JSU amid a bunch of upset and controversy. Why are we not surprised? And there are still those who think Auburn made a mistake by passing on this sh** show.

Man, don’t get them riled up again 😂. Maybe they’ll just read the article and realize he isn’t quite as awesome as they’ve been constantly pushing. 

[AU_Tiger_88 417]

3 hours ago, Mikey said:

So, Mr. "It's All About Me" Sanders leaves JSU amid a bunch of upset and controversy. Why are we not surprised? And there are still those who think Auburn made a mistake by passing on this sh** show.

First:  If the school is not honoring the contract then yeah that should make people mad. It is about him and that is why he is making what he makes.  I would be pissed if my employer didn't pay me what they owed me.  Who wouldn't?

Second: I don't know why this board still puts stuff out on Sanders.  He isn't our coach.  Time to move on

 

[Mikey 16,781]

2 hours ago, AU_Tiger_88 said:

First:  If the school is not honoring the contract then yeah that should make people mad. It is about him and that is why he is making what he makes.  I would be pissed if my employer didn't pay me what they owed me.  Who wouldn't?

Did you read the article that was quoted? I suggest that you go back and read the entire thing. There's a lot more wrong than Sanders claiming that he was supposed to get a percentage of ticket sales.

[AU_Tiger_88 417]

3 hours ago, Mikey said:

Did you read the article that was quoted? I suggest that you go back and read the entire thing. There's a lot more wrong than Sanders claiming that he was supposed to get a percentage of ticket sales.

Yep I did read it.  I also listened to a recording of an interview with him.  There is a lot of problems in a lot of areas that would need to be looked at.  I don't care if part of his deal was ticket sales or if he said he would finish the room and didn't (never clarified so we don't know).  What I do know is that he brought them national attention, Game day among other things.  So I have to give him his due and if there are issues either way then that is for them to resolve.  I know you don't like him and that is ok.  He is not our coach.  I just want to stop filling our message boards up with him.

[Mikey 16,781]

2 hours ago, AU_Tiger_88 said:

I know you don't like him and that is ok

I don't care about him one way or the other. What I don't like is people still talking about how he should have been hired at Auburn and I don't like the way his supporters keep bringing him up on this message board.