Leo Jackson understands the doubts, but CU senior says let the defense prove itself.
BOULDER» Leo Jackson understands why there are questions.
Last year, their defense was a big reason the Colorado Buffaloes made an unexpected run to the Pac-12’s South Division title. The bulk of those starters are gone, though. So is the defensive coordinator.
Jackson, now a senior defensive end, can appreciate the reasons there may be doubts about the CU defense in 2017. He just has one request before any rush to judgment.
“My response would be to just sit back and watch the show,” Jackson said. “There’s no need for me to throw out any statistics. Just come to the games or turn on your TV. Just watch the show. You’ve got to leave a legacy. That’s the biggest standard.
“We’re a totally different D-line from what we were last year, so we have to come with a different dynamic. We have to find our own groove. We’ve got to leave our own legacy. We’ve got to find ourselves and we have to get after it.”
One of the most experienced players on a unit that will have an almost entirely new look in 2017, Jackson is hopeful the ups and downs he weathered during his first two seasons with the Buffs lead to an insightful approach as a senior leader this year.
Jackson came to Boulder in 2015 from junior college football — Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, Calif. He made an immediate impact at CU, playing in 12 games (10 starts) after adding 25 pounds to his 6-foot-3 frame. Jackson’s 586 snaps were the secondmost played by a CU interior lineman, and he finished with 33 tackles and two sacks.
Last year, though, Jackson was forced to accept a downsized role as Jordan Carrell and Samson Kafovalu took over the starting jobs at defensive end. Jackson certainly contributed to CU’s run to the Pac-12 championship game — he played in all 14 games and was a starter against USC — but he still saw his overall playing time cut by more than half (254 snaps).
If there was any personal disap- pointment, it was dulled by the Buffs’ first 10-win season in 15 years and a berth in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. Although he already had been a regular starter for the Buffs, the experience opened Jackson’s eyes about what it takes to consistently perform at a high level.
“I have to come with the same attitude every day,” Jackson said. “I was a bit wishy-washy with my energy and my focus in different things. In order to be the starter and be that guy, you have to have the same energy, the same focus, every day. That’s one thing it took for me to realize.”
CU defensive line coach Jim Jeffcoat has never noted any ebb and flow to Jackson’s practice habits — “Regardless if he’s a starter or a role player, he practiced the same way. He got better each day,” Jeffcoat said — and Jackson will be relied upon heavily to help replace the 20 sacks left behind by graduated front-line defenders Carrell, Kafovalu, Jimmie Gilbert and Josh Tupou.
“He’s gained about 8 pounds,” Jeffcoat said of Jackson. “He’s always been a great athlete. He understands the defense. And he’s really helping me teach the defense to the younger guys. That’s what I appreciate about him. The things he’s done to this point, he’s done really well and he’s going to help us a lot this year.”