Virginia Tech secured a verbal commitment from quarterback Joshua Jackson Thursday. The Hokies recruited to fill its need at quarterback in the 2016 class since Logan Byrd decommitted in March. The Saline, Michigan product is rated a 3-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals, and a 4-star recruit by ESPN. In 2014, Jackson threw for 1,863 yards (127/190, 66.8%), 16 TDs and 3 INTs. He rushed 100 times for 783 yards and 10 TDs
Virginia Tech offered the 6-2, 200 pound Jackson a scholarship on May 6th. The Hokies beat out Northwestern, Oregon State, West Virginia and Minnesota among other schools for Jackson's services.
Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Scot Loeffer goes way back with the Jackson family, far enough to when Joshua was a toddler.
"My dad was running backs coach at Michigan for 23 years, including when Coach Loeffler was there, so he's known me since I was a baby," Jackson told The Key Play's Alex Koma in June.
"When I was in elementary school and middle school, he'd come watch me throw and give me some tips," Jackson continued. "We've had a good relationship for a while."
Loeffler's longtime relationship with Jackson's family, the Tech quarterbacks' coach recruiting effort and a recent trip to Blacksburg by Josh helped seal the deal.
"I got to spend lots of time with Coach Loeffler," Jackson told The Key Play's about his recent unofficial visit. "We just fit well together, I feel like he knows me well after all these years. We have a good connection. He knows what he's getting with me and I know what I'm getting with him."
Comments
Awesome! Watched the interview and he sounds like a great kid. It's going to be an exciting next few years in Blacksburg. Even though we lost the chance of a Ford to Ford connection, we still have a chance to get a Bucky to Bucky one:
Potentially Dwayne Lawson, followed by Jackson?
...I can't even offer a quip to answer my own question, that's just awesome
potentially but if Dwayne RSs and wins the job that usually ends up with the other guy transferring out if they are within a year.
I am most pleased with his decision. Welcome to Hokie nation JJ!!!
Watching it live, Josh Jackson looks at peace and calm with his commitment. He looks like a solid QB prospect who is not afraid of the competition.
say what you will about loeffler, he knows how to recruit QBs to run his system.
befriend his parents and be a surrogate uncle to the guy? Lefty sure knows how to play the long game
#sources: Mike London reportedly spotted at Charlottesville maternity wards, trying to "establish a connection."
#sources: infant at Charlottesville General Hospital announces he's transferring to another maternity ward
You win the Internet today!
edit: I can type, I swear.
um, buddy? We all in the internet today. Are you out the internet?
FTFY
Winning!
That needs to go.
Well there's only Martha Jefferson Hospital and UVA Medical Center
just cause it's true doesn't make it relevant or funny
Didn't watch the video perfectly, but it looked like every single snap was out of shotgun. Will he be able to work from under a center?
Lefty has been recruiting this kid for 18 yrs. Wonder if that is a recruiting record.
it could be. The good news is that it'll take other coaches quite some time to get caught up
Can you recruit a kid longer than 18 years? I guess they could go the JUCO route or play baseball for a few years
We've been recruiting the potential Fuller kids - I'm pretty sure a scholly has already been presented to all four Fullers for their future kids.
I bet Loeffler started recruiting his own firstborn as soon as his wife showed him the positive test.
Alston Smith?
I know what you mean by this, but apparently the recruiting didn't start until may of this year.
Well VT may not have been recruiting him but Lefty has been since he could throw
a football it sounds like.
lefty has known him but has not been recruiting him until recently.
It was supposed to be a joke dude...
which is why I said I thought I knew where you were going, but then you followed up and really made it sound like lefty had been recruiting him all along.
Is this really worth arguing about?
No and sorry guys. Was just trying to make a quick funny on a boring day....
Don't be sorry. It was funny. Don't let the Literal Police get you down :)
Now by "Literal Police", do you literally mean the police?
This just got left on the tee this long?
WTF is up with Copeland's face?
That can't be right.
Summers' aura of awesomeness is phasing him out.
No ill-intent meant towards your joke. I enjoyed it as well.
I'm....salty...on this pick up.
I'll see myself out
I know, interesting/cool high school name.
Are they the 'fighting IV's'?
The Drips?
The "Saline Solutions"
No suspension jokes from our science nerds?
I can't remember the last time we've gotten big-time QB recruits three years in a row. This gives us a full cupboard for the future with Durkin, Lawson and now Jackson.
Props to Loeffler.
I watched the first third of his Hudl. This kid throws a frozen rope (ahem).
His location and quick release on many of those passes is great.
It looks like many of the pointers that Loeffler gave him as a young-un have paid off for this kid.
Also, there was a run he did in there that looks very much like the 4th and 1 TD that Logan Thomas ran against Miami.
This is a great addition to Hokie Nation (Welcome Joshua!). Hopefully this verbal becomes permanent. With the relationship Loeffler has with his family, he will get plenty of attention over the coming year to turn this into an LOI signing in February.
So we have Dwayne and Charlie at QB. Can we get Portman and Fulton at LB?
Goldberg as -- TE?
Goldberg?
Goldberg.
O-Line, obviously. Nothing gets past him. Besides, Julie the Cat had the better glove.
Bill Haverchuck dance time!
he gets it
I look forward to referring to the Wahoos as "cake eaters" for the next five years.
Ha! I guess that is technically not a recruiting violation.
Qbs with high upside coming in the pipeline, this is great.
Receivers will follow if Ford, Cam, and Bucky can make another big leap this year, and if we can display a functioning offense. See: Forest, Wake.
