Jackson, is in his third season after joining the Panthers football coaching staff in July of 2022 where he serves as the Defensive Line Coach.
Prior to PVAMU coach Jackson was on the staff at Delaware State after serving as the defensive line coach at NCAA Division II (Albany State (Ga.) in 2019.
Prior to ASU, in 2018 and ’19, Jackson was an assistant defensive line coach for Your Call an interactive Football Power team under the supervision of NFL veteran coaches Kris Dishman, Kurt Shottenheimer , Mike Sherman and Merill Hoge. This was a competition in which participants call plays in real time for a series of live exhibition American football games with players, some of whom have played in the NFL or CFL. The participants watch the game via live streaming media and use a smartphone app to select the plays.
Jackson served as the defensive line coach, recruiting and special teams coordinator at Savannah State from 2012-March of 2018. While with the Tigers SSU was NCAA Div. I FCS and a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. At SSU, Coach Jackson tutored two All Americans and five All Conference Players. Currently, three of his former players at SSU hold school records in sacks and tackles for loss.
Jackson made history as the first African-American head coach at a majority institution in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference while at West Virginia Wesleyan from 2009 to ’12.
Jackson coaching resume’ also includes stints as an assistant at Illinois State (2008), La Salle (2006-07), Temple (2005-06; grad extern) and Arizona Western (2000-04).
Before SSU, Jackson held numerous positions at division II West Virginia Wesleyan College, including head coach. During his tenure at WVWC, the team broke over 30 school records two years in a row, had numerous All Americans and All conference players, a two time Harlon Hill finalist and regional player of the year, was undefeated at home for two years in a row, had the highest national ranking in school history and was the first African American head coach at a majority school in the state of West Virginia in league history.
During his career, Jackson has coached a total of 28 all-conference players, eight All-Americas, five all-region honorees and one player-of-the-year. In addition, he led units to a No. 2 national ranking in total defense (2019 Albany State), No. 2 national ranking in passing yards allowed (2019 Albany State), No. 1 conference ranking in scoring defense (2019 Albany State) and No. 1 ranking in total defense (2010 WVW; 2019 Albany State).
Jackson’s 2009 and 2019 West Virginia Wesleyan teams also earned American Football Coaches Association national rankings.
Jackson has also served at Illinois State, Lasalle, Temple, Arizona Western and was a head coach for the Elancourt Templiers of the European Pro League in 2005.
A former standout player at Eastern Michigan, he was awarded a bachelor’s from EMU in 2002 and a master’s from Valparaiso in 2004. and Associates from Arizona Western “00”.
Jonas is a native of Boston Massachusetts and has three children, Cora, Kayon, and Kai. He is married to Liz Jackson of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
