Coaching for His Alma Mater Is A Dream Job for Rydell Jackson

Rydell Jackson admits the 2018 football season at Monticello High School was something of a blur at times.

While Jackson had been in the coaching profession for approximately two decades the 2018 season was his first as a varsity football head coach. Adding to the situation was that Jackson was leading the program for his high school alma mater.

Now as he prepares for spring practice for his second season as head coach Jackson is more relaxed, at least to some degree.

“The biggest thing about being the head coach is that you have to make the right decisions so the entire program will move the right way,” said Jackson, a former player for the Purple Hurricanes and 1993 graduate. “As an assistant you focused on coaching your group and doing more things behind the scenes. As head coach you are responsible for the whole program and have to do so in the spotlight.”

Jackson’s promotion to head coach was met with a good deal of enthusiasm from alumni and supporters of the program. In recent seasons wins have been tough to come by but Jackson had Monticello at 5-5 in 2018 with two of the losses by a combined eight points.

Wins were posted against Bowden, Putnam, Oglethorpe, Banks, and Social Circle.

The team made the playoffs and Jackson said he hopes that experience will pay off in 2019 as the Canes hope for another postseason run.

“I was pleased with what we accomplished in 2018,” Jackson said. “We still have a lot of room for improvement. It was a season that really went by fast. I had been coaching for 20 years and I had to try and get my feet on solid ground being the head coach.”

Spring practice is tentatively set to begin May 6 although with construction ongoing on the new football facility Jackson said some adjustments might be necessary.

“We will look to get all the new faces out there used to playing varsity football,” the coach said. “Offensively we want to install our base runs and base passes. We will focus on our blocking schemes for our offensive linemen. On defense we want to get five or six sets installed. Overall we will concentrate on areas that gave us trouble last year.”

Defensively, Monticello’s goal will be create turnovers and put the offense in a good position for additional points.

The team will divide into two squads for a scrimmage on the last day of spring work. Jackson said the primary goal is to have “10 solid practices” next month.

In looking at the region for 2019, Jackson said Rabun County will still be a team to contend with. The coach said Union County should also be at the top of the region.

“We want to move up,” Jackson said. “We have to work and we are going to do what we have to in order to get to where we need to be.”

An old adage on the gridiron is that a program makes its most progress from the first season to the second while under the direction of a new head coach. Coaching-wise Jackson said he wants to make improvements himself.

“Getting the chance to lead this program was a dream come true,” Jackson said. “I had to learn on the go in my first year. I will continue to do all the right things for our kids. As the head coach you have to make sure of that. Their best interest has to be in your hands and guide you each day.”