FAU Football Names Darryl Jackson Offensive Coordinator

Jackson Brings More than 18 years of Coaching Experience to the Owls


Darryl Jackson has been named Florida Atlantic University’s offensive coordinator, announced FAU Head Football Coach Howard Schnellenberger.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to continue to work with an outstanding staff at Florida Atlantic,” said Jackson. “I’m thrilled to be able to work alongside one of the most respected coaches in the country with Coach Schnellenberger. I want to continue to contribute to the success of the program and I’m eager to get started.”

Jackson has served as the Owls receivers’ coach since 2007, a year that he helped to mold a young, receiving core into a dynamic part of FAU’s offense. In 2007, FAU’s receivers tallied 3,784 yards and 33 touchdowns, leading FAU to its first bowl appearance in the 2007 New Orleans Bowl. The receiving core, comprised of just one upper classman, recorded five touchdowns in FAU’s 44-27 victory over the University of Memphis in New Orleans. They also were instrumental in the meteoric rise of then sophomore Rusty Smith, who was ranked No. 21 nationally in passing efficiency.

In 2008, Jackson returned all but one receiving option ­– tight end Jason Harmon who suffered a knee injury in the spring game. The Owls tallied 3,312 yards and 25 scores despite facing four bowl teams that year, including the University of Texas, a team in the hunt for a national championship. The receivers had 20 receptions and two scores in the 2008 Motor City Bowl in Detroit, Michigan, making FAU the only program in the state of Florida to win back-to-back bowl championships in 2007-08 and the only team in the history of the Sun Belt Conference to win back-to-back-bowls.

Jackson, a California native, worked with an offense in 2008 that used the passing game to set-up the rushing attack led by Charles Pierre, the first FAU player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. It is expected to be more of the same in 2009, as the Owls will welcome the return of tight end Jason Harmon, while losing only three senior receivers who caught just 10 percent of the receptions in 2008. The offensive focus of Spring 2009 will be the replacement of Pierre and DiIvory Edgecomb, as well as the replacement of three senior offensive linemen – none of whom played the full 2008 season.

“This is a natural transition for our program,” said Schnellenberger. “Darryl will continue to work with the receivers and will assume the coordination of an offense that has been in place since the program’s inception and throughout my FAU career.”


Source:  FAU Media Relations