01x03 - Homecoming, JSU Style

[bunniefuu]

[upbeat music]

[announcer] There's nothing
like Homecoming in the HBCU community.

Hosting Jackson State, ASU, the
traditional blue bloods of SWAC football.

f*ck you. f*ck you.

You got guys talking
junk to me on the sideline.

That's totally disrespectful.

Let's be disrespectful with our game.
Not with our mouth.

[commentator] Sanders trailing back.

Trailing back, has Kevin Coleman,
in for the score!

And that does it.
Jackson State moves to 5 and 0.

They spoil the Homecoming of the Hornets.

[announcer #2]
Coach Sanders from Jackson State

goes in for what we call the bro hug,

Coach Eddie Robinson Jr., Alabama State,
was not having any of it.

[Robinson] You're not gonna come here
and disrespect me and my team

and my school, then wanna bro hug me.
Shake my hand, and get the hell on.

Don't come with me and try to bro hug me
like we friends. We ain't friends.

[Skip Bayless] It was just a very
unfortunate situation

that he took very personally,
and now Deion's taking personally.

I'm living on the shoulders of the SWAC.
Well, he ain't SWAC.

One of the comments
that kind of disturbed me,

outta all the comments,
that I'm not SWAC.

- You know, I'm SWAC. He ain't SWAC.
- Who is SWAC? If I ain't SWAC.

[cheerful upbeat music]

[narrator] This week,
Jackson State University

celebrates its annual Homecoming
with events spanning the entire week.

Officials estimate the festivities will
draw nearly 44,000 visitors to the area.

A boon for local businesses
gearing up for the big game,

with JSU facing off
against Campbell University.

The Tigers are now 6 and 0,
coming off a big win

against Alabama State University
and a post-game controversy

that has swept news headlines
across the nation.

Hey, let's go.

I don't need nobody. You just,
come on, let's do our thing.

We don't even need
to wait for that. Let's go.

- What he'd do now?
- Okay.

- Campbell is a very tough team, Coach.
- Campbell is good.

I adore their head coach.
The brother's been doing a phenomenal job.

The offensive line is big, pro-style.
Quarterback is playing good ball.

The defense is playing good ball.
They're playing good.

I mean, the two opponents that
they lost to were upper level opponents.

So you gotta give them credit.
They're a good team.

And the message is no distractions.

I don't want any of our kids,

anybody with our program
to get involved in any distractions.

'Cause you know HBCU
Homecomings are a blessing.

[Rob] How do you stop it?

But it could be a distraction.
Well, you take all their phones,

and you chain 'em up, you know, into
the rooms. [chuckles] No, no, it is hard.

But you just keep delivering that message,

and we've been delivering
that message since Sunday.

[Rob Jay] I have something for you.

Mm. Probably a worn shirt.
It is. [laughs]

Who is SWAC? Baby.

[hip-hop beat]
♪ Who is SWAC, baby? ♪

♪ Who is SWAC?
Ooh ♪

♪ Who, who, who
I wake up movin' ♪

♪ I wake up movin' ♪

That might have been one of the dumbest
coaching statements ever uttered.

Why would you say that?
Do you know the ramifications of that?

Like, do you know
how this gonna play out tomorrow?

-This other SWAC dude...
-Okay.

...is puttin' the SWAC
and the other HBCU coaches

on the map like it's never
had been done before.

So you, so just... bite your tongue,
and sit down and shut the hell up.

For a brother to say those words,
like it was bad.

It was a bad look for the SWAC.

♪ Who is SWAC, baby?
Who is SWAC ♪

[radio host] When you say things,
like he ain't SWAC.

- [radio host #2] Yeah.
- [radio host #3] Mm-hmm.

Makes me think to myself,
well, where else are you hating?

Where else could you be collaborating?
Could be working together, but you hate.

[team cheering and laughing]

We SWAC. We are the SWAC.

[indistinct chatter]

[Askevold]
Well, I'm doing pretty good.

- Hey, my boy.
- What's up?

- How are you?
- Good. How was the game yesterday?

It was something.

- [laughs]
- It was wild.

- No injuries from yesterday?
- Oh, yeah.

- It was?
- Two.

- Uh-oh.
- Throwing shoulder.

Oh, yeah. I seen that.

[Askevold] The pressure
on student athletes is very, very high.

[Askevold, in background] Foot,
I dunno where he is at right now.

[Askevold] Factor in the injury.
Now, they gotta deal with that. Right?

You take away why they're here.
You know, when they get injured.

You know, you take away the football
from 'em, 'cause they can't participate.

[Askevold] How's it... Can I actually press
over here today or no?

- Yeah, you good. Mm-hmm.
- Yep?

I'm like really pressing.
That's okay, Trav?

[Travis] Yeah, that's good.

All of them are kind of going up
in that roller coaster ride.

