Noah.Dreams
09-15-2006, 09:09 AM
BIG RETURNS
Friday, September 15, 2006 By NEAL McCREADY Mobile Register Sports Reporter
Let a pitcher hit a home run and he'll never talk about his curveball again.
Let a defensive back return some punts and you'll have a difficult time getting him to talk about the nuances of cover two.
Take LSU's Chevis Jackson, for example. The star cornerback from St. Paul's in Mobile is one of the SEC's better cover cornerbacks, but this season he's also returning punts for the Tigers.
Guess which of his two jobs he'd rather talk about.
"With Skyler (Green) leaving for the NFL, we had a tryout and they just put me back," Jackson said. "The last time I did it was high school. I hadn't done it in two years basically. I had caught some punts every day after practice just to knock off some rust but I think I'm starting to get back in the swing of things.
"I joked about it last year when Skyler was here. I told them they needed to put me back there, but I was just joking around. This year at camp, they put me back there and I've been back there ever since."
Jackson will be back there again Saturday afternoon when No. 6 LSU (2-0) meets No. 3 Auburn (2-0) at 2:30 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium in a game that is being billed by many as the SEC Western Division title game.
"I think it's different when it's a (defensive back) back there," Jackson said. "It's usually a wide receiver back there and they're always catching the ball. I think it's special when a (defensive back) can get back there and do it."
So far this season, Jackson has returned five punts for an average of 8.8 yards per return with a long return of 14 yards.
The 6-foot, 189-pound junior may love to talk about returning punts, but he earns his keep at LSU covering opposing wide receivers. After playing in a reserve role as a freshman, Jackson started 12 games last season, recording 47 tackles, three pass break-ups and an interception. So far this year, in blowout wins over Louisiana-Lafayette and Arizona, Jackson has totaled five tackles and has shut down those teams' top receivers. Along with cornerback Jonathan Zenon, strong safety Jessie Daniels and free safety LaRon Landry, Jackson is part of one of the nation's top secondaries.
"I don't know what everybody else is saying but I just know we come to practice and practice hard and try to do everything the coaches say," Jackson said. "We run to the ball and we stress turnovers and takeaways. We just fly around and whatever happens on the field carries over from practice. We've just been at the right place at the right time."
Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges knows it won't be easy to solve LSU's pass coverage.
"They have good schemes and good players," Borges said. "There's nothing tougher to deal with than that."
Jackson's toughest test comes Saturday, when he's expected to be matched up against talented Auburn wide receiver Courtney Taylor.
"It's going to be a fistfight," Taylor said. "The last two years it's been close. We're getting ready for a dogfight. We know we're going to get their best shot and they're going to get our best shot. They've got experience. They've got some new guys there. But the guys I watch, they're quick as a cat. I always say our (defensive backs), to me, are the best in the league."
Taylor went on to say that he believes Auburn's starting cornerbacks, David Irons and Jonathan Wilhite, are the two best in the SEC. Jackson is used to the lack of respect from the in-state programs.
Alabama thought Jackson's future was on offense and the Tide coaches weren't sure it was a bright one. Auburn apparently mis-evaluated Jackson, as well. Former LSU coach Nick Saban, however, had the foresight to see that Jackson could be a physical corner with great closing speed. Three years later, Jackson is glad it worked out that way.
"I'm happy to be where I am at LSU," said Jackson, who admitted he takes special pride in beating the home-state schools. "I think that's with anybody from their hometown. Everybody wants to beat whoever's from their hometown, so, yeah, for Auburn and Alabama, I get pumped up during that week."
This week, however, beating the boys from back home is, well, secondary. Saturday's game has all sorts of championship ramifications and at LSU, it's all about the titles. To win another one, Jackson said, LSU knows the road goes through Auburn.
"The last couple of years it's just been a battle -- an all-out, four-quarter football game," Jackson said. "It's been physical, hard-nosed, basically whoever wins goes to the SEC Championship Game."
