Jackson grateful for action with Bills
Versatile RB earns role with Buffalo
PITTSFORD — Want the football illustration of persistence? Look no further than the Buffalo Bills’ backfield.
There you will find Fred Jackson, who has gone from afterthought to a valued backup running back.
He was undrafted coming out of college and unwanted after a year in an indoor pro football league. After one failed attempt to make the Bills’ 53-man roster, Jackson was given little chance to climb a depth chart with first-round draft pick Marshawn Lynch, mid-round draftee Dwayne Wright and incumbent veteran Anthony Thomas in front of him.
But all Jackson wanted was a chance. When he got it, he knew what to do with it.
An injury to Thomas opened the door for Jackson to become one of the biggest revelations of the Bills’ 2007 season. He rushed for 300 yards, including 115 in one game, and his 5.17 yards-per-carry average was the ninth-best single-season total in franchise history.
A long shot no more, Jackson entered training camp this summer with a roster spot secured and a more prominent role on offense.
“It’s a lot of fun knowing that I could just come out and play football and not worry about all the things behind the scenes,” Jackson said after a brief Thursday morning walkthrough at St. John Fisher College. “I’m enthused about the upcoming opportunity and I’m going to try and take advantage of it.”
While Jackson was a surprise to most observers, he did exactly what running backs coach Eric Studesville expected. Studesville has watched Jackson closely the last two years and admired his talent.
All he needed was a chance.
“And he took it and ran with it,” Studesville said. “He’s improved by leaps and bounds since he came to us. He’s gotten more confident. We tried to put him in positions where he can showcase what he does well, and we found out he can do a lot of things. He’s just a talented football player who’s smart, tough and loves the game.”
Jackson’s versatility is something the Bills plan to take more advantage of this season. He’s an excellent, slashing- style runner with good vision and balance. He also is a good receiver (22 catches in 2007), a role that will be enhanced as new offensive coordinator Turk Schonert plans to insert the running backs into the passing game more.
There have been a number of plays in training camp that had Jackson lined up as a wide receiver. And he looks comfortable out there as evidenced by his smooth route running and reliable hands.
Studesville said Jackson’s all-purpose ability makes him the ideal complement to Lynch.
“Fred gives us some flexibility because you don’t have to change the offense,” said Studesville, who also serves as the running game coordinator. “He and Marshawn are more similar than they are different. So when you put in a game plan and if Marshawn needs to come out for a play or two [Jackson] goes right in and you don’t miss a beat. They both fit the offense perfectly. With them we can do a lot of different things.”
Jackson is in a happy place right now. And why not? After all, he’s been trying to get there for a long time.
Despite a stellar career at Division III Coe College, where he ran for 1,702 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior in 2002, there were no calls from NFL teams. So he decided to put his sociology degree to work and got a job counseling mentally disabled kids.
Working 9 to 5 was cool, but football was his desired vocation. In 2005, he finally got a chance to play pro ball with the Sioux City (Iowa) Bandits of the United Indoor Football League. His one year in that Midwestern league was a huge success — a UIFLrecord 1,770 yards and 53 touchdowns — but it wasn’t enough to draw interest from the NFL.
Then Jackson’s big break came when former Bills General Manager and fellow Coe graduate Marv Levy brought him to Buffalo for a tryout. Jackson was signed and allocated to NFL Europa, where he led the Rhein Fire in rushing with 731 yards in 2006.
“I’m thankful that [Levy] saw something in me,” Jackson said. “Playing in NFL Europa was a start. It got me in the door.”
Jackson spent the 2006 campaign on the Bills’ practice squad. Heading into training camp last summer, he needed to impress early and often to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
Several strong preseason and training camp performances later, Jackson’s dream of being in the NFL had come true.
He proved he had what it took to make it to the NFL. His focus now is on proving he has what it takes to stay.
“It’s just about waiting patiently, hoping you get that opportunity, and once it comes, you take advantage of it,” Jackson said. “I feel like I was able to make some plays last year and kind of set myself up for this season. I’m excited about it and look forward to seeing what we can do this year.”
