Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Bucs' Jackson gets his chance

New starting free safety has plenty of confidence and the support of teammates.

By ROGER MILLS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 3, 2001

[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys] Dexter Jackson, a fourth-round pick out Florida State, has a care-free approach to football.

TAMPA -- In Dexter Jackson's vocabulary, the word "doubt" doesn't exist.

For a man who never started in the NFL, the third-year safety is supremely confident that he can make the transition from backup to starter.

His teammates seem to feel so too.

"It's part of Dexter's game," All-Pro safety John Lynch said. "He's as athletic a safety as we have had. He'll feel totally comfortable going out and covering someone like (Vikings receiver) Randy Moss. Right after we do our shell drills he wants to run down there and cover a receiver in the one-on-one drills. That's a good quality to have."

Added cornerback Ronde Barber: "He's a guy that's not lacking in confidence, that's for sure. He's been groomed for it, not only by our coaches but by himself. He's put himself in the position where if he had the opportunity to be a starter he would be able to take it. Now, he has that opportunity."

This is Jackson's time. For the past two seasons, since the Bucs drafted him out of Florida State in the fourth round, Jackson has studied and improved under the tutelage of former defensive backs coach Herman Edwards.

During that time, he watched former free safety Damien Robinson excel in the two-deep coverage system.

Jackson waited. Then in the preseason last year, with Robinson and former safety Shevin Smith injured, Jackson became a possible threat to Robinson's starting job. Then he sustained a right ankle sprain against the Dolphins.

"I knew I was ready because last year I played a lot and whenever I was asked to play I was able to contribute," Jackson said.

Bucs coach Tony Dungy said at that time Jackson was pushing Robinson for the starting spot.

"I think he would have been (a consideration)," Dungy said. "Like so many of our guys, he would have played quite a bit. He was on his way to having a good year before he got hurt."

Jackson recovered and played 13 games and finished with 30 tackles. On film, he proved to the coaching staff what it already suspected. In the off-season, Tampa Bay let Robinson leave for the Jets, elevating Jackson into the starting role.

The comparisons between Robinson, a 6-foot-3, 215-pounder from Iowa, and Jackson, a 6-1, 200-pound Florida native, became inevitable.

"They are definitely different players," Barber said. "Not to take anything away from Damien, but Dexter may be a little bit of a better athlete. He's a little bit more rangy. Dexter reminds me more of a corner.

"Damien was more in the Lynch mode, where he was like a linebacker. Dexter brings a lot to the table. He can do a lot of things. He can cover receivers in the slot. He can bump and run with those guys as well as anybody."

Now that Jackson, 24, is the starter the task at hand isn't easy. In the defensive scheme, the free safety is responsible for much of the field and must be ready to make plays on the ball.

"You have to do a lot," Dungy said. "You have to be a good solid tackler, you have to be a guy who can make plays on the ball in the air and be pretty smart. The biggest thing is you have to be instinctive. You have to be a good decision maker. It increases as you play more and see more things and you understand what offenses are trying to do. But a lot of it is innate."

Teammates say one reason Jackson has assimilated well into the starting position is his care-free approach to the game.

"He's a fun-loving guy," Lynch said. "He's the comedian of our defense. You need that. You need all kinds of different personalities who can serve different roles. I think, we're seeing all kinds of great play from Dexter, but he's got to be able to do it consistently."

New defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin said Jackson's jovial demeanor makes working with him a treat.

"I think one of the things I appreciate about him is that he is one of those guys that loves to play the game," Tomlin said. "Whenever he comes out on the field for practice, off-season training, whatever, he loves it. And he brings that wide-eyed enthusiasm to being a professional."

Jackson snickers when asked about his happy-go-lucky approach but said now that he's a starter, there are no plans to change things.

"Maybe I have been taking things a little more seriously, paying more and more attention to details," Jackson said. "But all I can do is be myself and play my game and the consistency will come."

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright