Gators Legends Willie Jackson, Lawrence Wright Rebuilding P.K. Yonge Football
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Former Florida stars Willie Jackson Jr.'s and Lawrence Wright III's playing days may be long over, but their impacts on the football field persist.
Jackson's (1990-93) 162 career receptions rank No. 3 in school history, his 24 career receiving touchdowns are No. 6, and his 2,172 career receiving yards stand at No. 9. Wright (1993-96) remains the school's lone Jim Thorpe Award winner, and was a part of four straight SEC titles and the school's first national championship.
Now, 30 years since both were teammates in college, they're making an impact while wearing coach's polos.
It's year one for Jackson as the head coach of P.K. Yonge's varsity football program, the school where he once spent his Friday nights as a high school player in Gainesville. Wright is alongside him as an assistant coach.
A plethora of graduates, combined with outgoing transfers over the last two seasons, have left the Blue Wave with only 24 players this season. But they're beginning to see the fruits of their labor blossom halfway through the campaign.
"We don't have many kids, but we're working with them on teaching them warrior mentality, develop as men, character," Wright explained to All Gators on Friday.
Part of that development includes finding a balance in the highs and lows of a game, something the Blue Wave experienced first-hand on Friday night against Santa Fe.
The teams traded punches for four quarters, with the Raiders scoring a touchdown as the clock hit zero. However, a missed extra point sealed a 28-27 win for the Blue Wave. They are one win away from matching their win total from last season, four games.
"I preach to them, 'You're going to have highs. You're going to have lows. You just got to stay in the middle and try to persevere,' " Jackson said.
One of those highs was Wright's son, quarterback Lawrence Wright IV, who rushed for two touchdowns with a couple of big-time throws in the win.
"My dad always told me that when the game's coming down, I've got to make a play," the younger Wright said. "He preaches intensity, intensity, intensity. You've got to fight back pressure with more pressure. Pressure breaks pipes, pressure builds diamonds."
Off the field, the two coaches are working on building a family dynamic in the program, utilizing the rapport they built while teammates at both the collegiate and professional levels.
"It's our chemistry," Wright said. "I can cuss him out. He can cuss me out, and it's okay because we all want what's best for the kids. We're going to work hard together. It's about chemistry and family."
Their bond began 30 years ago, during Jackson's senior season and Wright's freshman year at Florida. That season, in the midst of what would become a 31-year streak of wins over Kentucky, saw the Gators nearly lose against the Wildcats in Lexington.
"We always have a hard time against Kentucky," Jackson said. "It's always been a nail-biter. Even in '91 when we clinched the SEC, it came down to the last play."
Fate would have it otherwise on Sept. 11, 1993.
The game, of course, would come to be known for Mick Hubert's famous "Doering's got a touchdown!" call as the Gators escaped with a 24-20 win on the road behind wide receiver Chris Doering's game-winning, 28-yard end zone grab with three seconds left.
Jackson, a teammate of Doering's at P.K. Yonge, wasn't surprised by his breakout performance that night.
"Chris was always, if you throw it to him, he's going to catch it," Jackson said. "He's given the opportunity, he's always come through. I remember once I threw him a ball, a running back pass. I just threw it up, and he caught it."
Jackson also had a clutch play in that game. After Danny Wuerffel hit Doering for a score earlier in the game, Jackson converted a two-point conversion to tie the game 17-17.
"I actually tore my MCL on that play," Jackson remembered.
Wright also had an impact play with an early interception to set up a Terry Dean rushing touchdown.
"I got yelled at all week to watch the pop pass with [former Kentucky quarterback] Pookie Jones," he recalled. "Pookie Jones came down and did the same thing, and I picked that thing off. Ron Zook was happy."
Meanwhile, the Gators squeaked by despite seven interceptions between Wuerffel and Dean, but those mistakes didn't matter in the long run.
"Anybody that wins with seven turnovers has to be a team of destiny," Wright said.
That team, of course, would become a team of destiny by winning the 1993 SEC Championship game, its first of four consecutive conference titles, and the Sugar Bowl. Lawrence's class would also play for two national championships, winning one.
Tthree decades since that fateful night, the 2023 Florida Gators face a different test on the road at Kentucky. UF aims to snap a two-game losing streak against the Wildcats, who are 4-0 to start the year.
The Gators are road underdogs, despite being ranked No. 22 in the most recent AP Top 25.
"It's going to be tough," Jackson said. "The best teams we've had, we've struggled against them. I hope we come out on top."
Florida has seen a tremendous jump in efficiency defensively, Wright noted, but recent offensive struggles have made the game seem close on paper.
"Defense looks like it's hunting, but the offense has got to score points," Wright added. "[Kentucky has] got to know they're playing against the real Florida Gators. Not a carbon copy."
Florida and Kentucky will kickoff from Kroger Field at noon on Saturday. Meanwhile, Jackson, Wright and the Blue Wave turn their attention to a matchup against West Nassau next week.
"We just got to be consistent and improve from week to week. Don't put ourselves in bad positions to have to come back," Jackson said. "As long as we improve week-to-week, we'll be okay."
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