In true freshman Justin Jackson, Northwestern has found their featured back on offense. Regardless of what the depth chart says, Jackson (@JManPrime21 on Twitter) is the true starter. NU has found life of offense after Venric Mark. Certainly, they’ve found a a new focus in the rush-first attack. Coming closer to finding an offensive identity is a big reason why the Cats have gone 3-0 since starting 0-2.
They now are a major player in the B1g West Division race; where they control their own destiny.
Justin Jackson in the postgame Saturday on how he felt immediately after carrying the ball 33 times:
“I feel pretty crappy, but we won so that’s all that matters. I can’t say I was expecting (so many carries), I was expecting to come in here and do what the coaches wanted me to do.”
Jackson had a new career high 162 yards rushing. He had 92 versus Western Illinois and currently leads the Wildcats in rushing yards and yards per carry.
Fellow freshman Solomon Vault was out with an injury, so that was a big reason for why Jackson got so many carries. (And of course, like NU Coach Pat Fitzgerald loves to say that “stats are for losers,”)
But it’s clear that the duo, the future of the program on offense, have overtaken senior Treyvon Green as focal point on the ground. Even if NU’s identity on offense isn’t completely established yet.
“We have got a plan there at running back. Great job by Justin. His number was called. He has a really good feel for what we are trying to do,” said Fitzgerald of Justin Jackson.
“I think our identity is a work in progress. I really do,” said Fitz regarding the team’s identity.
Justin Jackson knows that he could be a big part of that identity, and the four-star recruit, one of the jewels of Fitzgerald’s highest rated recruiting class, could see a big workload like he did on Saturday.
“If they need me to, I’m just going to prepare each week like I have been,” he said postgame.
So I know what you’re asking “JManPrime21,” that’s got to be a Deion Sanders reference, right?
A tailback looking up to a cornerback (yes, the greatest corner of all time, but still)…I’ll let Jackson explain.
“In high school, my sophomore year I played mainly defense. When I played corner I was researching best cornerbacks and obviously he came up. I watched a lot of tape of him and he became one of my idols.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and very often writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his features stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2