Hue Jackson was fired by Grambling State on Tuesday, and the former NFL coach clearly does not feel he was given a fair shot.
Jackson was the head coach at Grambling for two seasons. He went 8-14, though the Tigers improved from three wins in 2022 to five wins this past season. In a YouTube interview with “Offscript Live” on Tuesday, Jackson shared some of his thoughts on Grambling’s decision to move on from him.
Jackson said he was fully confident that he was on the verge of “turning that program back into the monster that we all wanted it to be.” He said he feels a coach has to be given at least three seasons to truly rebuild a program.
Hue Jackson was fired by Grambling State on Tuesday, and it is evident that the former NFL coach does not believe he was given a fair chance. Jackson was the Tigers’ head coach for two seasons, going 8-14, though the team improved from three wins in 2022 to five wins this past season. Jackson offered some insights into Grambling’s decision to part ways with him in a YouTube interview with “Offscript Live” on Tuesday, saying he was fully confident that he was close to “turning that program back into the monster that we all wanted it to be.” Jackson further stated that he believed a coach needs at least three seasons to truly rebuild a program.
Jackson believed that Grambling was “really going to take off” and become a powerhouse on both sides of the ball with several starters returning in 2024. He also claimed that he did not receive much of an explanation for his dismissal. “They probably didn’t think the progress was happening fast enough. They are going to make their choices and decisions,” Jackson said. “You’re not going to fight those things. That is their decision.” Many would concur with Jackson that two years is simply not enough time. Most teams hire new head coaches because their program is in disarray. It is unrealistic to expect a complete turnaround in such a short amount of time, especially at the college level. Perhaps Jackson did not believe in his vision.
Jackson served as an NFL coach in a number of capacities from 2001 until 2018. He coached the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018 after serving as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2011. Jackson expressed his open dissatisfaction with the Browns for how his career ended, and it appears that he is also not too fond of his most recent workplace.
