Sidelines
THIS is going to be good fun. This is going to be one of those sports experiences to savor, finding a seat in Aloha Stadium on Saturday night and watching Nate Jackson play football against Rice. Settling in and watching him slam himself into the option again and again and again. See Nate run, see Nate
hit and dominateAfter two games and lots of early morning practices, I'm calling Jackson easily UH's best defensive player -- which is a good thing this week. Because if Hawaii is to stop Rice's running game, Jackson will have to play a big, big part.
"Oh, he's key," UH defensive backs coach Rich Miano said. "The free safety, Nate Jackson, is the key."
Good. Good for UH. Because Jackson, an intelligent, explosive playmaker, is the kind of defensive player you want holding that kind of responsibility. Especially in what has suddenly become a must-win game.
"Right now the feeling is, 'stop the run,' " Jackson said. "It's simple. This is not a passing team. It's a straight running team. They have some passing attack, but it's nowhere near what we've faced before.
"This is a primarily run team. There is no questions, we have to stop the run."
They have to. Or else it's two straight losses and then who knows what the rest of the year brings. After a loss to Nevada, every game is big. And that's where Jackson comes in.
You will love it. Bring the binoculars. Follow his actions. Zoom in on what he does. Jackson had 19 tackles against Rice last year. NINETEEN. He's perfect for this. It will be great theater. Rice on one side, rumbling, lumbering forward. Jackson on the other, a human rocket with a running start.
Everybody's got a guy or a gap. Every defender does a job or it all falls apart. But he is the safety. He has the pitch man. Which means, just as Rice is about to turn the corner, Jackson is scheduled to show up to save the day. He has to run -- and he can run. He has to hit -- and he can hit. He has to see -- he has to decipher the soup, watch the tussle develop in front of him, and then appear in the right place at the right time. With great force.
"I'm sure Nate Jackson is licking his chops," Miano said.
Jackson is. "Basically just looking for the ball, just looking to go and hit somebody," he said. "Some of it's just react and find the ball and try to go make the tackle and if the big hit's there, then go for the big hit."
Nate Jackson can do that.
"As soon as he sees the play, he has to go, see where the ball is, feel where the blockers are trying to attack him," Miano said, "and then he's gotta do what he has to do."
We get to watch.
Kalani Simpson's column runs Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.
He can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com