When Michael Vick took over as head coach at Norfolk State, the buzz around a new Deion Sanders-like figure in college football began to swirl. Now, it’s happening again—this time, with Eddie George. The Ohio State legend wasn’t just weighing his next career move—he was waiting for a sign. And it came while cruising down the highway in the form of a text from Urban Meyer. The message? A chance to return to Ohio and take the reins at Bowling Green. After weeks of discussions, the deal was finalized, and George was officially named the 21st head coach, replacing Scot Loeffler, who departed for the Philadelphia Eagles.
But now, the honeymoon phase is over. Reality is setting in—coaching in the MAC [Mid-American Conference] is a different beast.
On the March 10th episode of 247Sports’ The Ultimate College Football Show, experts Smoke Dixon, John Talty, and Tom Loy discussed whether Eddie George could revitalize Bowling Green the way Deion Sanders electrified Jackson State and later, Colorado. Talty set the record straight, saying, “Deion is one of one. I think we have to start there. He is a celebrity beyond just being a successful football player. He also had Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders coming with him no matter what. To the best of my knowledge, Eddie George does not have guys of that caliber.”
Then, Smoke Dixon took things a step further, hitting George with a harsh truth about coaching in the MAC: “It’s always money, money, money. How much can be paid to pay? It’s truly about how many resources you have in order to hire the right people to find those diamonds in the rough, guys that you can bring in. And even if you’re a household name like Eddie in Ohio, you still have to have boots on the ground and the right eyes in your building to find that talent.” At the Power Five level, schools throw around serious money on NIL deals, coaching staff, and recruiting. But in the MAC, it’s a scrappy, grind-it-out conference where resources are scarce. Finding hidden gems isn’t just a strategy—it’s the only path to survival.
But Dixon didn’t stop there. He laid out the real challenges George will face, asking the tough questions: “Who are you hiring as a personnel guy? What is your expectation in recruiting? Are you trying to finish in the top 30? Are you trying to retain your personnel in terms of guys hit the portal? Are you now dipping down as Division 1AA to replenish your roster, knowing that you potentially might lose some of your best players?”
Right now, Bowling Green isn’t just another coaching stop—it’s a relentless battle for talent. And Eddie George is about to learn just how tough it is to keep a roster intact, let alone build a winning team.
Eddie George’s coaching credentials: Is he the next Deion?
Before stepping into the MAC grind, Eddie George proved his coaching mettle at Tennessee State. The former Heisman Trophy winner took the HBCU program to new heights, turning them into real contenders. Under his leadership, the Tigers delivered standout seasons, capped off with a 9-4 record and their first FCS playoff appearance since 2013. This past season, they went even further—securing a share of the OVC-Big South championship, the school’s first league title since 1999.
His success drew inevitable comparisons to Coach Prime, one of the few other former NFL stars to transition into coaching at an HBCU before jumping to FBS. But here’s the reality—stacking up to Deion Sanders? That’s an unthinkable task for Bowling Green’s new head coach.
September 7, 2024 Lincoln, NE. U.S. – Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders runs onto Tom Osborne Field before a NCAA, College League, USA Division 1 football game between Colorado Buffalos and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE..Nebraska won 28-10.Attendance: 86,906.398th consecutive sellout. /Cal Media Lincoln United States of America – ZUMAc04_ 20240907_zma_c04_1271 Copyright: xMichaelxSpomerx
Deion Sanders built Jackson State into an HBCU powerhouse, winning back-to-back SWAC titles before flipping Colorado’s roster upside down. But George doesn’t have the luxury of top-tier recruits following him wherever he goes. That alone makes his challenge at Bowling Green infinitely tougher.
Beyond the recruiting battles, George’s biggest challenge will be defining his identity as a head coach. As John Talty put it: “For him, moving forward, he’s got to figure out what his style is going to be, what his strategy is.”
Unlike the Big 12’s Colorado, Bowling Green isn’t injecting serious NIL money or pouring resources into football. That means George will have to get creative, build a culture from scratch, and develop talent instead of buying it. And as Talty bluntly pointed out: “It’s challenging, and it’s going to continue to be challenging at the MAC level. We don’t expect them to pump in serious NIL money, which is what we’re seeing happen at Power Five schools. That’s going to make it even harder for a MAC program.” So, what does this all mean for Eddie George?
Year one is going to be tough. Bowling Green wasn’t terrible last year, but they’ve lost a lot of key pieces. Plus, George missed the December transfer window, meaning he couldn’t snag immediate impact players. His only hope now? Making smart moves in the April transfer window. So, while the Coach Prime comparisons are inevitable, Eddie George’s journey at Bowling Green is going to look a whole lot different. Can he turn a MAC program into a powerhouse? Or will the conference’s brutal reality check prove too much to overcome?
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