T.C. Taylor has made some key additions to his championship-winning coaching staff at Jackson State, adding former Charlotte assistant Justin Sanders and 2024 Celebration Bowl champion Esaias Guthrie. Taylor has also promoted former quality control coach Aaron Jackson to assistant coach.

The moves come as Jackson State solidifies its team heading into the end of the Spring, securing high-level talent like former Mississippi Valley State wide receiver Nate Rembert and former Prairie View A&M wide receiver Shemar Savage. Jackson State also lost linebackers coach Chris Orr, brother of Zach Orr, in February as he joined the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff.

Before his time with the Charlotte 49ers, Sanders spent four years as the defensive backs coach at Texas Southern University after three seasons at NJCAA powerhouse East Mississippi Community College. Known for coaching aggressive defenses, Sanders' defensive backs at TSU led the Southwestern Athletic Conference with 17 interceptions (four returned for touchdowns) and 33 pass breakups. In 2021, TSU recorded 10 interceptions and 43 breakups, matching the secondary's 43 breakups in his first season.

Before TSU, Sanders was the secondary coach and special teams coordinator at East Mississippi Community College from 2016-18. During this time, EMCC won back-to-back NJCAA National Championships, three straight MACJC State Championships, and went 33-2, leading the nation in scoring defense in 2018. He also held graduate assistant roles at Texas A&M and North Carolina.

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A Pearl, Miss., native, Sanders played at Illinois, contributing to the 2007 Rose Bowl team that finished 9-4 and defeated No. 1 Ohio State. He recorded 57 tackles, 4.0 TFL, eight PBUs, and three forced fumbles before signing with the NFL's Detroit Lions as a free agent in 2008.

Esaias Guthrie is a familiar face to Jackson State fans. Guthrie was a star defensive back for the team, joining in the 2023 season after a stint with Delaware State. Guthrie finished with 98 total tackles in 25 games at Jackson State, adding 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He also intercepted a pair of passes and 10 pass breakups and was a key member of the 2024 Celebration Bowl team, also serving as a huge ambassador for Jackson State athletics off the field.

Jackson State dominated the SWAC in 2024. The Tigers finished the season 12-2 and 8-0 in conference.  The only FCS loss Jackson State suffered was to Grambling State University on September 21st but the game was considered a non-conference contest. Jackson State won the SWAC Championship in dominant fashion over Southern University and then secured a wire-to-wire victory over South Carolina State University in the Cricket Celebration Bowl.