BOO JACKSON HOT TOPIC
BOO JACKSON is already a media darling after just two spring practices with the Ohio University Bobcats.
You can listen to his radio interview and you can read about him.
The Athens Messenger's Jason Arkley wrote this--
The Bobcats opened up the 2008 spring football season with a high-energy, no-contact, two-hour workout underneath mostly sunny skies at Peden Stadium Wednesday afternoon.
For Boo Jackson however, it wasn't just a new start. It was the end of a long wait.
"I've definitely been anxious to get it started," said Jackson, a junior quarterback who signed with Ohio out of El Camino JC in December. "I graduated back in December and since then I've just been waiting and waiting, counting down the days."
Unable to get enrolled at Ohio before the start of winter quarter, Jackson (6-0, 197 pounds) spent the winter getting a long-distance crash course in Bobcat Offense 101. Once he had signed with Ohio, Jackson received the 'Cats playbook and some game tapes in the mail. Every other day he had conversations with Bobcats quarterback coach Gerry Gdowski - tutoring sessions if you will - about the various ins and outs of the offense.
"The play book they sent, it's like this thick," Jackson said, holding his hands roughly eight inches apart. "I thought I was done with class for a while."But that's what it was, it was like a class," he added with a smile. "8 a.m. to about 10 a.m. my time every other day. Me and coach on the phone going through the playbook."
A highly-rated prospect with head-turning passing statistics, Jackson was signed to provide immediate competition for Ohio's starting quarterback spot. Junior Theo Scott begins the spring season at the No. 1, with fellow juniors Brandon Jones and Josh Febus also in the mix.
Jackson knows he'll have to work hard to catch up."It's tough, but I knew what the situation was like here," he said. "I just want to compete as hard as I can. It's going to be a real tough, real close competition I think."But I like that," Jackson added. "I want to earn whatever playing time I can get. Coach (Frank) Solich doesn't promise you anything but a fair chance. That's all you can ask for."
Jackson finally arrived in Athens on Sunday. Three days later he was zipping passes in practice and trying to get used to the chill in the air. Jackson has spent his whole life in California, and had never seen falling snow until his December visit to Ohio.
As for his ability, Jackson calls himself more of a "dual threat" quarterback but isn't one to leave the backfield too often. "I don't just tuck it and run a whole lot. I don't want to get hit hard, I'll leave that to the receivers and running backs," he joked. "I'm more of a shuffle up the pocket, move along parallel to the line of scrimmage kind of guy."If I see some green, I'll go, but I prefer to buy time to make the throws."
Jackson had an early scholarship offer from Memphis, but it was taken off the table last fall and he was left without a scholarship. He admits he knew little about Ohio before they offered him. It was the only one he received, he said.
His transition from California to southeast Ohio should be helped by his roomate, safety Hilton Dawson III, who was also a teammate at El Camino. And if observers are surprised by his arm strength and velocity, well he's been surprised too.
"I just can't believe how friendly everyone has been so far," he said. "Out in California you can run into some snobs and mean people and those sorts."But here? It's been great," Jackson added. "I'm trying to find where to go for class on Monday, trying to find this place and that place. People here are like 'Are you new? You need help?' They're giving me directions and showing me where to go and all that. It's been great."
Boo Interview
If you would like to hear a live radio interview with Boo in Ohio go to http://thesportsfan.mypodcast.com/rss.xml, then click on the link under Boo's name.
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Church Rained Out
The New York Mets-Atlanta game Friday night was postponed on account of rain. Saturday’s game, at 12:55 p.m. West Coast time, will be broadcast on FOX television.
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