The Nebraska football team has another addition to a growing list of former Huskers joining the coaching ranks. Fomer stud running back Brandon Jackson had himself quite the career after leaving the college ranks despite some who believed he didn’t have a talent level worthy of the NFL. Now, years after his playing days came to an end Jackson has joined the Green Bay Packers staff as a coaching intern.
The addition of the former Nebraska football star comes at an opportune time, because the team is looking to take a group of running backs that are far from top of the NFL and turn them into lean mean, fighting machines.
Jackson might be uniquely qualified to do that considering he managed to take his talents and turn himself into a kind of utility back that was a useful weapon for the Green Bay Packers during his career.
A new coaching intern
ESPN is reporting Jackson signed on as a coaching intern for the Green Bay Packers late last week. There is a small but loyal group of fans who likely remember the running back for being able to fill in when the franchise needed a runner. His best season was also his last for the Pack. In 2010 he ran for 703 yards and three touchdowns while also catching 43 passes for 342 yards and another TD.
In total the former Nebraska football star played just five years but he managed to amass 1,383 yards and seven touchdowns while catching 112 passes for 864 yards and two touchdowns.
His ability to catch the ball didn’t really present itself until his final year in the college ranks but once he was given the chance he certainly showed the NFL he could be leaned on as more than someone who could run between the tackles.
Peddling his wares
In 2006, his final year with the Nebraska football team Jackson ran for 989 yards on 188 carries (averaging 5.3 yards per carry) while also catching 33 passes for 313 yards.
He managed to parlay his ability to make some noise when he was showing off his wares to the NFL. After suffering an injury that kept him out of the 2011 season entirely, the Cleveland Browns gave him a shot, but he was only able to appear in two games and carry the ball eight times before his career came to an end.
Now the former Nebraska football star will be leaned on to teach the young players on the Green Bay Packers the kind of skills that made him so valuable.
This is more than catching passes, and running in space. Jackson was very good at pass blocking, a trait that helped him as a member of the Nebraska football team as well. Passing those traits on could make his new team a real juggernaut.