Happiness, sadness.
Happiness, sadness.

You know what I mean?
They're not performing like they used to.

You're gonna see it all season.

Just a roller coaster of emotions.
[chuckles]

You really just have to be there for them.

I pride myself in getting to know them
and, you know, watching their mannerisms.

Watching how they move
because then I know, like,

"Okay, this, he's...
something's up with him today."

Maybe just say something to him.
Just check in on him.

- So Monday, they clear you.
- Mm-hmm.

Are you gonna be ready to actually start?

- Yes.
- On the field?

Yes.

- Like running?
- Yes. I can run, bruh.

- Jumping?
- Yes. I can do all that.

I know you physically can, but are you
like mentally ready to do it too?

Yeah. A little bit.

- Right? That's... Exactly.
- [laughs]

- There's a hesitation right there, right?
- A little bit.

That's what I'm checking in on, mostly.

You know, you get
to see that whole process

and then them now get back on the field,
now smiles instead of tears and anger.

- [Askevold] Towards you.
- [sighs]

Through the heel. Drive up. Good.

- [Travis] Oh.
- [Askevold] Okay, ready?

- Yeah.
- Yeah. It seems like you are.

And that's kind of your reward.
That is why you do what you do.

- Pop your arms, look like an athlete.
- [Travis] Oh.

It's like, okay, go ahead,
spread your wings.

Get back out on there. So that's fun.

Oh.

[Askevold] Keep your foot up,
keep that foot up.

- Oh, nine.
- [grunts]

Be light on your feet.
Look athletic. No pain?

- [Travis] No.
- [Askevold] Feel confident.

Our goal is, though, for Campbell.

- It's a need.
- It's not me, it's the doctors.

They have to clear you first, my boy.

I can't send you out there if you're not
confident to jump up and break up a pass.

I got a week.

[Askevold]
Travis Hunter, he's different.

[Reilly] First of all,
pass ace, left squeeze. Near.

So we'll call this rip protection.
You good with that?

[Hart] Yep. I'm good with rip.

[Reilly] Before I got here,
I had forgotten Homecoming even existed,

'cause at PWIs, it wasn't that big of
a difference between any other game.

At this school in particular,
with our band,

and our tradition,
and the great support we have,

it's not just a football game,

it's more about culture and family
and getting behind a single unit.

It's a huge deal.

Go to the second one, Trey.

- Okay.
- Second email.

Usually teams pick bad teams
for Homecoming, just to win, right?

Well, we happen to pick a team
that is a good opponent.

Okay, here we go.
Let's put far, doubles, far, ram lock.

So there's a lot of pressure
on us to win this football game,

and this is probably the best team
we've played to date.

All right, next play.

These f*ck run the ball on third down.
So I'd mix in some runs in there.

- Mm-hmm.
- Are you okay with that?

I am.

I do see color, but I don't treat
anyone different than the other.

What we used to do against
tempo teams, BTF and CTF.

[Reilly] So what's that?

Blitz the formation
and cover the formation.

Blitz the formation.
Cover the formation.

[Hart] You got white kids here too,

and you have to make sure
they feel like they're heard.

They can voice their opinions as well.

[Reilly] Just know that you guys
have man coverage and the A gap,

- which is a m*therf*cker.
- I'm opening the car door for you.

- All right? I'm being a gentleman.
- Okay.

Get your a*s in. Let's go to lunch.

- Let's go eat.
- All right. Bet.

I feel a special responsibility
to take care of any athlete, period.

Regardless of their ethnicity.

[Reilly] If they're gonna run this,
I like that Ricky game too.

These are institutions
that have a lot of tradition,

a lot of pride, culture,
and I'm learning every day.

And so they've treated me
with respect, and they let me in,

to see what it's like
and to be a part of it.

But at the end of the day, I am a guest
in this house, as I always say.

Man, can you share that with me,
so you don't have to keep it for yourself.

-Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
-Okay, thank you.

Can you be a team player or what?

No, man, I told you, man, white folks,
man, y'all take everything. Man, sh*t.

[both laugh]

[coach] Hold, that's what's going on.
Here we go. Set.

[blows whistle]
There you go.

[energetic music]

[screams and yells]

Set!

[Coach Prime] Travis will play this week.
He's gonna play offense and defense.

We got some stuff drawn up for him
that he can make immediate impact

and just Travis being
on the field poses a threat.

Travis been out for damn near a month
and a half, and he ain't lose a step.

That just an athlete right there.

Ooh.
[grunts]

Coach DT. You got faith in me again?
You got faith in me again?

Oh, yeah.

All right. Just making sure.

He can take up a game
defensively and offensively.

And you know, it's only one other person

that kind of was like that,
that I know of,

and he kind of leading us right now.

[Coach Prime] Oh, Nugget.
Hey, Nugget, you alright?

[Nugget]
Man, y'all can't play with me like that!

