Jacksonville Jaguars Wide receivers coach Chris Jackson leaves Florida to accept the same position with Texas Longhornsaccording to multiple reports on Tuesday.
# Jaguar WR coach Chris Jackson has informed Doug Pederson’s staff that he is in the same position @employeeper multiple sources # Jaguar WRs caught 238 passes for 2,677 yards and 19 TDs in his only season in 2022, including historic seasons by Christian Kirk and Zee Jones
– Mia O’Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) January 24, 2023
The school confirmed the news on Tuesday night, with Jackson also holding the title of passing game coordinator.
“We’re excited that Chris Jackson is a Longhorn,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “He’s a talented coach with a lot of football and life experience that we’ll draw on our team. Chris is a passionate, detail-oriented guy who has taken a unique coaching path, but is about as good as they get when it comes to developing and preparing receivers. He’s a highly respected coach with a work ethic Brilliant and a student of the game, he is a proven leader who not only helps his players improve on the field, but builds strong relationships with them as well.During his time in the NFL, he worked with some exceptional coaches who quickly recognized his talent in the trade. Not only has he coached players at the highest level the past five years in the NFL, he even knows full well where he’s an NFL veteran, All-Pac-10, and 1,000-yard receiver himself.He played at Washington State with Jeff Banks, so he’s a guy we know very well and we know he’ll be a tremendous addition to our team. We’re excited to get him started.”
The news comes more than two weeks after former Texas coach Brennan Marion trained the wide receivers Officially announced as offensive coordinator at UNLV And eight days after Jackson He apparently denied reports linking him to the Longhorns.
But that was when Jacksonville was still in the playoffs and after being eliminated before Kansas City Chiefs On Saturday, Jackson was free to begin finalizing his agreement to join Sarkeesian’s crew.
Jackson’s association with the program is that he played with the team’s head coach/special teams coordinator Jeff Banks at the W.C Washington state In 1996 and 1997, incl flower pot a run led by Ryan Leaf in the final season.
“My main idea for the move originally was just guys,” Jackson said. “The excitement and the opportunity to coach at the college level at a school with a bad reputation in Texas is such a great opportunity. Working with young people between the ages of 17 and 18 to leave at 22 and providing them with a platform and allowing them to grow, not just as football players but as young adults, that’s what I’m drawn to it too. I’ve always been excited about it, and I’ve been able to do it at the NFL level, but there’s something very interesting about these guys, whom I hope to inspire and lead through the position I’ve just left. Some of them will want and need to pursue a professional career Just down to some guidance and leadership to get there, and I’ve seen that not only as a player, but as a coach now. That’s what the job is for me – youth and development.
“Coach Sarkeesian has always been amazing and an offensive mastermind. Being a wide receiver myself, I really look forward to locking the whole way into his thought processes of why he does things and how he does things, just to be an extension of him. He has had success not only at the college level, but Also in the NFL, so I just want to embrace all of that and add everything I can in terms of my experience and thought process. But for me, it was a no-brainer to come to Texas and work under Sark and his amazing staff. He’s done it both at the collegiate level and at the association level. NFL, and I know it’s the heart of the culture there. I just want to be a part of that.”
After a long career primarily in Major League Soccer in the Arena that included 13,355 yards and 325 touchdowns, Jackson coached wide receivers at an Arizona high school before landing a job in 2019 as a defensive assistant with Chicago Bears. Jackson previously spent time with the Bears during training camp in 2018 thanks to the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship Program.
Jackson transitioned into the role of assistant wide receivers coach in Chicago for two seasons before Doug Pederson hired him at Jacksonville last year for what turned out to be a successful season for wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zee Jones:
In his only season with the Jaguars, Jackson led the wide receiver unit to become one of only three in the NFL to have two players with more than 80 receptions in 2022 in Christian Kirk (84) and Zee Jones (82). Both groups were in the top 10 in Jacksonville single-season history with Kirk ranked eighth, and Jones tied for tenth. Kirk also achieved his first 1,000-yard receiving season with 1,108 to rank 14th in the league to go along with eight touchdowns, which tied for fifth in Jaguars history. Meanwhile, Jones recorded 823 yards and five touchdowns, and Marvin Jones Jr. added 46 receptions for 529 yards and three touchdowns.
So while Jackson doesn’t have any college football experience, particularly as a recruiter, he is a member of Mater Dei, providing a link to California’s talent-packed program, and his rapid rise through the NFL ranks indicates an ability to quickly adapt to his role. New on 40 acres.
“I know Texas is football,” Jackson added. “That’s what I know, and that’s coming from a kid in California. I knew people back then never left Texas, especially if you were one of the best players in Texas, that’s where I went. I want to play a role in helping Coach Sark and the staff to Keep coming back on that side, Texas is the only place these Texas kids want to go. Austin is a great city. My oldest son went to St. Edwards for 2 years, so I had a chance to put him up there and look around. I’m so drawn to the city and the lake and downtown The city is beautiful. I’m just excited to be a part of that and help continue to grow Texas traditions.”
