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MONTICELLO –William “Hud” Jackson is the new head football coach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
A native of Thibodaux, La., Jackson becomes the 25th head coach at UAM in the 98-year history of the football program after serving the past six seasons as the associate head coach at the University of Central Arkansas. He will usher UAM into its first year of the newly-formed NCAA Division II Great American Conference in 2011. The appointment comes on Jackson’s 43rd birthday.
“First, I’d like to say I am tremendously honored to be selected as head football coach here at UAM,” said Jackson at his Tuesday morning press conference. “I am a very passionate and emotional person… This is a big moment for me.”
Jackson continued, “It’s not going to be hard to convince young men this is the place they need to be… I’m looking for young men that have high character, are great student-athletes and will leave this university with a degree wanting to stay involved in the program.”
Speaking to the current UAM players in the audience, “We are going to get ready to make a name for ourselves in this new conference… Our goal every year is to win a conference championship and get to the national playoffs.”
“We started this process three weeks ago, and the only thing that slowed me down was the Thanksgiving holiday,” said UAM Athletics Director Chris Ratcliff. “I want to thank the committee for its hard work during this process. We had representatives from all over campus, including a football player… The decision to hire Coach Jackson was unanimous.”
Ratcliff continued, “I wanted a man with high character, someone to get involved in the community and someone that’s a winner, on the field and off… Coach Jackson fits those criteria… This is who we wanted, and we are excited about his enthusiasm.”
“This is a very exciting day for the University of Arkansas at Monticello,” said UAM Chancellor Dr. Jack Lassiter. “Coach Jackson’s experience with successful programs, interest in community participation and his desire to recruit student-athletes from Arkansas with an emphasis in Southeast Arkansas is what makes me believe he is a great fit for this position.”
As associate head coach at UCA, Jackson aided Clint Conque’s Bears in the school’s transition from the Gulf South Conference to becoming one of the nation’s top NCAA Division I-Football Championship Subdivision programs. He was the director of football operations at UCA, which included the organization of the team’s travel, the bidding and ordering of all football equipment and supervision of student managers.
In addition to his duties as UCA’s director of football operations, Jackson coached the running backs and return specialists.
At UCA, Jackson coached Brent Grimes, a two-time All-Southland Conference running back (2008-09) and an All-America honoree in 2009. Jackson also coached Kentrel Rogers, who earned All-America honors in 2005, and most recently was named to the Gulf South Conference All-Decade team.
Two of Jackson’s return specialists were the best in the SLC. Tristan Jackson earned All-America and All-SLC honors after leading all NCAA divisions in 2007 with an average of 23.6 yards per punt return and 25.8 yards per kickoff return. A year later, T.J. Adams led the SLC with an average of 26.6 yards per kickoff return.
The Bears were 7-4 in 2010 with a 4-3 mark in the SLC, and were ranked in the FCS Top 25 poll for the fourth straight season. In 2008, Jackson helped UCA to its most successful season since moving to Division I-FCS, posting a 10-2 overall record while winning the SLC title with a 6-1 league record. The Bears finished ranked No. 12 in the final polls and had 15 All-SLC honorees.
Prior to joining the staff at UCA, Jackson served a variety of roles at Central Catholic High School in Morgan City, La. from 1997-2005. In addition to being the athletics director, head football coach and head baseball coach, he also served as the school’s disciplinarian, textbook coordinator and mission development coordinator, as well as assisting the school’s fundraising initiatives.
At CCHS, Jackson led his football teams to an overall record of 65-32, including a state runner-up finish in 1997 and three district championships (1997, 2000, 2004). After each of those titles, he was named district coach of the year. He coached Curtis Randall at CCHS, who played for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks in 2004.
As head baseball coach, Jackson led CCHS to an overall record of 84-36, including three state championships (2002, 2004-05). He earned district coach of the year honors four times in baseball (2000, 2002-04).
Jackson entered the coaching ranks as an assistant football and baseball coach at Rayne (La.) High School in 1992, and remained on staff until 1993. At Rayne, Jackson assisted the school’s baseball team in its 1992 state championship campaign.
In 1993, Jackson moved to Assumption High School in Napoleonville, La., where he served for three seasons as the football team’s offensive coordinator and assistant baseball coach.
The next stop for Jackson was Oberlin (La.) High School from 1995-97. During that tenure, he served as the school’s athletics director, head football coach and head baseball coach.
Jackson graduated from E.D. White High School in Thibodaux, La. in 1987, where he was an all-state baseball player. He continued his education at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1992.
Jackson was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Cowboys. He also lettered in baseball, earning the team’s most valuable player and outstanding pitcher awards in 1991.
Jackson’s father, Sonny, was the head football coach at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux from 1981-1986, and is still the program’s most successful coach. During his tenure, Sonny Jackson led the Colonels to a 39-28-1 record, winning the Gulf Star Conference in 1984 and taking NSU to its first ever NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearance in 1986. He was also the head coach at McNeese State for three seasons from 1987-89.
Hud Jackson and his wife, Patricia, were married in 1989. They have one son, William, Jr. (16), and two daughters, Alexis (20) and Baleigh (11).
