Oct. 13, 1999
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – When a team kicks off the season with a 1-3 start, it becomes hard to notice the positives.
Anymore, the numbers can no longer go ignored.
Six games into the season, the Irish have rallied back to a 3-3 record with six games left to play due in large part to Jarious Jackson’s turnaround.
The Irish quarterback appears to be getting stronger with every snap of the football. While the quarterback’s decision-making may have come under fire, no one can deny Jackson a place in the record books.
“I think the last couple weeks, though, without a doubt, he’s played the best football of his career because he’s been really consistent in his decision making and he’s so balanced in what he can do with his talents now,” Irish head coach Bob Davie said.
In six games, the fifth-year senior has thrown for 1402 yards and nine touchdowns. He has 89 completions on 144 attempts. His longest pass of the season he registered in the Oklahoma game when connected with wide receiver Joey Getherall. The 58-yard pass cut the Sooner lead to nine points.
Currently, he leads the Notre Dame record books in completion rates. He has a completion rate of 61.8. If he stays on the mark, he will replace former quarterback Kevin McDougal and his completion rate of .616 set back in 1993.
ESPN ranks Jackson third in the nation in passing efficiency rating behind the likes of Georgia Tech’s Joe Hamilton and Marshall’s Chad Pennington both of whom are Heisman contenders. Although Jackson is ahead of Purdue’s Drew Brees and Florida State’s Chris Weinke.
“He can run, as we all know, but he’s developed into really a good passer,” Davie said. “I mean, you think back to even last year in the LSU game, the game that he was injured on the last play, how well he threw the football. He’s come a long way throwing it. Obviously, his skills are better. I think he’s more comfortable in our scheme. He’s come a long way. We’re in an offense that asks the quarterback to do a lot. He certainly does a lot for us.”
Currently, Jackson is averaging 233.7 passing yard per game.
Besides his passing numbers, what makes Jackson such a tremendous threat is his ground game. On the ground, he ranks as the second highest rusher in the Notre Dame ground attack. He has amassed 442 yards and six rushing touchdowns. Tailback Tony Fisher leads the team in rushing with 495 yards. His longest and most spectacular run of the season came against the Sun Devils. He weaved 48 yards and into the end zone to help lead his team to a win.
Jackson is averaging 281 yards per game of total offense. He leads the team in total offense and the numbers rank him 16th in the country in Division I football.
Prior to the Arizona State contest, Jackson became the first Notre Dame quarterback ever to pass for 240-plus yards in four consecutive games. Through those four games, Jackson amassed 1,090 passing yards, which is the best by a Notre Dame quarterback since 1970. Joe Theisman holds the 1970 mark with 1,231 yard in a four game stretch.
“Yeah, I think Jarious is a much better quarterback right now than he was last year,” Davie said. “I think he’s made a lot of improvement. He played really for two years I guess in a different scheme. A lot of people, when he came here, including me, thought he would be a linebacker. That’s how far he’s come.”