Football December 11, 2007 ISU Athletics

Shannon Jackson Named Indiana State Defensive Coordinator

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. ? New Indiana State head football coach Trent Miles announced the hiring this afternoon (Dec. 11) of Shannon Jackson as defensive coordinator on his first staff.
    Jackson is coming home to rejoin the Indiana State football program. He spent the 1995-99 seasons as a defensive lineman for the Sycamores and went on to work the next five seasons as an assistant coach, primarily with the Sycamore defensive line.
    “I am very pleased to announce the hiring of Shannon Jackson as our defensive coordinator,” Miles said. “It is tremendous to be able to bring a Sycamore back home. Shannon is an excellent coach and has been very successful in his career. He comes back to Indiana State with a wealth of football knowledge and great passion for the game of football.”
    Jackson previously served as the Eastern Illinois defensive line coach the past three seasons. In 2006, his defensive front line helped the Panthers rank first in the nation in turnovers forced while sophomore Pierre Walters ranked second in the OVC in sacks to earn second team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.
    The 2007 unit was also solid with Walters earning first team All-OVC honors as the EIU front four combined for 44.5 tackles for loss and 15 of the Panthers' 16 sacks.
    Prior to joining the Eastern Illinois staff, Jackson spent four seasons as a defensive assistant with the Sycamores (2001-04) plus one year as a graduate assistant (2000).
    “The Indiana State football program has always been a big part of my life,” Jackson said. “I started here in 1995 as a player and left in 2004 as a coach. It feels really great to come back to my alma mater as the defensive coordinator. Trent Miles is a great person as well as a great coach and I can't wait to get to work for him.”
    As a coach for the Sycamores, Jackson tutored Kyle Mitchell along the Sycamore defensive front, leading him to All-Gateway honors on three separate seasons. Mitchell finished his career with a school record 25.5 sacks, as Jackson coached the former Sycamore standout while Mitchell was en route to breaking the record that Jackson once held. Jackson finished his career with 24 sacks, the former record before Mitchell eclipsed him in 2005.
    During the 2001 campaign, Jackson's first as the full-time defensive line coach, he oversaw the development of All-America candidate Richard Harris, who ranked among the national tackle-for-loss leaders. Harris went on to sign a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League.
    Jackson initially joined the Sycamore football staff prior to the 2000 season, serving in the role of graduate assistant/tight ends coach.
    A preseason First Team All-America selection as a senior defensive lineman in 1999, Jackson was selected to two All-American postseason squads following that campaign. In addition, Jackson was named an All-American by the Don Hansen Football Gazette following the 1997 season.
    Jackson registered a career-high 89 tackles as a sophomore in 1997, including 48 solo stops. He was a two-time team captain for the Sycamores and took home first team All-Gateway Conference honors in 1997 and 1999, while also being named a second team All-Gateway honoree in 1998. In addition, Jackson was an Academic All-Gateway selection in 1997 and was a two-time member of the ISU Dean's List.
    He also spent the summer of 2003 as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars staff as part of the NFL's Minority Internship Program.             A native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Jackson earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana State in Criminology in 2000. He and his wife Sumalayo will reside in Terre Haute.

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