At Grambling, Dean studied business management and played football for the Grambling State Tigers as a running back. He earned the nickname "American Express" due to the belief of his coach, Eddie Robinson, that the team should 'never leave home without him', a saying similar to the slogan of the eponymous credit card company. Sports Illustrated called Dean possibly the "best runner produced by a predominantly black college since Walter Payton came out of Jackson State in 1975."[2] Former Grambling and Los Angeles RamsfullbackPaul "Tank" Younger said about Dean, "You take one look at him and you think, hey, he doesn't look that tough. He isn't the huge, muscle-flexing type of back, but once you see him run the ball, you want to check out his scrapbook."[2]
At Grambling, Dean recorded a career total of 3,328 yards and 41 touchdowns.[4] As a junior in 1989, Dean scored 18 touchdowns and set a school rushing record when he compiled 1,269 yards.[2][4] In 1990, Dean recorded 17 touchdowns and the Division I-AA season-best 1,401 rushing yards.[4] Against Elizabeth City, he recorded 137 yards on just 15 carries (9.13 average). Against Hampton, he compiled a career-high 232 yards and helped lead the Tigers to a 22-3 victory.[2] Grambling finished the season with an 8–3 record, including a win against their arch-rival, Southern, in the Bayou Classic.[4]
Eddie Robinson believed that Dean was deserving of the Heisman Trophy, awarded annually to the best college football player, but acknowledged that voters would not seriously consider a Division I-AA player for the honor.[2] Dean did, however, win the Walter Payton Award, which is the award bestowed annually upon Division I-AA football's most outstanding player.[4]
