From the Austin Statesman...
Taylor wideout Malik Jackson rises above crowd of DBs
By Sean Shapiro
August 23, 2016
TAYLOR — Malik Jackson started hauling in jump-ball passes at a young age.
Whenever the extended Jackson family gathered, all the siblings and cousins would huddle in the yard and battle for a football thrown to the group. More often than not, Malik would rise away the crowd to rip the ball away from his relatives, which often included his brother Mark, the American-Statesman’s high school athlete of the year in 2010.
“That’s how I learned to win those one-on-ones,” Malik Jackson said. “They didn’t have a chance.”
The same could be said for many of the opposing defensive backs who will face Jackson this season.
At 6 feet, 3 inches and 200 pounds, the Taylor senior wideout — a University of Tulsa commitment — is a rarity among smaller-school standouts, and his athleticism — he’s been clocked at 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash — turns one-on-one matchups into mismatches.
“There aren’t many receivers like him, at any (UIL) level,” said Taylor coach Rusty Purser, who’s in his fifth season with the Ducks. “He’s going to see people try everything to stop him this year, and he’s more than ready for that.”
Jackson displays a quiet — sometimes cocky — confidence. He’s soft-spoken and respectful off the field but makes his intentions clear when he lines up on Friday nights.
“I know I’m going to beat my man,” said Jackson, who grabbed 34 receptions for 758 yards and eight touchdowns last season despite missing three games because of an injury. “And I make sure that he knows it, too.”
Having Jackson out wide will make life easier for whoever starts at quarterback for the Ducks. Junior Ryan Gardner and sophomore Cole Harms battled for the starting spot during the preseason, and Jackson said he was confident both quarterbacks could effectively lead an offense that will have speedy running backs Delane Hornsby and Jarrel Crittendon working behind a talented offensive line.
“We’re going to score a lot of touchdowns this season,” Jackson said. “We’re going to be fast and we’re going to put up lots of points.”
The Ducks also bring back nine starters from 2015, effectively making Taylor one of the favorites along with Boerne for the District 14-4A, Division I title.
Purser also said the Ducks’ 4-7 record in 2015 deserves a closer look. After a 1-4 start, Taylor was 3-3 down the stretch, losing to Gatesville 51-25 in a bi-district playoff.
“You really have to look at the progress from the beginning to the end of last season,” Purser said. “Especially on the defense. It was a young group, still is this season, but they really made major strides each week.”
Part of a five-team district, Taylor will play six non-district opponents before finally opening District 14-4A, Division I competition on Oct. 14 against Eastside Memorial, which is making its return to UIL competition after playing a “non-honors” varsity slate in recent years.
“That’s nice, isn’t it?” Jackson said. “I think we should go out and win district this year. And that extra time, against good non-district teams, is going to only make us better.”
Taylor wideout Malik Jackson rises above crowd of DBs
By Sean Shapiro
August 23, 2016
TAYLOR — Malik Jackson started hauling in jump-ball passes at a young age.
Whenever the extended Jackson family gathered, all the siblings and cousins would huddle in the yard and battle for a football thrown to the group. More often than not, Malik would rise away the crowd to rip the ball away from his relatives, which often included his brother Mark, the American-Statesman’s high school athlete of the year in 2010.
“That’s how I learned to win those one-on-ones,” Malik Jackson said. “They didn’t have a chance.”
The same could be said for many of the opposing defensive backs who will face Jackson this season.
At 6 feet, 3 inches and 200 pounds, the Taylor senior wideout — a University of Tulsa commitment — is a rarity among smaller-school standouts, and his athleticism — he’s been clocked at 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash — turns one-on-one matchups into mismatches.
“There aren’t many receivers like him, at any (UIL) level,” said Taylor coach Rusty Purser, who’s in his fifth season with the Ducks. “He’s going to see people try everything to stop him this year, and he’s more than ready for that.”
Jackson displays a quiet — sometimes cocky — confidence. He’s soft-spoken and respectful off the field but makes his intentions clear when he lines up on Friday nights.
“I know I’m going to beat my man,” said Jackson, who grabbed 34 receptions for 758 yards and eight touchdowns last season despite missing three games because of an injury. “And I make sure that he knows it, too.”
Having Jackson out wide will make life easier for whoever starts at quarterback for the Ducks. Junior Ryan Gardner and sophomore Cole Harms battled for the starting spot during the preseason, and Jackson said he was confident both quarterbacks could effectively lead an offense that will have speedy running backs Delane Hornsby and Jarrel Crittendon working behind a talented offensive line.
“We’re going to score a lot of touchdowns this season,” Jackson said. “We’re going to be fast and we’re going to put up lots of points.”
The Ducks also bring back nine starters from 2015, effectively making Taylor one of the favorites along with Boerne for the District 14-4A, Division I title.
Purser also said the Ducks’ 4-7 record in 2015 deserves a closer look. After a 1-4 start, Taylor was 3-3 down the stretch, losing to Gatesville 51-25 in a bi-district playoff.
“You really have to look at the progress from the beginning to the end of last season,” Purser said. “Especially on the defense. It was a young group, still is this season, but they really made major strides each week.”
Part of a five-team district, Taylor will play six non-district opponents before finally opening District 14-4A, Division I competition on Oct. 14 against Eastside Memorial, which is making its return to UIL competition after playing a “non-honors” varsity slate in recent years.
“That’s nice, isn’t it?” Jackson said. “I think we should go out and win district this year. And that extra time, against good non-district teams, is going to only make us better.”