[Coach] Take my leg off
'cause yours broke. Yours got to be broke.

Travis a beast, but it ain't no time

to get comfortable or feel
like we done done something,

because we ain't done anything yet.

I mean, we still in the regular season,
we don't got no championship.

So we just gotta stay on them
and stay hungry

because every Saturday,
we getting the other team best.

Say for instance, for Campbell,
they gonna come in this thing,

it's gonna be they Super Bowl.

They can't wait to knock us off
or try to knock us off,

but we gonna be ready.

[coach] There you go.

Campbell's a tempo offense.
They wanna try to get you unorganized.

They wanna line up fast.

Well, we're a multi-defense,
'cause we bring personnel in.

Whatever you bring in,
we're gonna match it. It's quick.

It's quick. Well, now it's gonna
be really quick 'cause they're tempoing.

- So that's the challenge this week.
- [player] Go four.

[grunting]

[coach] Hey, get your a*s up here.

[Nugget] What's up, coach?

On time.

- What's up, coach?
- [AB] What's good with you, Nugget?

[Nugget] Not much.

Well, Nugget, this week,
I can say he's more locked in mentally.

I know you was having trouble
with the motions yesterday,

so most of these gonna
have motions in it.

If he actually really listens,
he got a lot of potential.

- Alright, you ready?
- Yeah.

In this time, right now,
the game is a lot faster

than what it was
back probably like 20 years ago.

'Cause these receivers,
I mean they got routes out this world,

so we have to put
like extra time into Nugget.

This week should be the same thing
just because they splits,

and we already know
everything that they doing.

We just gotta stay locked in,
engaged for the whole game,

just so we can dominate.

At the end of the day, it's a chess match
between you and the receiver.

You watch them all week on film.

He watch you all week on film.
So now, it's Saturday.

Now, what we going to do?

Well, don't enjoy the Homecoming
festivities too much, man.

I'll try not to.

[both chuckle]

You should be in your schoolwork, bro,
in your books.

It's up to us to prepare you
for the world.

The outside world is
gonna be 10 times harder

than what it is on you right now.

I'm gonna walk over there today,
though, man.

'Cause I have to see what's going on,
'cause we gotta check on Bolden too,

I'm learning so much stuff
about HBCUs I never knew.

Like actually just being here, living it,
and seeing it on a day-to-day basis.

Like yeah, I can get used to this.
Like I'm happy I came to this.

- You about to graduate, right?
- Yeah, in December.

- I'm excited for that one.
- You excited for that one?

- The first. First to do it.
- In your family?

Yeah, both sides.

- Congrats, man. That's what's up.
- Thank you.

That's what's up.
Nugget, man, the first one

in his family to graduate from college.

Yeah. Never thought it though.

- That's a big accomplishment.
- That's crazy.

It's your people.
It's Black and brown.

It's our people. So this is our community,
so we support.

We have to look after each other,
at the end of the day.

Thank you too.

It's all love, man.
You know I do anything for y'all.

[Coach Prime] This football program
has been a proud tradition

of Jackson State since 1911.

For over a century,
it's continued to be a cornerstone

of growth for our young men.

Rooted in principles that extend
far beyond the football field.

[Duane] HBCUs started
post-Emancipation Proclamation.

African-Americans, Blacks in this country,

coming out sl*very,
could not get education.

So many of the HBCUs
that we know today were founded

from descendants of sl*very.

And so, as generations have evolved,

each generation gone a little bit further
and a little bit further,

but it really became a place of home.

Homecoming, man,
I feel like I'm a old hand now,

because I'm not gonna be
as turnt how I usually am.

Now of course, still Homecoming,
so you know I gotta do my festivities.

It's so good to be around people
who know our backgrounds,

know our stories, 'cause they're hard.

A lot of people, they don't even think
they're coming to college

and they come here and they make friends,

lifelong friends,
and turn their life around.

This is the place
where anything can really happen.

- The whole week, I been buzzin'.
- Whole week!

Coach probably gonna say,
"Homecoming is not for y'all.

This the people that's not playing."

End of the day,
they can't stop Homecoming.

- You know what I'm saying?
- They can't stop it.

They just can't stop it.
We still gonna be out.

We still go be doing everything
we want to do, and that's that.

Every student that's currently enrolled
in a HBCU, you're not just a number,

from the president to the cafeteria
workers, those who keep our campus clean,

everyone has a vested interest
in seeing every student

that's currently enrolled
in a HBCU to graduate.

Like what's going on on that part?

'Cause it still seem like
it's not like sturdy on that part.

I try to be that listening ear for them,

make them feel comfortable
away from home and let them know that,

that I'm here, and I support them
a hundred percent.

Like right here in the front,
like to hold, and I think Nino going...

Yeah, I think that's
what y'all did last time.

And also let them know, like,
"Hey, you guys will also be alumni soon."

