Florida RB Ja'Kobi Jackson talks explosive performance in Orange and Blue Game

USA Today

14-04-2025

Florida RB Ja'Kobi Jackson talks explosive performance in Orange and Blue Game
Running back Ja'Kobi Jackson put on an explosive performance during Saturday's Orange and Blue game. He ran for 198 yards and scored three touchdowns, including a 90-yard score in the third quarter.
Jackson, a redshirt senior who transferred from the JUCO ranks last offseason, stepped up in 2024 after Montrell Johnson Jr. suffered a few injuries. He and now sophomore Jadan Baugh became the primary duo in the backfield for Florida, and Jackson rushed for 509 yards and seven touchdowns.
Heading into 2025, Jackson is considered one of the vocal leaders on Florida's offense, and he was dominant in the spring game, announcing himself to fans who didn't know how talented he was. Jackson spoke to the media after his big day and praised his offensive line plenty. Here's everything Jackson said on Saturday.
On big Orange and Blue Game performance
"It was a pretty good performance, obviously. O-line did a great job today, and it wasn't really much I had to do. Just run full speed and run straight. So, yeah, great day."
How about the 90-yard touchdown?
"Yeah, I mean a few tackles, made a little something happen, so, yeah. Pretty exciting"
On stepping into a leadership role
"Just by continuous work and just leading the young guys. Like for reps, I'm trying to be in the front. I'm trying to show them how to how the drill goals and everything. So just communicating what we're trying to do here, and that's the main goal."
"I'm very vocal. I like to trash talk. I like positive talk. All that, through and through."
On overall offensive performance
"Very explosive. I think we did a great job passing and running the ball today, protecting the QB. The offensive line did a great job blocking up front. We had us a day today, I could say."
On "Jack Cheese" nickname
"Coach Juluke, one day, he just called me Jack Cheese, and then it's just been up from there. Sometime last year, he, called me that and the entire facility calls me that now."
On taking advantage of defensive line injuries in the game
"Not really much excited. I feel like even if they wasn't hurt, I probably still do what I do, but, you know, pretty excited to still be able to do it."
On basketball team being honored at halftime
"Knowing that they won the national championship, I mean, that's our main goal. That's what we want to continue to work hard towards, and just having them here today was very exciting. To see them, it was very exciting to see them after they won they natty."
On playing with a chip on his shoulder after going JUCO
"It fueled me more before I got here, but it's still fueling me every day when I'm here. I just want to continue to work. I just want everybody to know, me as a person, I'm going to come in everyday and not going to complain. Not too much to worry about when it comes to me."
On development, improvement in Gainesville
"It's crazy because I didn't even have a spring my first year. I didn't have a spring when I first got here. I got here in like June. So, just now and then is totally different. I would say tremendously different. I've learned the system now. So, really just learning the system and just becoming better every day. That's what I thrive on."
On breaking out last year
"Just staying patient. Listen to my coaches every day knowing that injuries can happen, and when it comes, you've got to step up. That's all I wanted to do last year, was step up. If the team needed me, that's all I did."
On learning from Montrell Johnson Jr. and Coach Juluke
"I just learned how to be a pro, really. Like just day by day. How to take care of my body, how to come in and watch film and really much everything."
"Coach Juluke really just has taught me how to basically learn the system. I didn't really know too much football coming from junior college, so I didn't really know too many defenses and everything and calls and blitzes. So really just teaching me the fundamentals of football again, like on a higher level, I would say."
On Dallas Wilson
"Very explosive. He's learning the system. That's what I'm saying. Like, he's learning the system, and he's still explosive and very athletic. He's a great ball player. Excited to play this year with him and excited to see what he can do for the University of Florida."
"Definitely makes the receiver room more versatile. Just because having young guys who can come in and take the top off or they can block for the other wide receivers and the running backs, or they could just run routes. So I really would say it's a great to have every young guy that we have on the team right now."
On returning offensive line
"Having a vet O-line, that's what I said at the beginning, like it's not too much you really have to do. They know the assignment. They know what we're trying to do every play. So they're great to have those guys back this year."
On Jadan Baugh
"Jadan Baugh is great. I mean, we compete every day. That's my guy. We don't hold nothing against each other. Whenever we do something wrong or something that we don't think that we should do, we would be like, hey, man, you could do this, and we take it like that and we just go on with it. But every day is a competition and we come in ready to work every day."
"I definitely think we could be one of the best (1-2 punches) in the SEC, if not the best. Just power and explosive plays. That's what we're going to bring to the table every Saturday."
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