Jackson State head coach T.C. Taylor, graduate senior running back Irv Mulligan, and true freshman utility player Travis Terrell, Jr. have all been recognized among the SWAC’s best in 2024.
An illustrious 2024 campaign for the Tigers will culminate in a SWAC title showdown with the Southern Jaguars on Saturday, with a potential Celebration Bowl appearance if JSU is crowned conference champions.
In just his second season as the head man in Jackson, Taylor has been named the SWAC Coach of the Year. He guided the Tigers to a breakout 10-2 record and a perfect 8-0 mark in the Southwestern Athletic Conference to clinch the East Division in 2024. Taylor has also led JSU to national top 10 team rankings in categories such as red zone offense (first), total defense (fifth), and scoring offense (sixth).
After dealing with an injury during the offseason and missing the first two contests of the season, Mulligan has been the wind in the sail of Jackson State’s high-powered offense on his way to being named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year. The South Carolina native, who started his career at Wofford, has racked up 1,058 rushing yards (21st nationally), averages 105.8 yards per game (ninth nationally), and is the 13th Tiger in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
Terrell, Jr., in his first season as a Tiger, has turned heads in multiple facets this season. The youngster has collected 412 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, along with 792 yards and two scores as a return specialist. The stellar campaign earned Terrell, Jr. the SWAC Freshman of the Year Award.
The trio has not just garnered attention from the league office but a slew of national trophies as well. Last week, Taylor was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the top coach in Division I FCS, Mulligan landed finalist spots for the Walter Payton National Player of the Year Award and the HBCU+ National Player of the Year Award, and Terrell, Jr. was tabbed a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the top FCS freshman in America.
As the individual conference and national recognition racks up for the blue and white, their focus now turns to the SWAC championship game against the Southern Jaguars on Saturday at 1 p.m.