So you know,
always come back to your home,

give back to your home
where everything started.

And here go the cues and...

[stomps]
[claps]

- See the footwork is very close.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Historically, black fraternities
and sororities and organizations

believe in giving back to the community,

just making sure
you leave a stamp on campus.

Setting a good example,
setting a good precedent.

We all just want the betterment
of our community and of our people.

[Duane]
Well, it's a very powerful thing,

when you think over
this past century and a half,

those ancestors,
their push and their drive

and their determination,
created what we have today.

That we are essentially
our ancestors' wildest dreams.

That's a very powerful thing in 2022.

[drum rolls playing]

[band leader]
And...

[marching band instruments playing]

[in rhythm]
Ready? Play, one...

[drums playing]
Right, left. Right, left.

Right, left. Three, four.
Right, left. Right, left.

- [in rhythm] Ma'am, whatchu think?
- But it's not...

We out here every night.
Ain't no off time.

Ain't no slackin'.
We out here every night.

It is cold.

But you gotta, you gotta bundle up,
you gotta get used to it.

4, 5, 6, 7, and...
[energetic music]

I've experienced and coached at other
places, you know, on Homecoming.

But there's nothing like this one.
It's gonna be electric.

You got people that was getting
in here as early as Monday.

[energetic music]

[band leader]
I'm not standing right beside you

so I don't know what you doing.
That's why you...

That's why you need to have
personal discipline to do the right thing.

[in rhythm]
One, two, ready, roll.

[drummers start drumming]

[band leader chanting indistinctly]

You gotta know what you're getting
yourself into before you come here.

Like, you gotta know you about to be
in a very rigorous band program.

- Yes.
- It's not easy.

[Alexis Becnel] You have to be
real precise on Homecoming.

Because you gonna have a lot of more eyes
than a regular game.

[band leader] Stop, stop.

Some of y'all just going out there like,

"Okay, I guess how I'll stop right here."
Know when you're stopping.

We worked too hard on this drill
not to be perfect.

I know when I'm gonna be alumni,

I'm going want come back
for Homecoming

just to see the band, you know.
[laughs]

[band leader] Two, both,
one, two, ready, both.

[drummers start drumming]

[Coach Prime]
HBCU Homecoming is unbelievable.

It's something to behold.
But football was the afterthought.

We don't want to be
the appetizer or the salad.

We want to be the main course.

Good morning, America!

[cheering]

[Coach Prime] Some way, somehow,

I knew that the key to
making our vision for HBCUs

a reality would be the type of attention

that we could not only bring
to our program, but to all HBCUs.

[cheering]

Bucky, let him wear some shoes.
You can't do that on Good Morning America.

We're about to be on.

- What size shoe you wear?
- Thank you, Jeff.

All right.

I thought we was behind
the counter angle, man.

- We are behind the camera.
- No.

I said "counter", not "camera".

I made this squarely because of y'all,
so be ready.

I'm looking taller than you today, coach.

- That's because I ain't...
- Nah, it ain't even his shoes.

Nah, don't... [laughs]

He don't wanna be the shortest.
He don't wanna be the shortest.

- What's up, Travis?
- What's up?

- What's up, boy? Good to see you, man.
- Nice to see you.

- How you doing, you good?
-Yes, sir.

[Coach Prime] Strahan ain't just
a HBCU alum. He lives that thing.

For him to come down
to JSU to support our kids?

That's walking the walk.
Now, that's HBCU legacy right there.

Deion is truly committed to kids.
He's truly committed to education.

He's truly committed
to making a community better.

So when I heard about it, I said,

"Jackson State's gonna be good,"
and I knew you were gonna have kids

who want to come here
because he's the head coach.

And we've seen it happen.

You tell parents when you going
to recruit these young men,

"You send me a boy,
I'm gonna send you home a man."

- A man.
- What do you mean by that?

Oftentimes, these young men
come in with all type of histories

and a lot of them are unfathered,
and we gotta build them

and mold them and shape them,
so they're men.

So you may send me a boy,

but through the trials and
tribulations and the teachings,

we gonna send you back a man.

For me to come out
and see what he's done here at JSU,

it's unmatched by anybody I've seen
come in and coach at the HBCU level.

It's something special about being
at a HBCU, without a doubt.

Not even close, to be honest with you.

It's real. It's real.

Seriously, in everything I've done,
and going to schools

and life and career, this is fun, man.
The most fun I've ever had.

So thank y'all for bringing it
this morning. Love you.

Appreciate you,
and you know, do big things.

All right, thank you guys.
Thank you so much.

[all cheering and clapping]

[Coach Prime] These days, it seems like
all eyes are on Jackson State University,

and that's a good thing.

But sometimes it's good
to shine a little light

on those who don't always
get the credit that they deserve.

