Elijah Jackson endeared himself to Washington Husky football fans forever last season when he saved UW’s Sugar Bowl victory over Texas by swatting away a pass on the final play of the game to preserve the Huskies’ 37-31 win, putting his team in the national-title game.
Then, during an offseason marked by massive change — that was instigated by coach Kalen DeBoer departing for Alabama — Jackson endeared himself again, deciding to stay at UW and joining linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala as the team’s only two returning starters.
“I feel like this is my home,” said Jackson, a fifth-year junior from Carson, California. “I didn’t pick Washington because of the coaches and I didn’t pick Washington because of the name. I fell in love with the culture and the fans. Coaches might come and go but the culture remains.”
Jackson said after Tuesday’s spring practice that he is taking it upon himself to help lead the team’s younger players.
“It’s a good rule to have to teach the younger kids what a championship defense looks like and how a championship team operates,” said Jackson, who was on the Pac-12 academic honor roll in 2021 and 2022 and was academic all-district last year. “It’s just the little things, like keeping the locker room clean, tucking in jerseys and the little details like that just helps us succeed. I’m glad I’m able to express that to the younger players.”
Jackson has started 17 games as a Husky and has impressed new UW cornerbacks coach John Richardson, who spent last season as the cornerbacks coach on UW coach Jedd Fisch’s staff at Arizona.
The previous three seasons, Richardson was an assistant at Washington State, joining the Cougars in 2020 as the cornerbacks coach and adding the titles of assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator in his final two seasons in Pullman.
Richardson, who played cornerback at North Dakota State, also spent six seasons at Wyoming (2014-19) as the cornerbacks coach.
“He is an aggressive player, he’s not afraid of the moment and he doesn’t back down from anything,” Richardson said of Jackson. “We all saw him in the playoff when he got up and made the game-winning (pass breakup). And he’s a crazy athlete who can do some crazy things.
“His vertical leap is ridiculous. I mean, the guy jumps like 40 inches. I’ve never seen that live besides on a basketball court. On the football field, it’s pretty sweet to watch.”
Jackson, who has started 17 games at UW and had 61 tackles last season, said Richardson is doing a great job with the cornerbacks.
“J-Rich is emphasizing details, details, details, because your details and your reputation brings happiness,” Jackson said. “Knowing you can be prepared for the moment brings confidence.”
Jackson was certainly ready for the moment last season against Texas, and Richardson likes what he sees from his entire unit, which includes junior Ephesians Prysock, who started for Richardson at Arizona last season before transferring to UW.
“Competition is the lifestyle we live in the (cornerbacks) room,” Richardson said. “I’m so blessed to have guys that want to compete every single day. They’re passionate and they all want to get on the field, which is a great thing for me to have.”
Deputy AD leaves for Nebraska
Haven Fields, who has been Washington’s Deputy Athletic Director of Administration since January, is following former UW athletic director Troy Dannen to Nebraska.
Fields will become Nebraska’s deputy athletic director and sport administrator for the Cornhusker football program.
Dannen took the athletic director job at Nebraska last month after taking the UW job last October.
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