Delaware State’s DeSean Jackson: We have a lot more work to do

When head coach DeSean Jackson arrived on Delaware State’s campus in January, he preached this motto: “Play the cards that you’re dealt.” 

It’s the motto that took him from Crenshaw, California, to a career as Pro Bowl wide receiver in the NFL. Now that motto has become the backbone of one of the most dramatic turnarounds in HBCU football. 

Once perennial losers in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the Delaware State Hornets (8-3 overall, 4-0 MEAC) are tied for first in the conference standings and are one win away from a trip to Atlanta to compete for a Celebration Bowl championship. 

“Obviously, after only winning two games in the past two years, it’s a blessing for me,” Jackson said. “I don’t want to get too caught up in the moment and really thinking about all the success we’ve had because I know it’s still a lot more to do, and it’s a lot more work to accomplish as well.”

For Jackson, the keys to success during his first season have been the relationships he has built with his players and the experienced coaching staff that he assembled. Despite coming to a program that had won only one game last season, Jackson said the Hornets’ issues weren’t due to lack of talent but were due instead to a lack of discipline. Harping on discipline and execution in training camp and practice helped Delaware State rank No. 1 in the conference in total offense.

“Just don’t let all the praises get to you. … That’s something I’m instantly and constantly relaying to my players, that basically we have to block the noise out,” Jackson said. “Because if we get too caught up in it, it’ll take us off our pivot. Every day, we’ve got the opportunity to work on a day and conquer the day.

“Let’s just get better. Just don’t waste no days. … We’ve got [one] guaranteed game left. It’s only a few practices left. If we handle our business, hopefully we can have more than those few.”

Although the MEAC doesn’t have a designated conference championship game, Delaware State and South Carolina State (8-3, 4-0 MEAC) are undefeated in league play heading into their final matchup of the regular season. The winner of their game on Saturday will claim the conference title outright and represent the MEAC in the Celebration Bowl.

“Never did we discuss or have a backup plan outside of the Celebration Bowl,” running backs coach Clinton Portis said. “It was never, ‘OK, man, let’s win three games and we turned Delaware State around.’ It was – in order for us to turn Delaware State around – like, we’ve got to win the Celebration Bowl. And we’ve got to get these kids out of the last two years of being 2-22 and a losers mentality to all of a sudden being 8-3 this year.

“We’ve already overachieved. But the reality is we’re not finished because 10-3 is our pinnacle. 10-3 gets us everything we want.”

As Delaware State prepares to face South Carolina State for the MEAC championship, Jackson spoke to Andscape about his first year leading the Hornets and the success the program has had this season.

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