Well, we're gonna take the ducks,
and we're gonna go make

some special deliveries
and hang out with some cool kids.

- Let's do it. Let's do it.
- You up for it?

- Yeah, I'm ready.
- All right.

I love it. You jumped in.

- You got the wagon and everything.
- Mm-hmm.

[Coach Prime]
I don't mind pulling the wagon.

[nurse] Yeah, so the kids
that we're seeing today,

these are all children
that have different types of cancer.

There was a point in my life where I was
receiving more light than I was giving.

So I had to make a conscious switch
to make sure I'm shining light.

I'm not just receiving
or hoarding the light.

There you go.

Let me try to make it say something.
There you go.

You doing okay? You having a great day?
That's wonderful. I'm proud of you.

Let's try these on, see,
see how cool you are.

Oh, girl. Oh, girl.

- What's your name?
- Thalia.

Thalia. That is beautiful.

[chuckles] Look at 'em little cute cheeks.
How old is he?

[mother]
Nine months.

Nine months, okay. That's awesome.

You guys staying strong?

[mother] Yes.

Holding on. That's good.

Children's Hospital reminded me
of my time spent in the hospital.

So to see those kids dealing with
adversity and the light in their eyes,

and the smiles on their faces,

was monumental for me
because it took me back to a place.

I haven't done this in a long time.
Yay! Touchdown, Jackson!

[laughing]

I appreciate you guys.

I know you don't know it,
but you guys give us strength,

you give us hope.

So I appreciate each and every one
of your fight through adversity.

I really do.
You gotta believe, you gotta believe.

I've been believing since I was a kid,

and there ain't no reason
to stop right now.

Everything you do in life, you gotta have
some type of connectivity to it,

and that's where your passion
and your power comes from.

And the connectivity to those
children was what I endured a year back,

and I totally understood their location.

- [Isaiah] Yo.
- [player] Where you trying to go?

Study hall.

Study hall?
You about to learn some Spanish today?

Amigos, my amigos!

For some, the larger schools,
they have 40, 50,000 students.

It's home.

But for some, they need
that more one-to-one nurturing

and some more comfortable level for them
to find themselves as an individual.

And so that's what HBCUs give you.

- We are conjugating the verb "voy."
- Right. Okay. Gotcha.

Conjugating the verb.
And this is like grammar.

- It's totally grammar. And articles.
- Right. Gotcha, gotcha.

If HBCUs get the resources,
a lot of kids gonna come to HBCUs,

because the people here are great.

You're asking, like, "Do you..."

[Isaiah] Still wanna make sure
the student athletes are out of trouble,

out the streets, you know,
they always look out.

- You say, "Yes."
-Yes, perro.

- Mm-hmm.
- Perro, perro. So, what is "perro"?

- Like dog.
- Dog.

- But like, in a mean way.
- My perro.

- Hey, boy. Hey.
- Yeah.

[both] He's my dog!

- What's up? Ah, okay, okay, okay.
- Yeah, yeah! [laughs]

A lot of kids want to be
around their people, you know,

they don't wanna be an outlier,
they don't wanna look different.

They want people to understand them.
That was my issue at a PWI.

I feel like people don't really
understand me as a person.

The way I walked, the way I talk.
People really don't understand that.

Which is not, there's nothing wrong
with it, it's just... It is what it is.

You have to check the ones that we wrote.

- Yeah, yeah, she checks that.
- But it's fine.

- Thank you.
- I think we did a really good job.

- Yep, that was everything for today. Yep.
- Oh, perfect.

I learned some Spanish today.

[Coach Prime] HBCUs have
always fostered a culture

of community, support,
and most of all inclusion.

No matter who you are
or where you're from,

these doors are open to anyone
seeking a higher education.

There's a chance that it might only
be my dad before the game.

It all started when my dad introduced me
to fantasy football,

and then I started playing Madden,
and that's when it got me

into, like, the all time legends,
and that's when I met Coach Prime.

Bro, I have so much homework, bro.
Homecoming week got me stressed out.

Madden got me set up.
I'm telling you. [laughs]

I was originally born in Honduras.

My mom's from Mexico,
and my dad's from Panama.

We lived there for like
maybe like a year and a half.

And then right after that
we moved straight to Mexico.

We're gonna miss the cute dogs.

The cute dogs?
[both chuckling]

[Alejandro] And that's where I spent most
of my childhood.

After Mexico, my dad's company
moved us to Brazil.

That's when my soccer career
really like took off.

From Brazil, they ended up
moving us to a little town

in south Georgia called Albany,

and I realized
that soccer is not a big sport here.

That's the same year
that the coach introduced me

to football because they needed a kicker.

He was like, "Hey, son, you ever thought
about kicking a football, son?"

Next year, me and my friend
decided to sign up.

He was a kicker as well.

[dancers chanting] Left, left, right,
left. Left, left, left, right, left.

