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A speedy receiver is joining the University of Hawaii football team.
Chris Jackson, who played the past two seasons at Brigham Young University, said he will spend his senior season with the Rainbow Warriors.
“This is my last ride with college football to do what I can, put up numbers, and do whatever I can to help the team,” Jackson said.
Jackson, who grew up in Pomona, Calif., is 5 feet 10 and 185 pounds. He has been clocked at 10.5 seconds over 100 meters. In team testing, his sprint was timed at a prorated 22 mph.
“He’s a good kid, a good player,” former UH receiver John Ursua said. Two years ago, Ursua and former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson helped train several Utah-area players, including Jackson. “He’s going to be a solid pickup for (the Warriors),” Ursua added.
Jackson received widespread interest as a Pomona High senior, but did not meet the NCAA eligibility requirements to play for a Division I program as a freshman. He grayshirted in the fall of 2017, then enrolled full-time at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif. In 2018, he caught 50 passes and scored on a 98-yard kickoff return.
He joined BYU in 2020, but struggled to get expanded playing time. “BYU is a good program,” Jackson said. “The coaches are really cool.”
Jackson played in 13 games in 2021 and eight in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He managed 10 catches for 61 yards at BYU.
“I couldn’t get on the field like I wanted to,” Jackson said. “Everything happens for a reason. It’s all good. I’m blessed. I have another opportunity, to play ball in Hawaii and be the best I can be.”
This is final-exam week for BYU’s spring session. It has not been decided when he will move to Hawaii. In addition to football and training, Jackson is an avid basketball player and roller-skater. “In Cali, roller-skating is big,” said Jackson, who skates at Classic Skate in Orem, Utah, and Skate Express in Chino, Calif. “I like skating in my free time.”
The Warriors will conduct their 11th practice of spring training this morning.
The Island Day Football Spring Game is set for Saturday at the Ching Complex. The free event, which begins at 3:30 p.m., will include activities for kids, food trucks, beer gardens and live entertainment, including a concert by Rebel SoulJahz at neighboring Les Murakami Stadium.
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