Nice article from the Texarkana Gazette:
TEXARKANA, Texas -- He's quiet. And quite the player, too.
Ranked No. 8 in the nation, Pleasant Grove's Lance Jackson might just be one of the greatest athletes to ever come through East Texas, as head coach Josh Gibson puts it.
He's big. He's strong. And he's one of the best every time he suits up. He knows it. Gibson knows it. The Texas Longhorns know it.
But what makes Jackson stand out isn't just his 6-foot-6, 270-pound frame, his relentless motor on the field or his ranking among the top players in the country. It's his humility.
"Lance Jackson will outwork you, out-athlete you, and then out-class you," Gibson said. "He's one of the most humble people I've ever been around. That's my favorite part about Lance. When you hang around him, he's going to make your day better. He's fun and other-centered."
Jackson, a Texas Longhorn commit, has been described as a generational talent. He's the kind of athlete that doesn't come around often, not just in Texarkana, but anywhere. With his recent climb to No. 8 in the national player rankings, Gibson isn't sure Texarkana has ever had a higher-ranked athlete in its history.
"We literally have one of the best athletes in the world playing here at Texarkana," Gibson said. "I'm not sure we do him justice and market his excellence well enough: our program, our media outlets, etc. Most would beat their chests and let the world know, but not Lance. Lance is a breath of fresh air. When so many in our society let glitz and glamour go to their head, Lance doesn't."
That refreshing attitude is what separates Jackson from so many athletes today. In an era where athletes are often consumed with self-promotion, posting stats, highlight reels and recruiting updates on social media, Jackson lets his work do the talking.
"You won't see him post stats or recruiting news about himself," Gibson said. "He lets others do the talking. Lance just works."
Jackson's talent is undeniable, but it's his work ethic that truly sets him apart. According to Gibson, Jackson has never missed a single practice in his four years of high school football. Not during the season. Not during the summer. Not ever.
"Several five-star athletes leave and go to camps to enhance 'their brand' and experience getting spoiled at elite universities," Gibson said. "I had two coaches this summer at elite Dallas-area programs tell me that their best players missed 40 to 50 percent of the summer at college camps and visits.
"Lance always made it a priority to be with his teammates during the summer and work with them."
That loyalty to his team and commitment to hard work puts Jackson in rare company, even among other greats who have come through Pleasant Grove.
"I would put him in the same category as his brother, Landon Jackson, and former PG player Nick Martin," Gibson said, referencing two of the program's most celebrated football alumni. "Both are elite players that also have elite work ethics, and that's why they are the face of their programs. Lance will be the same guy for Texas. He takes care of his business in the classroom, on the field and off the field."
At 6-foot-6, Jackson is impossible to miss on the football field, but it's his quiet leadership and team-first mentality that truly stand out. As Gibson puts it, "You'll see him before you hear him, and that's refreshing."
"Lance will go down as one of the best players to ever play football in East Texas," Gibson said. "But the biggest reason I know Lance will be successful is because he's one of the best athletes I've ever seen or coached and he possesses one of the best work ethics of any player I've coached."
For Pleasant Grove, Jackson's legacy is already cemented. For the Texas Longhorn, the best may be yet to come.
TEXARKANA, Texas -- He's quiet. And quite the player, too.
Ranked No. 8 in the nation, Pleasant Grove's Lance Jackson might just be one of the greatest athletes to ever come through East Texas, as head coach Josh Gibson puts it.
He's big. He's strong. And he's one of the best every time he suits up. He knows it. Gibson knows it. The Texas Longhorns know it.
But what makes Jackson stand out isn't just his 6-foot-6, 270-pound frame, his relentless motor on the field or his ranking among the top players in the country. It's his humility.
"Lance Jackson will outwork you, out-athlete you, and then out-class you," Gibson said. "He's one of the most humble people I've ever been around. That's my favorite part about Lance. When you hang around him, he's going to make your day better. He's fun and other-centered."
Jackson, a Texas Longhorn commit, has been described as a generational talent. He's the kind of athlete that doesn't come around often, not just in Texarkana, but anywhere. With his recent climb to No. 8 in the national player rankings, Gibson isn't sure Texarkana has ever had a higher-ranked athlete in its history.
"We literally have one of the best athletes in the world playing here at Texarkana," Gibson said. "I'm not sure we do him justice and market his excellence well enough: our program, our media outlets, etc. Most would beat their chests and let the world know, but not Lance. Lance is a breath of fresh air. When so many in our society let glitz and glamour go to their head, Lance doesn't."
That refreshing attitude is what separates Jackson from so many athletes today. In an era where athletes are often consumed with self-promotion, posting stats, highlight reels and recruiting updates on social media, Jackson lets his work do the talking.
"You won't see him post stats or recruiting news about himself," Gibson said. "He lets others do the talking. Lance just works."
Jackson's talent is undeniable, but it's his work ethic that truly sets him apart. According to Gibson, Jackson has never missed a single practice in his four years of high school football. Not during the season. Not during the summer. Not ever.
"Several five-star athletes leave and go to camps to enhance 'their brand' and experience getting spoiled at elite universities," Gibson said. "I had two coaches this summer at elite Dallas-area programs tell me that their best players missed 40 to 50 percent of the summer at college camps and visits.
"Lance always made it a priority to be with his teammates during the summer and work with them."
That loyalty to his team and commitment to hard work puts Jackson in rare company, even among other greats who have come through Pleasant Grove.
"I would put him in the same category as his brother, Landon Jackson, and former PG player Nick Martin," Gibson said, referencing two of the program's most celebrated football alumni. "Both are elite players that also have elite work ethics, and that's why they are the face of their programs. Lance will be the same guy for Texas. He takes care of his business in the classroom, on the field and off the field."
At 6-foot-6, Jackson is impossible to miss on the football field, but it's his quiet leadership and team-first mentality that truly stand out. As Gibson puts it, "You'll see him before you hear him, and that's refreshing."
"Lance will go down as one of the best players to ever play football in East Texas," Gibson said. "But the biggest reason I know Lance will be successful is because he's one of the best athletes I've ever seen or coached and he possesses one of the best work ethics of any player I've coached."
For Pleasant Grove, Jackson's legacy is already cemented. For the Texas Longhorn, the best may be yet to come.
