Florida State Defensive Lineman Darrell Jackson Discusses His Excitement For Seminole Debut
Although he transferred to FSU in December of 2022, Darrell Jackson played his last collegiate snap in November of last year as a Miami Hurricane. Despite making a push for a waiver from the NCAA earlier in the season, allowing him to bypass the rule that two-time transfer athletes are ineligible to play for the first season after transferring, Jackson's waivers were denied, forcing him to sit on the sidelines for the entirety of the historic 13-0 run from the Seminoles.
With that being said, bowl season is finally here, and Jackson is now eligible to suit up in the garnet and gold as the Seminoles take on the Georgia Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl. Jackson was able to comment on his Seminole debut after Tuesday's practice and made his excitement very clear.
"I'm excited man, I'm excited, I mean it's been a long time but I'm ready," Jackson said. "I mean at the beginning it was kind of hard, but then I just kept going, waking up and getting through it. My teammates have been motivating me, my coaches too."
After spending his freshman season at Maryland and sophomore season at Miami, Jackson transferred to Florida State as he wanted to be closer to his mother who was battling an illness. Although sitting out for the season may have been the price he had to pay for his decision, he noted that the excitement has been building and it's all starting to feel real in many ways.
"Yeah it does," Jackson said. "My energy, like it's going. My adrenaline is up, so I'm just happy."
Jackson's presence on the team may have gone largely unnoticed to many fans, however, the defensive tackle has played a large role in practices and on the sidelines, as he has been working on making a statement in his first game. With the help of defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and defensive line coach Odell Haggins, Jackson added that the combination of the coaching staff and a full season of being pushed constantly in practice allowed him to drastically improve as a player.
"Technique. My technique got way better, I got to slow things down, and then got faster."
Although he has played for two other notable programs, the legacy Florida State has to offer is special. From the traditions to the player's past and present, FSU has no shortage of special moments throughout time. While Jackson is making his Seminole debut later this month, he acknowledged the fact that this is still a football game, and all his work this season has been building to this moment.
"I mean I might have chills but I've played football before, I ain't gonna be nervous."
Not even a full 24 hours after winning the 16th ACC title in program history, the undefeated Seminoles were left out of the college football playoffs, with the selection committee opting to put in the 12-1 Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide instead. The decision of the committee left many fans and players distraught, however, the season isn't over and the Seminoles are headed to Miami to play in the Orange Bowl.
While voicing his displeasure with the decision, Jackson more importantly made it clear that he and his teammates are simply moving on and focusing on beating the final opponent in 2023.
"We just had to come together, and we can't control that. We just had to put our foot forward and say 'We've got to focus on Georgia,'" Jackson said.
The Seminoles will face the Georgia Bulldogs on December 30th in Miami Gardens at Hard Rock Stadium. This marks the 12th Orange Bowl appearance for FSU, last winning the game in 2016 over Michigan.
READ MORE: Lane Kiffin, Head Coach Of SEC Team, Comments On FSU's Exclusion From CFP
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