The Retrun Of Johnny Jackson- Senior Bob Jones Quarterback
MADISON- For Johnny Jackson, there’s no place like home.
The senior starting quarterback for Bob Jones has made his way back to the teammates and overall program he grew up with after playing one season at Giles County High located in Pulaski, Tenn.
“I feel at home and more comfortable than ever,” said Jackson. “I’m doing well. My job at quarterback is actually easy as I get the ball to our playmakers we have on the team and let them do what they do so very well.”
Born in Huntsville to Cedric and Shameka Jackson and raised in Madison, Jackson played youth football in Madison and later as quarterback and cornerback at Discovery Middle School. Moving to the Bob Jones program, he did not see varsity action in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, and he felt as though he was not receiving the experience of playing as he wanted. So, with the entire family’s blessing, the Jackson’s moved to Pulaski where the Bobcats were heading into the 2023 needing a good signal caller. Jackson’s father, who teaches at Discovery Middle School and is currently the running backs coach at Bob Jones, knew the head coach at Giles County and even played for him several years ago.
“My father made the arrangements for our family to move to Pulaski where we rented a house just five minutes from the school campus,” said Jackson. “I earned my position as starting quarterback during spring practice and the head coach has had a long history of producing good quality quarterbacks.”
Last season, Jackson passed for 1,628 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for another 539 yards and nine scores as he led the Bobcats to an 11-3 record where the team lost in the semi-finals of the Tennessee state playoffs. So, after a great season, the question came up of why return to Madison and Bob Jones?
“The offensive coordinator and quarterback coaches both left the team after the season, plus, I wanted to be with my guys I’ve known all my life,” added Jackson.
Also in the mix was the fact Bob Jones needed an experienced type signal caller going into the 2024 season, so head coach Kelvis White found out Jackson was playing well, so he arranged through Jackson’s father to make the return back to Madison where the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Jackson jumped into action during the summer 7-on-7 tournaments and made his argument to be the starting quarterback for his former team for the 2024 season.
Jackson missed spring practice at Bob Jones due to a serious ankle injury he suffered in the season-ending contest at Giles County in 2023. In the playoff game against Alcoa where the Bobcats lost 38-7, Jackson suffered a broken left ankle. On Dec. 5 at Huntsville Hospital, he underwent surgery where a plate and screws were inserted to put his broken ankle back together. He went through months of rehabilitation and watched from the sidelines during spring practice. The surgical hardware remains in his ankle as Jackson indicated those devices do not offer a hindrance of his play on the football field.
“He’s leading our offense and is a shining star on our team,” said White, fifth-year head coach of Bob Jones that is the highest scoring team among Class 7A schools and sixth overall in Alabama. “He works hard, especially on his own as I would call him a gym-rat as he’s always working out to better himself. He knows the sport as I’m sure he gets a lot of that knowledge from his father and an older brother who played here, too. His hard work is showing now that he’s working on his craft.”
In three games so far this season where Bob Jones is 2-1, including a 34-31 gut-wrenching last minute loss to crosstown rival James Clemens in the 13th annual Madison Bowl, Jackson is 56/83 for 859 yards nine touchdowns and one lone interception passing while he has 16 carries for 89 yards and three scores on the ground. In the season opener against Cullman, Jackson was responsible for 456 total yards and six TDs. In the season’s second game he only played 22 snaps giving way to some backup players. In the battle versus the Jets, Jackson was 27 of 42, 324 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Success and loads of confidence have not always been his surroundings as Jackson spoke of what type of atmosphere in many areas of his life he went through. He said, “A lot of people doubted me. Some were very negative of my efforts and talent. Some said I couldn’t throw the ball well enough and couldn’t run fast enough. Those experiences are what drives me every game. I want to prove them wrong. I want to show them I can throw and run and lead a team as starting quarterback.”
Jackson wears No. 3 for the Patriots, a number he chose because his father wore that number in high school and college and his older brother, Cedric Jr., wore the same number while playing in middle school. “I wore that number all through my youth years, so it’s become a family tradition,” added Jackson.
Cedric Jr. gained a scholarship to play at Kentucky Wesleyan where he currently plays on the offensive line. He graduated from Bob Jones 2022, and Jackson said he looks up to his brother as an inspiration and learns from his experiences.
Born Johnston Ja’Meere Jackson and wearing No. 3 it’s a natural where he could be nicknamed “J-3.” He has made a name for himself on the program he definitely missed last season and was glad to make his way back, as there’s no place like home, in Madison, at Bob Jones High.
