In 16 stops with varying degrees of success, and not, in a coaching career that spans 35 seasons, Hue Jackson has seen both extremes of the scale. Cleveland Browns? We needn’t say more.
Earlier this week, Grambling’s new football coach didn’t seem too alarmed about last week’s miserable debut in the isolated outpost of Jonesboro, Ark., where the Arkansas State Red Wolves toyed with his Tigers. It was 58-3, and not that close. The G-Men notched just four first downs. Only 102 yards.
But Jackson, who has spent his entire career coaching offense, said he saw some promise. He was resolute, not despondent.
“We got our butts kicked up over our shoulders a week ago, let’s be honest. We knew we had a lot of work to do,” he said.
Saturday night at Independence Stadium, the Tigers did more than validate his faith in them.
They stopped Grambling fans from grumbling.
The 47-21 conquest of a once-proud Northwestern State program was a statement win for the Tigers.
Jackson wasn’t about to stake that claim, not two games into his stay in Lincoln Parish, and certainly not looking down the schedule. Next Saturday, Grambling faces the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s reigning champs in a non-conference game ($$$$$$$), visiting the hottest ticket in HBCU ranks, Neon Deion Sanders, best known now as Coach Prime, and his Jackson State Tigers.
It was no small surprise on both sides of the I-Bowl that the Tigers walked off winners in the Shreveport Classic. It was a very big shock that they did it in overwhelming fashion.
Especially in the wake of stumbling out of the blocks. NSU opened with an impressively easy eight-play, 86-yard scoring drive, something they didn’t muster a week earlier at Montana. Those Griz are really good, No. 2 in the FCS Top 25, a team that scored a 2021 win over a traditionally strong Power 5 program, the Washington Huskies. This year’s Montana team is thought to be even stronger, and despite the 47-0 final a week ago, it was not the total system failure that Saturday night was for the Demons.
It hardly looked that way early.
Just when Grambling was about to trail 14-0 at the end of NSU’s second possession, the Demons gaffed. On first-and-goal at the 4, Kansas transfer Miles Fallin delivered a gift interception, and the Tigers roared to life.
In the next 17 minutes, that struggling offense rang up 34 points. That ailing defense pitched a shutout, allowing only 51 yards in four series.
Delivering a flurry like the kind Smokin’ Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson trademarked, Grambling scored an in-facto knockout. There wasn’t a plan for a 34-point halftime lead.
So the Tigers scuffled around afterwards, but never opened the door for an NSU rally. Jackson played it close to the vest, with his offense already having delivered enough lightning bolts.
On both sides of the ball, from that end-zone interception on, it was Grambling frequently physically dominating all over.
Afterward, it was Jackson denying the magnitude of the night, repeatedly citing areas for improvement.
“I’m happy we won. I thought our guys took a step from last week, but I’m still disappointed in a lot. Our players, our coaches, we have work to do,” he began in his postgame media session.
A step? Looked like a quantum leap to everyone else.
“That was called a step, because I expect more,” he said. “We’ve got to keep growing, we’ve got to keep learning.
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m not happy about this. I’m ecstatic about it, but my mind goes to next week. That’s just the way coaches are. I know where we need to get to, and where we need to get to, fast.”
They may not be ready for prime time, because it’s hard to factor in how poorly the Demons played. But are the Tigers ready for Coach Prime?
“Can we get better for next week? That’s what matters,” said Jackson.
He’s right, but suddenly the Tigers have earned some swagger. So it was, despite all his downplaying, a statement win.
The glow may not be sustained next weekend, or restored any time soon, but it was shimmering Saturday night.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com