Left, right, left.

- ♪ Everywhere we go ♪
- ♪ Everywhere we go ♪

- ♪ People wanna know ♪
- ♪ People wanna know ♪

♪ Who we are ♪

[feet stomping]
♪ Now say what, oh! ♪

♪ H-B-C-U
Hey ♪

♪ H-B-C-U
Now say what ♪

[cheering]

[chanting]
[stomps and claps]

- Oh, man!
- Whoa! Jeez.

[energetic music]

[Alejandro]
This whole week has been crazy.

I did not know what to expect.

[upbeat electronic music]

This is our first step show,

we're just trying to see, like,
what Homecoming is.

- Oh, so are you a freshman?
- I am a freshman.

- Are y'all gonna win the championship?
- Oh, that's the goal. That's the goal.

That's the main goal.

[Alejandro] I knew Coach Prime
was building something special.

That's actually one of the reasons
why I wanted to come here.

So, you enjoying your time

- so far at Jackson State?
- Oh, yeah, it's amazing. It's amazing.

The culture is something different.
It's amazing.

[stepping in rhythm and clapping]

[audience cheering and applauding]

I don't feel like a minority
in this school.

I feel like I'm a part of a big family.

[stepping]

[audience applauding and cheering]

[announcer] Happy Homecoming,
Jackson State University.

[energetic music]

We welcome you to the greatest yard ever!

Jackson State, baby!

My experience has been great, you know.

I don't even have class and I'd be like,
"I'm bored. I'ma go on campus,"

just to walk around, meet new people,
meeting alumni.

The alumni, they love the athletes.
You know, they always look out.

So there's a lot of differences.

But when it comes to
Jackson State football,

yeah, everybody comes to one.

It's a thing I'm gonna miss the most.
I love the city of Jackson.

[upbeat music]

Coming to a HBCU, it was a culture shock,
but it's a good culture shock though.

It's like I'm happy I came to this.

I've gotten closer
to a lot of people here too.

When it's all said and done, I know,
like, I can always come back to Jackson

and show love,
and the city will show love right back.

I will never forget Jackson.

[upbeat music]

Jackson State Homecoming.
It's different.

People from everywhere come back.

They party all week, day in and day out,
'cause nobody else doing it like this.

I ain't taking pictures today.
I'm chilling.

You know, we may pop out
at a couple events,

but then after that,
it's time to lock back in.

[crowd] We love you, Shed!

[Shedeur Sanders] Then after the fact,
then you know, we can hug, high five,

laugh, cheer, dance, everything.

But before the game,
we not doing any of that.

One more, one more, one more for us.

Hi, Coach!

Where he at?

You know you got a game tomorrow,
you can't be out here doing this stuff.

Yeah, no, I was just showing up.
I'm about to leave.

Pack a bag, I was like,
"Uh-uh, bringing this bag."

That's it.

Start ahead, get the job done.

Start ahead and get the job done, man.
Who that with?

[player] Hey, what car I'm in?

[Aubrey] You go to the hotel and basically
get away from the distractions.

It's a lot of distraction
when you around your apartment,

when you around campus and stuff
like this, so get prepared for the game.

What I want to do first
is I want to take you back,

to when you was a little kid.

The first time you put on that armor,
you put on that gear,

and you looked at yourself
in the mirror, right?

How proud were you?

How much did you love the fact
that you were a football player?

God dang!

Your love for the game,
that was at its realest, okay?

Tomorrow, show the nation your love
for the game, your love for each other.

[all clapping]

Some of y'all show up every week,
and I appreciate y'all.

You know who you are.
Some of y'all show flashes,

you really ain't showing up yet,
and we waiting on you to get there.

Defensive line, I called you out
on purpose 'cause you ain't done nothing.

Offensive line, this is gonna be
a good one for you.

[phone ringing]

Who does that belong to?

That's me, Coach.

Get out.

You get out and take your earrings off
while you getting out.

That's the complacency.
We get comfortable.

Too darn comfortable in here.

That don't make sense.
Supposed to be your dog.

You ain't see it, Shedeur?

I didn't see him, coach.

I didn't see him.

You ain't see it, Travis?

No.

So nobody saw he had on earring in here?
But we're a team.

I'm the only one in here saw
that he had on an earring, yes or no?

It's the spirit of
complacency in here, fellas,

that you gonna go out there and
get your butt kicks if you don't fix it.

Right now, it's not a good spirit in here.

You think you already there,
you think you arrived.

We supposed to be the dogs,

but we coming in here with earrings,
letting our phone ring.

Why do we even bring
a darn phone in a meeting?

Why?

Who calling you in here?
Y'all know the rules.

Why do we do that?

Complacency. Complacency.
That's what I see.

Coaches, y'all check this bull junk
in your personal means

and get that spirit outta here.

'Cause that's what's in here
right now. Complacency.

