Out of NFL, Jackson finds purpose at Grambling State
Hue Jackson no longer craves the madness.
After 20 years in the machine that is the NFL, the coach has found peace and a new sense of purpose away from the bright lights and high-stakes adrenaline rushes.
As the newly installed head coach at Grambling State, Jackson embraces the challenge of restoring the storied program to its former glory despite operating with limited resources and modest accommodations — common hurdles in the world of Historically Black College and University athletics.
It's the point of the NFL calendar – the ramping up of the head coaching hiring cycle – where Black coaches traditionally hope for advancement but also brace for the pain of rejection as teams often disregard their credentials, largely because of the color of their skin, while instead selecting lesser-qualified white counterparts.
A long-time position coach, well-respected offensive coordinator, and a two-time head coach in the NFL, Jackson could have waited to see if his phone would ring for an interview request or a high-ranking assistant position offer. He'd already received an inquiry from the XFL about a potential head-coaching position.
But Jackson, who last coached at the pro level in 2018 as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, felt a pull in a different direction. A return to the NFL is the furthest thing from his mind, he insists.
As he speaks of resurrecting a program coming off back-to-back losing seasons and no postseason appearances since 2017, there's a calm to Jackson. A rejuvenation.
He sounds like a man on a mission — but not to prove anything about his abilities as a coach or leader and not to plot a redemption course back to the NFL, where second and third chances are often hard to come by for coaches of color.
“I never thought of it that way,” Jackson said.
This mission, he explains, isn't about him.
“I think of it as taking young men and giving them a chance to showcase their
abilities while teaching them life lessons on how to go to class and how to do all of the things that it takes to be successful in life, and potentially, on the next level.
"I have no aspirations beyond that and trying to make Grambling one of the best football programs in the country.”
There's not the slightest hint of bitterness nor twinge of regret in the 56year-old's voice. There is, however, a
very clear and deep respect for the opportunity to contribute to the rich tradition that saw Grambling rule as one of the nation's top HBCU and Division IAA programs for the better part of six decades under legendary coach Eddie Robinson.
He knew of Grambling's rich history because of Robinson. But he didn't get his true introduction to this level of college ball until this year while serving as offensive coordinator on former NFL running back Eddie George's staff at Tennessee State.
Of all the experiences from the past seven months, Jackson says the team's road trips throughout the Ohio Valley Conference proved the most eye-opening.
A small school with a student enrollment of fewer than 8,000 students, Tennessee State — like most HBCUS — is strapped with a limited travel budget. For road games, the Tigers would cram onto buses the day before, ride a state or two away to the general area of their upcoming opponent and spend the night at a modest hotel. The next morning, the team would ride another hour or two to their actual destination, shake off the grogginess and stiffness and prepare to compete.
Throughout Tennessee State's 2021 season, when the team finished 5-6, Jackson couldn't help but wonder how much more effective his players could have performed had they been afforded better accommodations and less taxing travel requirements.
But just as striking to him was the level of commitment the players exhibited and the support offered by the student body.
“Being there, seeing the HBCU pride and the culture in these places,” Jackson explained, “and these players doing any and everything they could to go play football at the highest levels and compete gave me a thirst to understand the HBCU environment much more. And I said man, this could be great.”
The television audiences are scarce, and the paychecks even smaller. But in this world, Jackson feels resurrected and free to focus on aspects of his job that inspired him to get into coaching in the first place.
“One of the best things, I think, was the fact that these players wanted to be coached,” he said. “They were willing to give themselves to me to be coached so I could in turn, give myself to them and help them take their games to a high level and to show them how to win football games.
"That was refreshing because, as you know, sometimes in the National Football League, those guys are not worried about that. But these guys want to learn and are willing to do what you ask.”