Sep 16, 2024
Lake Forest College football player A.J. Jackson was named Midwest Conference Offensive Performer of the Week on Monday for his performance in the Saturday's 42-35 triumph over Illinois College.
Jackson scored each of the Foresters' final five touchdowns in the contest. The graduate student and wide receiver often lined up in the backfield, carried the ball a dozen times for 55 yards, and reached the end zone on rushes of 1, 7, 10, 1, and 17 yards. Three of the touchdowns gave his team the lead and the final one was an insurance score that proved to be the difference in the game.
In addition to his rushing totals, Jackson caught two passes for 66 yards and covered 37 yards on two punt returns and 36 on a pair of kickoff returns for a total of 194 all-purpose yards.
Jackson is just the fourth player in program history to score five rushing touchdowns in a contest. The record of six was set by Corey Honore in 1996 and matched by Joey Valdivia 20 years later. Valdivia also had a five-touchdown game in 2017, as did Andy Heikes in 2000. Jackson joined Valdivia as the only Foresters with five or more touchdowns of any type in a game, having also caught six touchdown passes in a half three seasons ago. His 49 career touchdowns and 296 points are second only to Valdivia in the school record books.
MWC Offensive Performers of the Week are selected by the league's sports information directors. Jackson also earned the award on offense once during the 2021 season and for his performance on special teams six times.
Jackson scored each of the Foresters' final five touchdowns in the contest. The graduate student and wide receiver often lined up in the backfield, carried the ball a dozen times for 55 yards, and reached the end zone on rushes of 1, 7, 10, 1, and 17 yards. Three of the touchdowns gave his team the lead and the final one was an insurance score that proved to be the difference in the game.
In addition to his rushing totals, Jackson caught two passes for 66 yards and covered 37 yards on two punt returns and 36 on a pair of kickoff returns for a total of 194 all-purpose yards.
Jackson is just the fourth player in program history to score five rushing touchdowns in a contest. The record of six was set by Corey Honore in 1996 and matched by Joey Valdivia 20 years later. Valdivia also had a five-touchdown game in 2017, as did Andy Heikes in 2000. Jackson joined Valdivia as the only Foresters with five or more touchdowns of any type in a game, having also caught six touchdown passes in a half three seasons ago. His 49 career touchdowns and 296 points are second only to Valdivia in the school record books.
MWC Offensive Performers of the Week are selected by the league's sports information directors. Jackson also earned the award on offense once during the 2021 season and for his performance on special teams six times.