[coach] Alright, we got special teams.
Gonna go over all the plays.

[sirens wailing]

[crowd cheering]

[fan] I love Travis!

We just do things a little different
here at Jackson State,

and I love it 'cause it's an atmosphere
that we've created

and it's unlike any other,
you cannot duplicate it, replicate it.

You better sit down and just appreciate it
'cause we're different.

Who is SWAC!

Social media doesn't do no justice at all,
and especially game day.

You don't know who may show up.

- Where Beazy at? Beazy come?
- Yeah, we waiting on Beazy.

- Where Beazy at?
- [Nicco] Jackson, you up in the house?

That's what it 'bout to be.
Hit it! Boom.

Here's ya boy, J. Alphonse,
let me tell you,

we got some of our cast mixing,
we got Katori Hall with us.

Yeah, we about to take y'all
down to the Valley today, that way.

Well, a lot of the
coaches ain't celebrities.

Not saying that I'm a celebrity,
but I am Prime now.

Don't get this twisted.

- Primetime!
- Y'all give me a song!

When the Dogg, D-O-double pull up,
I need a song.

Put that there. Yeah.

What's up, baby!

Snoop is a brother, man.
Snoop is more than a friend.

We go back so darn far.

Prime, this look good, baby.

This stadium is gonna be packed.
It's gonna be full.

This looks good.

[Coach Prime] Friends that are true
friends, they support what you love.

If we get up how I wanna get up,

you're gonna call a play
or two before it's over.

[laughs]

And Snoop has always been that way.

When you come to a game like this,

a Homecoming event,
and you can see grandmothers, grandkids,

alumni, athletes, entertainers,
all having a great time,

and celebrating
something that's historic.

[Coach Prime] Be on your game.
Be on your game.

I'm willing to share
the stage with anybody

and give my kids that play for me
what they adore, what they like.

You know, some of these guys that come
to our locker room, that's their guys.

Who am I?

[all chanting] Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

If that's gonna motivate you to get up
and go kick some butt, let's go.

I'm with it.

You gotta win now,
you gotta kick some butt today.

Y'all ready? Let's go.

[announcer] Please welcome Coach Prime,
and your defending SWAC champions.

[commentator] Gerardo Baeza kicks it off,

and SWAC Football is underway
with Jackson State.

They come in with a 6 and 0 record,
their best start since 1983,

when the Tigers went 7 and 0.

[Coach Prime] As coaches, we knew
going in that Campbell would be

one of the most difficult opponents
that we would face this season.

[commentator] Sanders fires a pass.
It's gonna be a short gain on the play.

Sanders has Wilkerson
in the back field, gives it to him.

He's gonna be met
right at the line of scrimmage.

Shedeur Sanders to pass.

[crowd groans]

[Coach Prime] The offense was trippin'.
They couldn't score.

And that turned it into a harder game
than it needed to be.

[commentator] And the Camels come up
with a big defensive play.

[commentator #2] I think what's happening
is the Tigers really didn't feel

like they would have
that much competition.

Man, they know they're in
for it for a full four quarters.

[commentator] Make it second
and nine now for JSU.

[Alejandro]
Second and long is when it starts.

Anything over second and, like,
over 10 yards is when it's, like,

"Okay, we might actually like kick it."

[Commentator]
Third and eight now for Shedeur.

[Alejandro] Third down comes in,
I'm like, "Okay."

That's where I walk around
and just chill for a second.

Make sure my mind's blank.

[Coach Prime]
Field goal, field goal, field goal.

[commentator] Big down coming up now
for the Tigers.

23-yard field goal attempt
coming up by Alejandro Mata.

[Alejandro] And then fourth down comes in.
The spotlight's on you.

[Coach Prime] We gotta have this.

[crowd cheering]

[commentator]
Kick goes up, and it is good.

- Let's go, let's go!
- And just like that,

the Tigers take a 3-0 lead.

Dog, I'm trying to tell y'all,
this game is on y'all.

Y'all don't see that by now.

If we make the plays
we supposed to make, it's a wrap.

The game is on the D line, fellas.

[commentator] Williams under pressure,
does a good job,

as he dances away from the heat.

Williams is gonna take it down
to the goal line!

And it's a touch down.

[Coach Prime] If it wasn't
for old faithful, my man Mata,

we probably wouldn't have had any points
coming out of the first half.

[commentator] Good snap. Nice hold.
And the kick from Mata is good.

Right down the middle.
[referee's whistle blows]

[marching band starts playing]

[commentator] Second and five,
Sanders looking to pass.

Now, he has to dance
a little bit to his right,

still looking in the end zone,
and now he just steps outta bounds.

[Coach Prime] Come on, Wayan,
don't mess with us now.

But my man, Mata, came through,
and he did exactly what he does.

[commentator]
Good snap. Good hold.

