Christian Jackson is the new running backs coach for the Quincy Hawks sprint football team. Jackson is a former standout running back for the Hawks, completing his career with the team in 2025.

During his playing career, Jackson spent five collegiate seasons between Belhaven and Quincy. Jackson played high school football at Starkville Academy, where he set the school rushing record of over 3,200 yards. Jackson played two seasons at NCAA Division III Belhaven University. Jackson finished his career as a Hawk playing three seasons of sprint football. He appeared in 27 career games and set the standard for Quincy running backs. Jackson has accumulated over 1500 all purpose yards as a Hawk.

The transition to becoming a coach came early for Jackson. As he went through his college career, he realized the dream of the National Football League was not going to come to fruition. However, that did not stop Jackson from wanting to be surrounded by football past his playing days. During his final season, Jackson had an idea that he would return to QU on the coaching staff while he got his master’s degree.

“I wanted to stay around football, and coaching is where I am comfortable and happy. I was always taught to do something that you love to do in life, and coaching was one of those things that I love to do,” Jackson said.

Jackson is the first former player turned coach in Quincy sprint football history. The new role requires a new approach and earning respect was Jackson’s top priority when he was hired. Even though many of the players he is coaching were his teammates, Jackson is willing to break friendships if it means development for his players. Jackson intends to bring high energy and toughness to his coaching strategy.

Kirkland Burton is in his second year as the head coach for the Hawks. Burton has called plays for Jackson, and called plays alongside Jackson. Burton believes Jackson’s recent stint as a player helps him relate to the players more than any other coach on the staff.

“It has been a really easy transition. He was in a position of leadership on the team already, so coming back and filling into that coach role, the guys already saw him as a leader and now he is embracing it more,” Burton said.

The reaction from the players has been nothing but positive. Having a coach like Jackson who has been through what they are going through strengthens the bond between player and coach. Senior linebacker Donnell Packer has grown to respect Jackson even more than he did when Christian was his teammate.

“Me as a player, I respect him more because he came from being a player and now he is a coach and we played for the same program. I just feel like I have a lot more respect for him in that sense,” Packer said.

Jackson has set his goals high and is looking to bring to QU something he could not as a player, a championship.