Jackson’s career takes off after he patiently stays put
Rice quarterback Driphus Jackson could have left the program.
Jackson gives Rice senior leadership. But without years of perseverance, he could have ended up like countless other players who transfer or never nail down a starting spot.
He could have left after he redshirted as a freshman in 2011 since Taylor McHargue was the Owls’ established starter. Even after helping the Owls storm back to a win in the 2012 Armed Forces Bowl, he still had to wait as McHargue took almost all of the snaps in 2013.
Jackson could have left, but he didn’t, because that isn’t the Jackson family way, and it isn’t the Rice football way.
The fifth-year senior worked on his craft, put forth the effort, and studied the playbook. Now he is the undisputed starter and leader for the Owls heading into the 2015 season.
“I don’t fault anyone for leaving if they need to, but sometimes it’s a matter of patience,” he said.
Jackson was willing to see everything through. He watched Nick Florence do something similar at Baylor — sit behind Robert Griffin III. And when there were
questions about how Baylor would fare without Griffin, Florence shined, and the Bears didn’t skip a beat.
While Jackson had some frustrations with football, he found the silver lining, knowing he wouldn’t get a better classroom experience elsewhere.
“Never did it cross my mind of leaving this school and passing up on the education you get from Rice,” he said.
Football fell into place for Jackson during his junior season in 2014, when he threw for 2,842 yards (the fourth-best total in school history) and 24 touchdowns (third best.) He finished by being named MVP in a 30-6 win over Fresno State in the Hawaii Bowl.
Rice coach David Bailiff said Jackson never complained while waiting his turn.
“I think that’s one of the reasons he’s such a team leader,” Bailiff said. “He waited his turn and wanted to play. We all knew he was good, but that’s just the kind of character he had. He just made the best of it.”
Quarterbacks coach Larry Edmondson, who has spent the most time with Jackson, isn’t surprised he stayed. Edmondson has found in his time with Jackson that he is not the type to quit.
“That’s just not Driphus’ makeup,” Edmondson said. “From the beginning it was like, ‘Coach, when it’s ready, I’ll do it, and you’ll wish you had put me in there earlier.’ He’s competitive. Very competitive. But he’s realistic.”
Desire to improve
Each week last season, after Jackson finished watching game tape, he’d walk into Edmondson’s office and write on a whiteboard the things he needed to work on. Then throughout the week, he’d cross each item off.
Jackson trusted and listened to his coaches. Their loyalty in helping him succeed is one of the reasons he stuck around.
“I never had a legitimate reason to leave,” he said. “If it wasn’t for them, it would be hard to be around and wake up every day and get out there. As much as I love the game, I enjoy coming even more because I have these coaches to come to.”
Jackson and his coaches were all on the same page — they all wanted to make each other better.
Highly competitive
Bailiff took notice. He watched Jackson’s competitiveness and hard work set a standard among the players.
“Driphus doesn’t change,” Bailiff said. “He expects everybody around him to know what they’re doing, and they rise to another level because of his leadership.”
In Monday’s early morning practice, that expectation was noticeable. Jackson didn’t look as comfortable as he had his first three days under center. He completed a pass to James Mayden and slammed his hands to the ground in frustration.
“I’m coming down now,” he said after practice. “I was hot earlier. I’m competitive. I’m extremely competitive.”
Jackson was upset with himself on that particular play because he felt like he wasn’t throwing well, but he also held his teammates to the same high standard.
“It’s not like I’m trying to be a prima donna,” he said. “I want this really bad. I want to win really bad, and I want to go out with a bang really bad, so that’s why I have that kind of fire behind everything that I do.”
That fire often makes him the bad guy, the mean guy, or, in his words, the villain. He’s OK with that, too.
“I don’t have a problem with being the most hated guy on the team,” he said, “as long as we’re winning games.”