Journalist and Howard University alumnus Jim Trotter recently published an article in The Athletic about Jackson State in their post-Deion Sanders era. The article, entitled “Jackson State has moved on from Deion Sanders, but his shadow still lingers”, chronicles Jackson State after their 24-19 loss to Alabama State during their homecoming.

The Alabama State vs. Jackson State matchup drew significant interest because of the confrontation between Deion Sanders and Hornets head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. But, although the shadow of Sanders does indeed loom over the Tigers, Jackson State has moved on. Trotter spotlights this fact in his piece.

“The first thing that needs to be acknowledged is that the Jackson State community does not sit around talking about Sanders. They moved on the moment he left town — not because they feel some kind way, but because that’s what they do,” Trotter said. “It’s almost as if he were never there — striking considering he seemed to be everywhere during his three seasons.”

However, Trotter spoke with Robinson Jr. who gave him a brief retrospective on his time in the SWAC.

“Deion did a lot of good for the SWAC and a lot of good for Jackson State, but he probably did a little (of) bad, too, There are some things he could have done better; I’m sure he would probably say that, too. In the big picture, I think he kind of benefited the conference more than he hurt it. But now with (JSU) being the defending champ, everybody wants to play them hard and try to beat them. That’s just how it goes.”

Trotter is perfectly positioned to write this feature on Jackson State. He is an alumnus of Howard University, where he earned a Bachelor's in Communications in 1986. During his time at Howard, he served as the sports editor for The Hilltop, the renowned school newspaper.

Trotter ensured that the article was more about Jackson State and less about Sanders. He spoke with several Jackson State student-athletes, and alumni and even spoke to Jackson State football legends. It's worth a read, especially in a media landscape that seems to never want to promote the perspective of HBCU alumni about the Sanders saga.