An HBCU head football coach is firing back at Alabama's Nick Saban for his disparaging comments about Jackson State's recruitment process, Sports Illustrated reports.
On Wednesday (May 18), Saban went after the Jackson State football program following its successful recruitment of five-star player Travis Hunter. The Alabama head coach claimed the HBCU outbid Power 5 schools pining after Hunter by abusing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
"Jackson State paid a guy a million dollars last year that was a really good Division I player to come to school. It was in the paper. They bragged about it. Nobody did anything about it," Saban said in a statement on Wednesday without providing proof to back up his damning statements.
Considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, Saban has also caught heat for claiming Texas A&M "bought" their recruits.
Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders quickly denounced Saban's credibility attack.
"You best believe I will address that LIE Coach SABAN told tomorrow," Sanders tweeted. "I was & awakened by my son [Shedeur Sanders] @ShedeurSanders that sent me the article stating that WE PAYED [Travis Hunter] @TravisHunterJr a Million to play at @GoJSUTigersFB! We as a PEOPLE don't have to pay our PEOPLE to play with our PEOPLE."
On Thursday (May 19), the five-star recruit tweeted with laughing emojis, "I got a mil? But my mom still stay in a 3 bed room house with 5 kids."
Prior to Saban's accusations, various media personalities have also questioned Hunter's decision to commit to an HBCU over a Power 5 school.
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