DeSean Jackson Keeps NFL Pedigree in HBCU Football Program
When Clinton Portis arrived as an HBCU football position coach at Delaware State, it felt like a power move. When he left, it felt like something bigger might be brewing. Now, head coach DeSean Jackson has responded — and he did it fast.
According to Scott Roussel of FootballScoop.com, Jackson has hired former NFL first-round pick Steve Broussard as Delaware State’s new running backs coach, replacing Portis ahead of the 2026 season.
But this isn’t just a routine staff shuffle.
It may be the prelude to a legacy reunion with the Miami Hurricanes.
The Portis Effect at Delaware State
Portis didn’t just coach running backs in Dover. He helped build an identity.
Under his guidance in 2025, Delaware State averaged 291 rushing yards per game, the highest mark in the FCS. The Hornets became one of the most physical run teams in the country, leaning on a ground attack that overwhelmed opponents weekly.
That success didn’t go unnoticed.
It also didn’t stay intact.
Following Portis’ departure, Delaware State’s top two rushers — Marquis Gillis (Arizona State) and James Jones (New Mexico State) — transferred to FBS programs.
Earlier this month, unconfirmed rumors surfaced that Portis had briefly accepted a role at Florida A&M before that opportunity fell through. That situation reportedly left the former NFL Pro Bowler as something of a “coaching free agent.”
Now there’s smoke — and plenty of it — connecting Portis to his alma mater.
The Miami Opening — And The Family Angle
The Miami Hurricanes are currently searching for a new running backs coach after Matt Merritt left on February 5 to join the Arizona Cardinals.
The job is one of the most attractive position roles in college football. The Miami Hurricanes returns its top four tailbacks from a 2025 team that made a National Championship run.
And then there’s this.
Camdin Portis, Clinton’s son, officially signed with Miami in December. The four-star defensive back out of Myers Park High School in Charlotte is ranked No. 12 nationally at his position by 247Sports. He recorded 49 tackles and three interceptions as a senior and is projected to play nickel for the Hurricanes as a freshman.
While Camdin plays defense — not running back — the idea of Portis coaching at “The U” while his son suits up in orange and green is powerful.
Miami fans have noticed.
So has the broader college football world.
Portis rushed for over 3,600 yards at Miami before becoming a two-time Pro Bowler in the NFL.
The timing lines up.
The connection is obvious.
And the speculation isn’t slowing down.
Jackson’s Rolodex Response
If Portis is chasing a dream job, DeSean Jackson didn’t blink.
He went back to his NFL fraternity.
DeSean Jackson reportedly targeted Steve Broussard, a former first-round pick and longtime West Coast coach with deep California ties — just like him.
Broussard played nine seasons in the NFL, including standout years with the Seattle Seahawks, where he still holds franchise kick return records. At Washington State, he remains one of only two players in Pac-10/12 history to lead the conference in both receiving yards and rushing yards in separate seasons.
He’s not just a former star. He’s a career coach.
Broussard has spent more than 20 years coaching at UCLA, Arizona State, SMU, Washington State, and Cal Poly, as well as multiple high school head-coaching stops in Southern California.
That’s not random.
Jackson is a Los Angeles native. Long Beach Poly product. Cal star. Second-round NFL pick.
Broussard moved in those same circles for two decades.
This wasn’t a panic hire.
It was a call to someone already in the network.
The NFL-to-HBCU Coaching Pipeline — And Back Again?
This situation highlights something bigger.
Delaware State, under Jackson, has become a landing spot for former NFL stars bringing high-level experience into the HBCU football coaching ranks. First Portis. Now Broussard.
But it also reveals how fluid that pipeline can be.
Portis helped build one of the most explosive rushing attacks in FCS football. Now he may be positioned to coach at the Power Four level — possibly at the same school where he forged his own football legacy.
From Coral Gables to Dover and maybe back again.
For Jackson, the message is clear: Delaware State isn’t slowing down. He’s keeping NFL pedigree in the room.
For Portis, the story may be shifting from rebuilding within HBCU football to reuniting with legacy at “The U.”
And if that happens?
This won’t be remembered as just a staff change.
It will be remembered as the moment the smoke started to rise.