It’s been a big year for Thomas Jackson.
The junior wide receiver has caught four touchdowns in 2016 — tied with injured senior Mack Hollins for third most on the team. Ask him, and he can rattle off exactly when he scored them: against Florida State, Virginia, Duke and N.C. State.
He’s scored so much that he’s even taken up a new nickname among some of his teammates — Touchdown T-Jax. Ever humble, Jackson himself doesn’t love the nickname and had no part in picking it.
“They like to do that because they know I get annoyed when they call me that,” he said. “It’s just annoying. But yeah, my friends and stuff will call me that just to get on my nerves.”
Four touchdowns is quite an accomplishment for anyone, but especially so for Jackson. He started as a walk-on before the 2014 season and has climbed up the depth chart from there, taking advantage of every opportunity.
“He started with special teams and got a few plays here and there on offense,” wide receivers coach Gunter Brewer said. “And the good Lord shined on him and gave him opportunities in a game to make some plays and was put in those positions, and he came up with them.”
As a senior next season, the opportunities will only continue to increase. This year, he was tied for sixth on the team in catches (16). But North Carolina will lose seniors Bug Howard, Ryan Switzer, T.J. Logan and Hollins to graduation this offseason, and the Tar Heels could lose Elijah Hood and Mitch Trubisky to the NFL Draft.
All that veteran talent at the skill positions sets up well coming into this season, but it’s a major challenge for the coaching staff and players to try to replace it all come next fall. North Carolina’s bowl practices, and spring ball next semester, will be extremely important to groom new players to take over as playmakers.
“We try to get as many reps with our young guys as possible,” Coach Larry Fedora said. “You are trying to steal reps for spring practice."