And the kick is perfect again,

and that kick
will give Jackson State the lead.

[commentator #2]
We can hear that Homecoming crowd now.

[commentator] Three field goals accounted
for all the Jackson State scoring

here in the first half.

- That was impressive, boy.
- Yes, sir.

We're good. Hey, calm down.
Everybody calm down.

We good.

- Coach, halftime 9-7. It's a close one.
- I like it. I like it.

This is what football is all about.

And boy, that team is prepared.
Fundamentally sound.

They physical, they tough,
and we gotta match that intensity.

I love it. This is the type of atmosphere
you want to have in college football.

Look, I mean, it's such a beautiful thing.

This is gonna be a tough one,
we need this.

[marching band plays]

I don't think
we're playing our best football.

Still have a ways to go.

Hey, tackles, I want you
back around the 50, alright?

The guard, back foot at the 48.

Coaches have the foot on the gas.

Stay outside when you cover, and
when your run fit is out there, all right?

Do not drift on that sh*t, okay?

- [Coach Prime] But we still need...
- You have to tackle, though.

[Coach Prime] ...several guys to show up.

Everybody gotta tackle.
It's a mentality, alright?

[Coach Prime]
We haven't put it all together.

Be prepared to get a hand out.

- Oh, yeah. For the quick pass.
- Don't jump. There you go.

They were like this on Pluto,
and you guys did this...

And we still can lock the backside,
right, Pat?

You guys, get your minds back right.
We found ourself in a dog fight.

[announcer]
Rockin' the house for Homecoming.

It's why we've been on your butt
all week long about being complacent.

[announcer] Let's go.
[band starts playing]

- [all] J...
- And we were complacent.

[band playing]

[all] S...

Go out there
and play like Jackson State plays.

[band playing]
J... S... U...

Smart, tough, fast,
disciplined, with character.

[band playing]
[audience singing]

Do your job.

[band playing]
[audience singing]

- We get that?
- [all] Yes sir.

Let's go get it.

[commentator] Jackson State,
they'll get the football first to start.

All the action here in the second half.

You might say it was a quiet first half,
'cause they only had nine points.

But there was a lot
of ball movement going on,

as you see Shedeur, rolling to his right,
throwing back to his left,

has a man wide open
as he goes down the sidelines.

And it's a touchdown!
DJ Stevens for Jackson State.

[Coach Prime] Traditionally,
we've always been a team

that comes on strong in the second half,

but we've never faced
an opponent of the same mindset.

[commentator]
Sanders to pass on first down.

Comes near the sidelines.
It's complete, and it's not gonna go far.

That right there is Travis Hunter
on the catch.

Campbell is a fast-paced team.
They was trying to stay in the zone a lot.

They didn't want to play man.

[Commentator]
Tigers knocking on the door again.

Wilkerson in the backfield
to Sanders' right.

Sanders fired for the end zone,
and it's intercepted.

- [yells] Dang it.
- [commentator] In the end zone.

- Little miscommunication there.
- [commentator #2] What a huge play.

- Did we call that from the sideline?
- Yes.

Oh, we can't do that.
You better than that too.

You're way better than that.

[Coach Prime] During any tough game,
guys get tired.

They lose focus, and mistakes are made.

[intense music]

If we want to stay undefeated, this is
the kind of adversity that we need.

[commentator]
Wilkerson again, hit at the three,

dives in for a touchdown
for Jackson State.

I know a lot of people didn't think
this game might be as competitive

as it ended up being,
but it's been very competitive.

[Coach Prime]
Good job, man.

[Coach Minter]
Great job, boy. Another day, man.

[upbeat music]

Everybody, I want you to know.
We thank you, we love you.

We appreciate the way you came today.
God bless.

Man, to be honest,
the feeling is unbelievable.

To be able to take the field
with my brothers for my last Homecoming.

Man, that feels unbelievable.

They had my back more than I had my own.
You know what I'm saying?

So whenever I got down,
they was there to pick me right up.

But we came in, we showed out,
and we did what we had to do.

Four out, man. Go Tigers.

I know we are undefeated, but sometimes,
people think that stuff is easy.

This is not easy
what we're doing out here.

This is not easy,
what these young men are accomplishing.

This is not easy,
what these coaches are accomplishing.

This stuff is hard.

[Coach Prime] It was great to see them
actually overcoming

the adversity that they were up against.

We had 115 guys in the locker room, man.

Different background, different
ethnicities, different religions.

And I love it, 'cause it's
an atmosphere that we've created.

We meant it to be that way.

Ain't no two people the same,
and I love that about it.

You agree with one more chance, stand up.

Okay. Who agree with getting rid of it,
stand up.

All right, let's go.

You're out.

[Announcer] We're pleased to be joined
by the great Deion Sanders

- [chanting] Who is SWAC, baby?
- [crowd together] Who is SWAC!