Deion Sanders is preparing for his first game at Colorado, but his HBCU pedigree worked itself into his pre-game presser on Tuesday.
Sanders spoke about recent visits paid to his program by Pro Football Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Warren Sapp last week and how he felt about some of his players having to be told to speak to them.
An on-site reporter decided to interject with a statement rather than a question.
“I’ve got to check you, though, because those Hall of Famers were all Hurricanes like myself – and you’re a ‘Nole my friend.”
Deion Sanders stopped her and asked if anyone knew where he graduated from. Another media member responded correctly that he had graduated from Talladega College.
“I graduated from an HBCU, so I’m still a who?” Sanders shot back at the reporter.
“But you’re still a ‘Nole?” She retorted.
“So I’m a who?” Sanders said with a laugh. “I’m a who? I thought it was where you graduated from, isn’t it.”
Sanders graduated from Talladega College in August of 2020 – just before taking the head coaching job at Jackson State.
“Why do you keep calling me that instead of where I graduated from,” Sanders said. I’m an HBCU grad.”
Sanders went on to explain that both Sapp and Irvin are from Florida just like him and that their ties are deeper than where they played college football. But he made sure to clarify where he got his degree from.
“Talladega,” Sanders said before leaving the platform. “That’s where I graduated from.”