Jackson earns starting job
After a spring and summer filled with speculation, the Utah State football team announced Wednesday that Leon Jackson III will start at quarterback when the Aggies open their season against UNLV Aug. 30 at Romney Stadium.
“It’s a blessing,” Jackson said. “I’ve worked hard and I’ve done everything that I needed to do and I’m blessed and grateful the coaches chose me and have faith in me.”
The decision came after a summer-long battle between Jackson, sophomore Jase McCormick and Sean Setzer – a junior college transfer.
“As we evaluated everything, Leon was more consistent at executing,” Utah State Head Coach Brent Guy said. “With the way that Jase played during camp and scrimmages, I think he’s played his way into an opportunity to certainly get into ball games. Because Sean missed so much time with the injury, he didn’t really give himself a good enough chance to compete.”
Jackson brings another thing to the table McCormick and Setzer lack – starting experience.
He started nine games as a sophomore in 2005. Last season, Jackson, who was also the team’s punter, started the first five games before being replaced by rookie Riley Nelson. But Jackson came off the bench for the last four games, pushing his season totals to 694 passing yards, three touchdowns and seven interceptions.
This time, being announced as the starter just means Jackson will be taking the first snap for the Aggies.
“We’re just starting the game with Leon and Leon understands that he needs to execute and stay within the game plan, or we will find the next guy that can,” Guy said. “At this point we had to make a decision in order to start installing a game plan so everybody knows what their role is. We will be splitting reps between McCormick and Setzer at number two, they’ll both get reps.”
So the battle may not be completely over, but that’s nothing new for Jackson.
“Every day is a battle,” he said. “For me I’ve done it every year I’ve played here. I’ve had to compete for a job every year going into the year. It just develops a character inside of you to just compete every single day, irregardless of whether you have somebody next to you or not.”
Besides a fight for the starting job, Jackson is also learning new offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey’s offense – Jackson’s fourth. But he said he isn’t having trouble picking it up.
Jackson will also be looking to put a lack-luster 2006 season behind him, where the Aggies went 1-11.
“Last year is a non-issue,” he said. “I have complete and utter confidence in myself. Last year is exactly last year. This is a new year, and you guys will see.”
-da.bake@aggiemail.usu.edu