DT Darrell Jackson will be back in action with Florida State in 2023 postseason
The Florida State football team was dealt a blow during the preseason when the NCAA denied defensive tackle Darrell Jackson’s appeal for immediate eligibility after transferring in from Miami.
But it looks like Jackson will suit up at some point for the 2023 Seminoles after all.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell was asked after Wednesday’s practice if there’s a possibility that Jackson will be eligible to play in the postseason. And Norvell said it’s more than that.
“Postseason will be a reality for Darrell, as we get to that point,” Norvell said.
That could be a significant development for a Florida State team that is expected to be in contention for the College Football Playoff.
The Seminoles are 4-0 overall (2-0 in the ACC), including a win this past Saturday at Clemson, and they are ranked No. 4 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll and No. 5 in the AP Top 25.
According to a school spokesperson, Jackson would not be eligible for the ACC Championship Game if the Seminoles were to play in that game on Dec. 2, because it would take place during Florida State’s fall semester. The earliest he would be eligible would be for a bowl game or the College Football Playoff.
Jackson, who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 326 pounds, recorded 27 tackles, three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss last season for the Miami Hurricanes. He was denied eligibility because this was his second transfer as an undergraduate; he originally started his college career at Maryland.
Florida State already boasts an impressive defensive line, but the addition of Jackson in December could take the Seminoles to another level.
On Wednesday, Norvell was focused more on what it would mean for Jackson individually to get on the field after working hard all offseason and in practices throughout the fall.
“He’s working,” Norvell said. “I’ve been really proud of him. I think he’s getting good work. He’s approaching every day the way we want him to approach it. He’s getting better. He’s continuing to push. He’s trying to go into every week as if he was playing, which can be hard.
“It’s hard for a young man that knows that they’re not going to be able to get on the field on Saturday, but still to get their mindset and their approach that this is the most important rep of my life. And I think he’s doing that. And you see the improvement out there on the practice field. Just excited for what that’s gonna be when he’s cleared to play.”
Talk about this story with other die-hard Florida State football fans on the Tribal Council.
