P.K. Yonge football gets its guy, hires Blue Wave alum Willie Jackson Jr. as head coach

Come the fall, there will be a new, but familiar face pacing the sidelines of P.K. Yonge football games.

After parting ways with second-year head coach Kevin Doelling on February 28, the Blue Wave football program formally introduced Willie Jackson Jr. as the program's next head football coach on Monday afternoon.

"One of the reasons we went in Coach Jackson's direction is he is a winner on and off the field," P.K. Yonge athletics director Brian Marchman said. "He's a competitor at the highest level and he's going to challenge you. He's going to set a very high standard."

Jackson touts remarkable playing career

Jackson, 51, comes with many ties to the P.K. Yonge and Gainesville communities as he was born and raised in Gainesville before going on to play football for the Blue Wave during his high school years. Jackson was a standout quarterback, running back and defensive back, while also collecting all-state honors as a senior.

"It means a lot," Jackson said. "I'm very familiar here. Just about everyone in my family has gone to P.K. Yonge. It's great to be able to come back in turn and build a legacy."

Jackson went on to play football for the Florida Gators, following in his father's footsteps. Jackson's father, Willie Jackson Sr., is recognized as being one of the first two Black scholarship football players at UF, signing his paperwork alongside Leonard George in 1968.

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The younger Jackson played wide receiver under Florida coach Steve Spurrier from 1990-93 and was the Gators No. 1 receiver in 1992 when he tallied 62 receptions for 772 yards − two marks that led the SEC that season.

After leaving UF, where he also walked on to the men's basketball team during the 1989-90 season, Jackson was selected in the fourth round of the 1994 NFL Draft, landing with the Dallas Cowboys at pick No. 109.

However, Jackson's stint with America's Team would be short-lived. He asked the organization to allow him to be available for the 1995 NFL Expansion Draft, so he did not to have to play in the shadows of Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin.

Jackson was picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars and led the team in receiving during their inaugural season. Jackson went on to also play for the the Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins before calling it a career in 2004.

Since retiring from playing, Jackson has made coaching stops at various levels − including at P.K. Yonge and Eastside. Last fall, Jackson returned to Eastside to serve as the Rams' offensive coordinator.

Jackson will also serve as coach in the classroom

In December, P.K. Yonge announced the launch of "P.K. Pathways", a new, rigorous academic program that's required of all students.

"He will bring the standards both to the football program and to the classroom," Marchman said of Jackson. "You've heard we're going to pick it up a notch or two in the fall. ... I've checked with Coach Jackson and he's in full support in supporting us in that."

Jackson told those in attendance of Monday's introduction that his time at P.K. Yonge primed him to excel in the classroom at the University of Florida, where he boasted a 3.79 GPA in his first three semesters.

Aiding the pursuit of the Blue Wave football program's academic success, Jackson will also hold an on-campus position at P.K. Yonge, requiring him to be heavily involved in his players' academic journeys.

"That's the first thing you have to take care of if you want to go to the next level," Jackson said. "Whatever it is you want to do, I want you to be able to do it. And I'll help you with everything I have. If you want to play college football, we'll help you play college football. If you want to be a doctor, we'll put you on track to be a doctor. Everything you need is right here."

A promise to bring P.K. Yonge back to the top

"I think I know football pretty well," Jackson told his audience, mainly made up of football players. "We have a lot of work to do."

The Blue Wave football program went 4-8 last year, including a preseason loss to Eastside, where Jackson stood on the sideline helping the Rams put 48 points on the scoreboard.

With first-year head coach Gator Hoskins at the helm, the Eastside football program blossomed in 2022, posting an 8-3 record and putting up more points than it had since the 2019 season − the same year former Gators quarterback and current Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson was a senior.

"If you know me, it will be explosive," said Jackson when asked what he hopes the Blue Wave identity will be. "We can expect that."

But before he and the P.K. Yonge football program can craft an identity, Jackson's focus is getting current players to buy into what he believes the Blue Wave are capable of accomplishing.

High school football is much different than what it was when Jackson wore a P.K. Yonge jersey.

"In high school, the portal is almost as crazy as the college football portal," Jackson said. "You don't know at what point you'll have these kids and those kids. So those are challenges that you prepare to deal with. And you can't deal with them until they arise. But as far as being competitive, I think we can be competitive."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Willie Jackson Jr. set to return to P.K. Yonge as head football coach