Friday, September 15, 2006 By NEAL McCREADY Mobile Register Sports Reporter
Let a pitcher hit a home run and he'll never talk about his curveball again.
Let a defensive back return some punts and you'll have a difficult time getting him to talk about the nuances of cover two.
Take LSU's Chevis Jackson, for example. The star cornerback from St. Paul's in Mobile is one of the SEC's better cover cornerbacks, but this season he's also returning punts for the Tigers.
Guess which of his two jobs he'd rather talk about.
"With Skyler (Green) leaving for the NFL, we had a tryout and they just put me back," Jackson said. "The last time I did it was high school. I hadn't done it in two years basically. I had caught some punts every day after practice just to knock off some rust but I think I'm starting to get back in the swing of things.
"I joked about it last year when Skyler was here. I told them they needed to put me back there, but I was just joking around. This year at camp, they put me back there and I've been back there ever since."
Jackson will be back there again Saturday afternoon when No. 6 LSU (2-0) meets No. 3 Auburn (2-0) at 2:30 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium in a game that is being billed by many as the SEC Western Division title game.
"I think it's different when it's a (defensive back) back there," Jackson said. "It's usually a wide receiver back there and they're always catching the ball. I think it's special when a (defensive back) can get back there and do it."
So far this season, Jackson has returned five punts for an average of 8.8 yards per return with a long return of 14 yards.
The 6-foot, 189-pound junior may love to talk about returning punts, but he earns his keep at LSU covering opposing wide receivers. After playing in a reserve role as a freshman, Jackson started 12 games last season, recording 47 tackles, three pass break-ups and an interception. So far this year, in blowout wins over Louisiana-Lafayette and Arizona, Jackson has totaled five tackles and has shut down those teams' top receivers. Along with cornerback Jonathan Zenon, strong safety Jessie Daniels and free safety LaRon Landry, Jackson is part of one of the nation's top secondaries.
"I don't know what everybody else is saying but I just know we come to practice and practice hard and try to do everything the coaches say," Jackson said. "We run to the ball and we stress turnovers and takeaways. We just fly around and whatever happens on the field carries over from practice. We've just been at the right place at the right time."
Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges knows it won't be easy to solve LSU's pass coverage.
"They have good schemes and good players," Borges said. "There's nothing tougher to deal with than that."
Jackson's toughest test comes Saturday, when he's expected to be matched up against talented Auburn wide receiver Courtney Taylor.
"It's going to be a fistfight," Taylor said. "The last two years it's been close. We're getting ready for a dogfight. We know we're going to get their best shot and they're going to get our best shot. They've got experience. They've got some new guys there. But the guys I watch, they're quick as a cat. I always say our (defensive backs), to me, are the best in the league."
Taylor went on to say that he believes Auburn's starting cornerbacks, David Irons and Jonathan Wilhite, are the two best in the SEC. Jackson is used to the lack of respect from the in-state programs.
Alabama thought Jackson's future was on offense and the Tide coaches weren't sure it was a bright one. Auburn apparently mis-evaluated Jackson, as well. Former LSU coach Nick Saban, however, had the foresight to see that Jackson could be a physical corner with great closing speed. Three years later, Jackson is glad it worked out that way.
"I'm happy to be where I am at LSU," said Jackson, who admitted he takes special pride in beating the home-state schools. "I think that's with anybody from their hometown. Everybody wants to beat whoever's from their hometown, so, yeah, for Auburn and Alabama, I get pumped up during that week."
This week, however, beating the boys from back home is, well, secondary. Saturday's game has all sorts of championship ramifications and at LSU, it's all about the titles. To win another one, Jackson said, LSU knows the road goes through Auburn.
"The last couple of years it's just been a battle -- an all-out, four-quarter football game," Jackson said. "It's been physical, hard-nosed, basically whoever wins goes to the SEC Championship Game."