But nothing but good vibes today.
Excellent news! He has a good arm and a really nice touch on his passes! Good speed too when he runs. Welcome to Hokie Nation!
http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-5755106264829253170/sali...
Did anyone else not know he is the number one QB recruit in Mich?
http://video-embed.mlive.com/services/player/bcpid1949050400001?bctid=42...
Video replay of his commitment.
Watched the video:
"University of Virginia Tech" Oh well, he'll get it right over time.
"Campus was amazing." Translation: "Its warmer there than Michigan."
Just kidding around. Welcome to Hokie Nation Joshua.
When the Q/A was going on the guys interviewing him was saying that a lot of VT fans will be googling him tonight. Well...:
Not on TKP, brother! We knew about you and are educated fans that pay attention.
I have a hard time believing that gif is real. Don't think I could hit a football that far with a driver off of a tee, then again I've never tried. ...I'd hate to be my football after work today.
I don't know, it looks like the grass is pretty torn up there so there were likely several practice attempts. Sidenote, nice fade on that shot....
I quit getting upset about recruits saying "University of Virginia Tech." When you're annoucing an important decision the "university" part just sounds better. When you're part of the Hokie faithful, it doesn't.
Just once I want to hear an 18-year-old announce that he's taking his talents to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University -- Eastern Institute for Enlightenment and Intellectual Outgrowth.
Just once.
I might be explaining the joke here but that sounds like an insult to a school with a large agriculture program.
Apparently it was the winner of a contest in 1970.
He needs to work on his celebration. That is a seriously girly run...
Nice, keep stockpiling that talent!!
Trying to use poor Emma like that!
that escalated quickly
Maybe I was talking about Emma...
Who else would you rather see dancing?
Here is a lesson in GIFing for votes!
is it bad I read your name as seven LAWSON'S of Players and immediately though hmm 7 Lawsons at VT could this be a Fuller thing!
Quarterback Battles
Spring 2013:
Logan Thomas vs Mark Leal
Spring 2014:
Mark Leal vs Brenden Motley
Spring 2015:
Michael Brewer vs Brenden Motley
Spring 2016:
Brenden Motley vs Dwayne Lawson vs Chris Durkin
Spring 2017:
Dwayne Lawson vs Chris Durkin vs Joshua Jackson
Say what you will about Scott Loeffler, but his success at upgrading the talent at the Quarterback position is undeniable.
preach!
Loeffler might not be the guy that everyone was hoping he would be..but dammit, he's a damn good recruiter and he works hard as balls. I know I don't work as hard as him..i doubt many of us here on TKP do. He is a great competitor and I believer in Scot Loeffler.
Definitely an upgrade, where before we had a guy, now we have a few guys that can be the guy
The best thing about it for all these kids mentioned in this thread is that they get a free education (out-of-state tuition ain't cheap) at a mighty fine institution.
I know a lot about Saline. I am stoked. This is the guy! Throwing Dimes!
I love that gif but isnt that the play where he completely screwed up his ankle?
Yeah I believe he sat out the rest of the game but I also believe that was his third rushing touchdown of the day. That was his coming out game if I'm not mistaken. After the year we had with Clarke he was just downright amazing. Whenever I tell people where I went to school they ask if I was there when MV7 was there. I just remember everyone being like "Holy crap what is going on? This dude is insane out there." It was awesome.
Sigh.....
Yes it was, it was also his first game, against JMU. Is the intent of this gif to compare JJ to Vick? If so, I have to say that it's WAY too early for that.
Never too early for the hype train. Until proven otherwise, every recruit is to be considered a Heisman finalist before he steps foot on campus.
Choo Choo Soul always gets a leg!
My two oldest daughters love it.
my first ever tailgate was that game
Michigan signed 7 QBs?!?! Holy crap expect some attrition there. I wonder how Harbaugh convinced all seven to play there....YOU!!
Are you being serious here or am I missing a joke?
Thats easy. All he has to say is "I'm Harbaugh". The kids immediately go "I am committed to Michigan"
7 QBs in one class? That's got to cause a shortage at some other position. Unless they have a Curt Newsome type OL coach that thinks QB feet>TE feet.
That's the thing I can only find at most 3 QB's coming in.
Lots of great athletes who ended up at QB in high school but won't stick there in college, maybe?
But if Rivals lists them as a QB, they must be a QB. It's the rules.
Wow, the accuracy on those passes is VERY rare in high school. His running is impressive too and I believe it will actually translate to more success running at the college level. Arm strength may not be great, but not bad and will get better.
It is a nice thing to have so many quality QB's in the system, we have been pretty lucky with injuries when we have been thin at the position. Not a shot at those guys but we would have been in a bad state of affairs if Tyrod had gotten hurt when JuJu was the back up, and we saw what happened when LT got hurt in the bowl game.
Has anyone seen this? Cant tell who made it but its awesome
love it. I hope that was someone in JJ's crew with video skills, maybe Dawson? he also liked movies. But even if just a fan, nicely done.
EDIT: oh yeah, I forgot... something something no citing video footage twitter meltdown
Pretty good. It's sad that until a few years ago this was better than a lot of stuff coming out of VT althetlic dept.
Loeffler stitched it together a week ago. Showed it to JJ when he was in town. Sold him on the spot. (totally not true...or is it?)
Cool I did the logo sting at the end. Is this where i get the credits?
No, you don't do that here, you do that on Twitter via loaded questions and lots of assumptions and misstatements.
Twitter and other VT fan sites. Mustn't forget the attempt to start a turf war.
Pretty sure one of his friends made it.