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Bobby Jackson was named the Dolphins’ running backs coach on April 24, 2007. He joins the team with 20 seasons of experience as an NFL assistant, including three as an offensive coordinator.
In his NFL tenure, Jackson has coached five Pro Bowl running backs, including at least one in three of his four stops where he has tutored the running backs. The list consists of Marshall Faulk (St. Louis, 2000-02), Stephen Davis (Washington, 1999), Terry Allen (Washington, 1996), Brian Mitchell (Washington, 1995) and Marion Butts (San Diego, 1990-91).
Most recently, Jackson was the associate head coach/offensive coordinator/running backs with the Rams from 2000-02, and in his three years in St. Louis, the Rams led the NFL in total offense in 2000 and 2001 as they averaged 442.2 and 418.1 yards per game, respectively, in those two years. In addition, Marshall Faulk surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark twice during that time, finishing second in the NFC in rushing in 2000 (1,359 yards) and third in 2001 (1,382 yards). He also led all NFC running backs in receptions all three years, as he averaged more than 81 catches a season over that stretch. The Rams’ running game averaged more than 4.0 yards per attempt all three seasons.
Jackson served as running backs coach with the Redskins from 1994-99 and in his six years in Washington, the team produced a 1,000-yard running back three times, including Terry Allen (1995-96) and Stephen Davis (1999). Allen finished third in the NFC in rushing both times he reached the plateau while Davis led the conference in that category in 1999. As a unit, the Redskins topped the 4.0-yard average per carry mark on four occasions.
Jackson was the running backs coach with the Phoenix Cardinals from 1992-93, and in his final year with the team, Ronald Moore amassed 1,018 yards rushing, the first Cardinals running back to break the 1,000-yard barrier since 1985. Also in ’93, Larry Centers led the team with 60 receptions, a figure which ranked second among NFC running backs that year.
During Jackson’s five-year tenure as running backs coach in San Diego (1987-91), the Chargers surpassed the 4.0-yard per carry mark in each of his final four seasons. In fact, over that four-year stretch (1988-91), the Chargers averaged 4.6 yards per rush attempt, and led the league in this department in 1991 (4.8), while finishing second in 1988 (4.7) and third in 1990 (4.7). Gary Anderson (1,119 yards in 1988) and Marion Butts (1,225 yards in 1990) each went over 1,000 yards rushing during that time.
Jackson’s initial stop in the NFL was with the Atlanta Falcons where he served as linebackers coach from 1983-85 and tight ends coach in 1986.
Prior to his NFL stint, Jackson held collegiate assistant posts at Tennessee (1977-82), Louisville (1975-76), Kansas State (1970-74) and Florida State (1965-69). For seven of his 18 seasons at the collegiate level he served as defensive coordinator, including his stops at Kansas State (1973-74), Louisville and Tennessee (1980-82).
A native of Forsyth, Ga., Jackson attended Samford University where he was a two-time Little All-America running back for Head Coach Bobby Bowden. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from the Birmingham, Ala. school, and went on to earn his master’s in physical education from George Peabody College, now a part of Vanderbilt University.
Before joining the Dolphins this offseason, Jackson had spent the previous four seasons on his farm in Central Alabama, along with his wife, Nancy.
Jackson and his wife have two sons, Jeff and Ken. |
