MCKINNEY, TX, Ga. (WALB) - Tremaine Jackson has been preaching it since being named preseason favorites saying, “We believe in the post not the pre.”

Well, the post has begun. The Blazers are one day away from the NCAA Division II National Championship game in coach Jackson’s home state of Texas.

“There’s nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come. We talk about that a lot, we think it’s our time,” said Jackson.

Valdosta state back in the title game for the first time since 2021. Jackson is the fifth coach to lead the Blazers to McKinney and the the third in the last six season to face off against Ferris State.

Jackson said, “As we look across and we see Ferris State and we look at the program as a whole that coach has built there, anytime you play somebody for the third time in a national championship setting than I think it speaks volume to both programs.”

The Blazers and Bulldogs last met in 2021. Ferris State the winner.

Quarterback Sammy Edwards is one of only four guys on the 2021 and 2024 team, he watched from the bench. Now he returns this time as the starter.

“Just being able to come back to the same spot is big. The five or six guys who stayed kind of made a promise that we’d be back here at some point,” said Edwards.

Jackson added, “three years ago I watched this game on television from my couch and wondered what it would be like to coach in it with these guys and now we’re here.”

It didn’t take long for their return. The Blazers enter with a 13-0 record. While the offense has been extremely efficient, Edwards has just two interceptions on the season, but it’s the new additions on defense that’s turned heads.

Senior defensive back and transfer Larry Elder said, “the energy they were giving me I was like, “man I’m going to go give it a shot.” all the coaches that I knew were telling me how good of a program Valdosta State was and I was like I’m going to go do it.”

The margin that we’re winning now, that’s different. These guys want to play defense, they want to be known for it to be a complete team, not just one side of the ball,” said Jackson.

In 2024, VSU has managed three shutouts and held four other opponents to ten points or less. With a Harlon Hill finalist under center and the ground game working considering running back Alfonso Franklins five touchdown game in the semifinals. The Blazers are what some would call a complete team.

“This team is just extremely different. They have a desire to be together, they have a desire to be around one another. They truly love one another, I’m excited to see how we can finish because this team has been so different than what we’re accustomed to,” said Jackson.

If the Blazers win Saturday it will be the fifth championship for the program and and Jackson would become the first black head coach at the NCAA Division II level to win in the title game.

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