COLUMN: New faces, new roles galore, Jackson amped to maximize offensive potential

Jackson head coach Ryan Nesbitt addresses his players after a summer practice on Monday, July 29, in Jackson, Mo.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

It’s football season once again in Jackson, and for a program that’s done little but win over the past decade and beyond, there’s a feeling of confidence that’ll continue.

A year ago, Jackson rose to MSHSAA’s Class 6 for the first time in program history, and after a long winning streak, took on one of the top teams in the state quarterfinals in Christian Brothers and narrowly lost at The Pit.

Now, entering Year 2 of Ryan Nesbitt’s Jackson tenure, there’s a new look about the program: Young, fast, talented, tested, and, maybe most importantly, fun.

Walking into their stadium on a hot, humid July morning, where probably 100 Indians took on summer camps ahead of a packed August practice schedule, you could see it.

Program numbers are higher than ever. In the weight room, on the roster, on the score sheet, it’s a return to form for a Jackson program that neared a departure from its golden era two years ago.

But, for now, the numbers are hoopla. The Indians lost more than half of their defense, lost their top offensive lineman, and they’ll start 2024 missing two of their top three receivers from last season.

After helping the Indians to a deep run last season, Drew Parsons has embraced a new mentality, trading out his first-year jitters with a new hunger for success.

Coming in for the injured Adrian Fox in the playoff opener against Lindbergh, Parsons excelled right away, taking over the district final against Seckman in a 55-21 win before dropping a crushing back-and-forth with CBC down the stretch.

He’s grown into the role well, largely from a long offseason mulling over a loss that felt so close but so far. As Nesbitt said, it feels like the Indians are “returning a starter,” having matured from his just three weeks of postseason play.

That small slice of experience will help ease the transition into the Drew Parsons Project.

A blessing for this young Jackson squad, four of last year’s five offensive linemen return this fall, all but Zane Coon, now competing for playing time at Southeast Missouri State.

Those five, paired with an exceptional tight end room, present the best chance possible to give the last line of defense a fighting chance at the end zone: Jaylon Hampton, now widely recognized as one of the top halfbacks in the Show Me State.

Standing at just 5-foot-7 (or, at least according to our most recent measurement), Hampton is a freak athlete who accrued nearly 1,200 yards as a freshman last fall while regularly playing half-games with the routing nature of the team.

The receiving corps maintains a little, lose a good chunk, but will remain competitive in the new year with some rising stars that could make a splash impact early this season.

The big returner for the Indians is Kai Crowe, who stormed out to one of the best receiving seasons in Southeast Missourian last fall and comes back for his senior year as Jackson’s top option in the slot.

Turning heads last year as a team able to get it done in the Class 6 ranks even with the deck stacked against them, the Indians are coming off a statement season and looking to make more happen.