Before Patrick Peterson, Morris Claiborne, Tyrann Mathieu and the modern era of DBU, LSU had Greg Jackson patrolling the secondary.

Jackson played for LSU from 1985 through 1988 and developed into one of the most dangerous safeties in college football. As a senior, he intercepted seven passes, returned them for an LSU record 219 yards, scored two touchdowns and earned first team All SEC and first team All America recognition. His 219 interception return yards led the nation and remain the LSU single season record. 

Jackson then spent 12 seasons in the NFL, intercepted 32 passes and won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants. His combination of college production, championships and professional longevity makes him an important part of LSU’s long tradition of outstanding defensive backs.

From Miami to Baton Rouge

Gregory Allen Jackson was born August 20, 1966, in Miami and attended American High School.

Before becoming an elite safety, Jackson was a quarterback. He lettered for three years at the position and led American High to a 10 and 2 record as a senior in 1984. He earned All City recognition from both the Miami Herald and Miami News. He also played at American High with future LSU teammate Chris Pettaway. 

Jackson arrived at LSU in 1985 and contributed immediately as a true freshman. He played in every game, primarily on special teams and as LSU’s nickel back in passing situations. He finished his first season with nine tackles and a pass breakup.

His role became much larger the following year.

A Breakout Sophomore Season

Jackson moved into the starting lineup in 1986 and became an important part of LSU’s defense.

He finished the season with 62 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He started LSU’s final 10 games, including the Sugar Bowl. 

His first collegiate start came against Florida, and Jackson made sure people remembered it. He recorded 11 tackles and intercepted two passes. One of those interceptions was returned 24 yards for a fourth quarter touchdown.

Jackson also delivered in LSU’s 14 to 10 victory over Alabama in Birmingham. He recorded eight tackles, recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass in the end zone.

LSU finished 9 and 3 and captured the 1986 SEC championship.

Jackson was becoming much more than another young defensive back.

Developing Into an SEC Star

Jackson returned in 1987 and produced another strong season.

He recorded 65 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. Through three seasons, Jackson had accumulated 136 tackles and four interceptions.

LSU then made a change that helped unlock his best season.

Jackson moved from strong safety to weak safety for his senior year.

The result was spectacular.

Seven Interceptions in 1988

Jackson became one of the best defensive backs in the country during his senior season.

He finished with 63 tackles, two tackles for loss and seven interceptions. Those seven interceptions tied Ole Miss safety Todd Sandroni for the SEC lead and tied Jackson for third nationally. 

What happened after Jackson intercepted those passes was even more impressive.

He returned his seven interceptions for 219 yards.

That led the nation and established an LSU single season record that still stands. Jackson averaged an extraordinary 31.3 yards every time he intercepted a pass. 

Jackson was not merely ending drives.

He was turning turnovers into explosive plays.

The 100 Yard Pick Six

Jackson produced one of the most dramatic defensive plays in LSU history against Mississippi State in 1988.

He intercepted a pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown.

The return tied the NCAA record at the time and remains tied for the longest interception return in LSU history. 

Think about what that means in a football game. The opponent has driven close enough to threaten LSU’s goal line. One mistake later, LSU has scored at the opposite end of the field.

Jackson was not finished.

Two weeks later against Tulane, he intercepted a Terrence Jones pass and returned it 71 yards for another touchdown.

In a span of three games, Jackson produced interception returns of 100 and 71 yards for touchdowns.

Those are DBU plays from an era before anyone called LSU DBU.

An LSU Record That Still Stands

Jackson’s 219 interception return yards in 1988 remain the LSU single season record.

At the time, the total ranked second in SEC history behind Florida’s Joe Brodsky, who accumulated 244 interception return yards in 1956. The Florida identification is important because some secondary accounts have incorrectly associated Brodsky with Ole Miss. LSU’s official record identifies him correctly as a Florida player. 

Jackson’s 1988 performance was not an isolated accomplishment. He had already returned an interception for a touchdown against Florida in 1986.

That gave him three interception return touchdowns during his LSU career.

His ability to create turnovers was impressive.

What he did after creating them made him special.

199 Tackles and 11 Interceptions

Jackson finished his LSU career with 199 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, 11 interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

He returned those 11 interceptions for 260 yards. 

He made plays for championship teams.

His progression shows how dramatically his career developed.

Jackson had nine tackles and no interceptions as a freshman. He recorded 62 tackles and three interceptions as a sophomore. He followed with 65 tackles and one interception as a junior before exploding for 63 tackles and seven interceptions as a senior.

His 260 career interception return yards remain one of the best totals in LSU history.

Jackson did not just intercept passes.

He punished teams for throwing them.

An All American and Two Time SEC Champion

Jackson earned first team All SEC recognition from both the Associated Press and conference coaches in 1988.

Gannett News Service selected him as a first team All American. He was also one of LSU’s permanent team captains. 

His individual success came during another championship season.

LSU won the SEC championship in 1988, giving Jackson conference championships in both 1986 and 1988. During his four seasons, LSU compiled a 36 and 10 and 2 record and reached a bowl game every year. 

That is an important part of Jackson’s LSU résumé.

He did not simply accumulate statistics.

DBU Before the Nickname

LSU’s reputation for producing defensive backs is now one of the defining characteristics of the program.

Jackson played long before the DBU nickname became popular, but his résumé would fit comfortably into the modern tradition.

He intercepted passes.

He scored defensive touchdowns.

He tackled.

He played multiple roles in the secondary.

He contributed on special teams.

He became an All American.

Then he became a longtime NFL starter.

Patrick Peterson and Morris Claiborne eventually won Thorpe Awards. Tyrann Mathieu became a Heisman Trophy finalist. Tre’Davious White, Jamal Adams, Grant Delpit and Derek Stingley Jr. continued the tradition.

Jackson belongs in the earlier chapter of that story.

Twelve Years and 32 Interceptions in the NFL

The New York Giants selected Jackson in the third round of the 1989 NFL Draft with the 78th overall pick. He spent five seasons with the Giants, two with the Philadelphia Eagles, one with the New Orleans Saints and four with the San Diego Chargers. 

Jackson played 12 NFL seasons from 1989 through 2000, appearing in 168 regular season games with 129 starts. His second season ended with a championship when the Giants defeated Buffalo 20 to 19 in Super Bowl XXV. 

Jackson intercepted five passes during that 1990 championship season. He later recorded a career high six interceptions with Philadelphia in 1994 and matched that total with San Diego in 1998.

By the end of his career, Jackson had 32 interceptions for 329 yards and two touchdowns. NFL records also credit him with 606 combined tackles, 63 passes defended, four sacks and 11 forced fumbles. Because defensive tackle statistics from the early portion of his career were not recorded as consistently as modern statistics, the interception and games played totals are the cleaner historical measures of his NFL career. 

Twelve seasons. 168 games. 129 starts. 32 interceptions. A Super Bowl championship.

That was an impressive professional career.

A Second Career in Coaching

Jackson remained in football after his playing career ended.

He began coaching defensive backs at Idaho in 2003 and then spent three seasons at Louisiana Monroe. He coached at Tulane before joining Wisconsin in 2010. 

Jackson returned to the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and remained there through 2014. He was part of a staff that reached Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season.

He joined Michigan in 2015 before becoming the Dallas Cowboys safeties coach in 2016. He remained with Dallas through 2019 and later coached safeties for the Houston Texans in 2021.

It was a natural second career for a player who spent 12 NFL seasons studying quarterbacks and understanding offenses from the back end of a defense.

Greg Jackson Deserves to Be Remembered

LSU has produced so many great defensive backs that players from earlier generations can sometimes disappear from the conversation.

Greg Jackson should not.

He finished his LSU career with 199 tackles and 11 interceptions. His 219 interception return yards in 1988 remain LSU’s single season record. He produced a 100 yard pick six, earned first team All SEC and first team All America honors and helped LSU win SEC championships in both 1986 and 1988. 

Then he spent 12 seasons in the NFL, intercepted 32 more passes and became a Super Bowl champion.

DBU did not suddenly appear in Baton Rouge during the 2000s.

LSU had been producing outstanding defensive backs for generations.

Greg Jackson was one of the best.

Sources

LSU Athletics, Greg Jackson official biography and career statistics
https://lsusports.net/sports/fb/roster/player/greg-jackson/

LSU Athletics, Greg Jackson 1985 through 1988 career record
https://lsusports.net/sports/fb/roster/season/1985/player/greg-jackson

LSU Athletics, 1988 LSU Football statistics
https://static.lsusports.net/assets/docs/fb/pdf/88stats.pdf

NFL, Greg Jackson career statistics
https://www.nfl.com/players/greg-jackson/stats/

Pro Football Reference, Greg Jackson NFL career statistics
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JackGr21.htm

Dallas Cowboys, Greg Jackson coaching biography
https://www.dallascowboys.com/team/coaches-roster/greg-jackson