GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 5 43
Before he came to Purdue, Derrick Jackson developed a
said for Antoine Miles, whose rise in the
spring was a bit of a shock considering he liter-
ally didn't play a snap last season. But that was
a different scheme, too, and Holt's "Leo" hybrid
position likely is better-suited for Miles' skill set
as a stand-up end who can use his athleticism to
rush the passer or drop into coverage. It was a
bit of a resurgent spring, then, for Miles, who's
eager to make his last season count.
Before he came to Purdue, Derrick Jackson developed a reputation
as a coach who would stress fundamentals first, regardless of a player's skill
level, to make sure there was a solid foundation. Then, his extensive knowl-
edge playing in the secondary and coaching it allowed players to build off that base, expanding
into nuance and small details to help players elevate their games. That attention to detail was
evident on Day 1 of spring ball, as Jackson was meticulous in his breakdown with the corner-
backs, harping on specific techniques in a variety of defenses against various route combina-
tions, to footwork, to leverage, to eye discipline. That explicit direction continued throughout the
spring. Jackson's personality seems to be perfectly aligned to developing players, too, because
he's almost always calm and speaks clearly when he's teaching. When players made mistakes in
individuals, they typically were allowed to repeat the rep until they executed it correctly — with
Jackson telling them, again, what the intention was. Jackson established a baseline of knowledge
and expected players to grasp it. When they didn't during team periods — messing up things they
literally had just worked on earlier in practice — usually only then would Jackson raise his voice.
But almost always, he quickly would follow that eruption by pulling the player aside and detailing
the mistake, making the correction and moving forward. Just as a good teacher does.
— Stacy Clardie
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