Jarious Jackson eager to work with Roughriders QB, Darian Durant
Former CFL quarterback is Saskatchewan's new quarterbacks coach
Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant has never been shy sharing his opinions when it comes to having a quarterbacks coach.
The Grey Cup winner feels he plays his best football when there is a dedicated coach on the sidelines to work with quarterbacks.
In the 2016 CFL season, that man is Jarious Jackson.
'It's awesome as far as being a Roughrider and being here as a coach. I'm enjoying it all.- Jarious Jackson, Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterbacks coach.
"It's basically like any other position," Jackson explained at Rider training camp. "You're teaching them the ins and outs of the game. You're teaching them how to read the defence."
Rider fans will be familiar with Jackson from his days as a CFL quarterback. The native of Tupelo, Miss., spent eight seasons with the BC Lions and remembers receiving his share of heckling from the crowds at Mosaic Stadium.
He won a Grey Cup as a coach with Edmonton last year, and followed Chris Jones to Saskatchewan in the off-season.
"It's awesome as far as being a Roughrider and being here as a coach. I'm enjoying it all. We know we have the best fans in the league. [Saskatchewan] has always been a little mix of Green Bay and Dallas Cowboys to me."
Working with Durant
Jackson will be working with a group of quarterbacks led by Darian Durant. Elbow and Achilles injuries have kept Durant on the sidelines for the majority of the past two seasons.
But Durant said he is 100 per cent as training camp continues in Saskatoon, which puts a smile on Jackson's face.
"All I need to do is come in and push him to be the leader that he's already been and help him keep himself at that next level," Jackson said.
Who will be the backup?
One of the biggest decisions facing the coaching staff is determining who will serve as Durant's backup.
Brett Smith saw action in 13 games last year, but he will be pushed by newcomers B.J. Coleman and Jacob Huesman.
Jackson said one of his main responsibilities is making sure each quarterback is ready if they're pressed into action.
"We're getting all our guys reps. If you notice, we don't like anybody standing around on the sideline. When you're not in, you're getting the mental reps. You're following along when the other quarterbacks are in there."
Training camp continues today at the University of Saskatchewan's Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon starting at 9 a.m. CST.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
