I caught up with freshman defensive end/outside linebacker Drake Jackson a couple weeks ago at the Rivals L.A. camp and wanted to pass along a couple nuggets:
- He was sad to see Kenechi Udeze go but has quickly forge a good relationship with new DL coach Chad Kauha'aha'a, who he said immediately recruited him just as hard as other schools were once he entered the picture in December: "All in all, Coach Chad is a great coach. I can tell already how he's going to be. He's always going to be on us, he's always on our classes, makes sure we're eating breakfast, makes sure we're eating dinner. he's always on us."
- On his primary objective in spring practice: "I have to show that I'm different, that I bring more to the table that what other people are bringing. I just want to show them that I'm versatile, I can move anywhere on the line, I can go out and guard tight ends, I can move in space. I just want to show them that. And really, I just want to work. I might be young, but I'm here to work and to bring 'SC back to the top. We fell off a little bit bit you can tell that everybody is on the right mentality to come back and get that Rose Bowl."
- He said he's most familiar with playing anything between the four-technique to nine-technique. "I'm more the setting-the-edge type."
- He said offseason morning workouts were re-purposed so that the tougher stations came first, rather than easing into things. "We're focusing on details, the little details, the little things that we do."
- He's currently 6-foot-4, 275 pounds. He said that's exactly where the staff wants him, but he needs to cut fat and add muscle. In team races, he challenges himself by running with the outside linebackers.
