Why Malik Jackson decided to stay at Louisiana-Monroe after entering the transfer portal
After the conclusion of the 2021 football season, Malik Jackson entered the transfer portal. Twenty days later he announced his plans to remain with Louisiana-Monroe.
In conversations with his father, Jackson came to the conclusion to finish his last year of eligibility at the place where he started.
"I didn't want to leave the guys," Jackson said. "I feel like we built something last year, just really trying to get over that hump and I feel like this year is the year."
The 5-foot-9, 178-pound Jackson has been with the Warhawks since 2018 and still has two years of eligibility left. Late last season he unlocked success as a running back after spending the majority of his time as a slot receiver. The success Jackson discovered with offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez, who was hired as Jacksonville State coach after the season, was a factor in why he entered the transfer portal.
In 2021, Jackson ran for 473 yards on 80 carries and scored three touchdowns. As receiver he had just 40 yards on 10 receptions.
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Having Jackson as a slot receiver where he can run and receive the ball will be a great advantage for the Warhawks, coach Terry Bowden said.
"He's a fine talent, he's probably the biggest playmaker we've got," Bowden said. "I think from being in the slot position he's close enough to the backfield to hand it off to him and he's wide enough out so he can get out there where he can get open to catch a pass."
A tweak in the coaching staff and the return of familiar faces to the Warhawks aided in Jackson's return. New offensive coordinator Matt Kubik recruited him coming out of high school and the two were able to reconnect during the offseason.
Jackson has been working closely with new wide receivers coach John Carr as he makes the transition back to slot receiver. Carr knew Jackson as a freshman before being sidelined for the season after hurting his knee in preseason practice and redshirting.
"We always knew that he had a chance to be explosive," Carr said. "He's a gritty player and finds a way to make explosive plays whether it be get the ball in the backfield of whether its on the perimeter catching the football. We knew his explosion power was there and its our job to find ways, creative ways, to get him the ball and use his talents."
Carr said that the receiver group has gained depth this season with 15 fighting for playing time. With his knowledge of the Sun Belt Conference, having spent the past three seasons at Troy, Carr said ULM is deeper than schools across the conference.
"We've got a lot of guys pushing him, iron sharpens iron," Carr said. "Our guys are a very competitive group."
Emely Hernandez covers University of Louisiana-Monroe athletics and high school sports. Email her at ehernandez@thenewsstar.com and follow her on Twitter @emhernandeznews.
This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Why Malik Jackson stayed at ULM after entering the transfer portal
