JCSU quarterback has thin résumé, big opportunity

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

After two years of sitting behind older quarterbacks at Central Connecticut State, Josh Jackson is embracing the opportunity to earn the starting role at Johnson C. Smith. “It ain’t pressure, because I understand my abilities,” he said. “It’s just keep showing up, working hard every day with a great attitude, and the results, they figure it out for itself.”

Josh Jackson has his opportunity to shine.

The Johnson C. Smith quarterback is in position to live up to the expectations that made him Tennessee’s Mr. Football in 2022. After two years of sitting at Division I FCS Central Connecticut State, Jackson’s making a fresh start with the Golden Bulls, who won last year’s CIAA title and advanced to the Division II playoffs for the first time.

“It ain’t pressure, because I understand my abilities,” Jackson said. “It’s just keep showing up, working hard every day with a great attitude, and the results, they figure it out for itself.” 

Jackson isn’t the first transfer quarterback coach Maurice Flowers has brought to Smith but is the least experienced. Two-year starter Tyrell Jackson played for Flowers at Fort Valley State. Kelvin Durham, last year’s starter, made the same lateral move from FVSU. Darius Ocean, who quarterbacked the Golden Bulls to an 8-2 record in 2024, played meaningful snaps at Western Kentucky, a Division I FBS program.

“There’s a mix between Tyrell Jackson and Kelvin Durham” in Jackson as a dual threat, Flowers said. “I’d say Tyrell Jackson as far as the cerebralness and being a quarterback that just understands an offense. And then the way he throws that football, arm strength of a Kelvin Durham. Kelvin Durham, he could make every throw, and Josh has arm strength like that. We’ve got a great plan for him to bring him along.” 

Jackson has a pair of kindred spirits in former quarterbacks Flowers and Tyrell Jackson as well as the entire coaching staff, which he praises for its connectivity with players.

“Just being a part of a program where not only is it quarterback friendly, but it’s coach friendly, coach-to-player friendly as well … that’s new to me,” Jackson said. “I (have) never been at a program where you can walk into the office and have close communication with the coaches. You can reach out to the coach and call. I came from an FCS school [where] everything was all business. Not saying it isn’t all business here, because it is, but at the same time, at the end of the day, I just like the family camaraderie, the brotherhood.”

The opportunity to earn the starting position was a draw as well. At Central Connecticut State, Jackson, who is 6-5, 215 pounds, bided his time behind older teammates. At Smith, there’s possibilities to impact an ascendent program. 

“I would be lying to you if I said that wasn’t a big X factor, because who wants to go to fall camp, or who wants to wake up early in the morning and work out every day to not play?” he said. “After a great season by the Golden Bulls, the opportunity to play and compete for a starting job was definitely a huge thing coming in as one of the oldest guys in the room. 

“As long as I've been in college, I’ve always been the youngest guy in the room, so that was definitely appealing to me.”

Flowers praised Jackson’s attitude and attention to details as part of his mental approach to offense.

“He’s a worker,” Flowers said. “He’ll look at … film, and he’ll come back and he won’t make the same mistakes next practice. That’s what we've seen from him.” 

Jackson won’t have to carry the offense as much as steer it. Every starting lineman from 2025 returns as well as tailback Bobby Smith and receivers Brian Lane, Reggie Daniel and Reggie Brigman. The veterans know the system, which produced a school record average of 40.3 points per game in 2025. It’s Jackson’s job to fit in.

“It helps with the quarterback and his confidence having all five offensive linemen coming back, having experienced tight ends coming back,” Flowers said. “It helps having a group of receivers that come back that really is not a new group. And then you got to look at the tailback position.”

Said Jackson: “It gives me a high hope, but it makes me work harder, because I got a lot to learn,” he said. “Being a new guy coming into a new offense, into a new system isn’t just bread and butter. You’ve got to put in day work. I’ve got to sit up at night and watch film with these guys. These guys that been here, that have been vets. I’ve got to come in early and showcase myself, because at the end of the day, I’ve got to earn a respect from these guys.”

Comments