Cedric Jackson returns to lead Discovery football

MADISON-  The football field at Discovery Middle is lined and ready for some Panther football. Discovery will play their first regular season game Thursday night Aug. 31 against Arab starting at 5 pm.

Cedric Jackson returns as head coach after a season of near misses. Discovery saved their best for their last game last season as they came from 14 points behind to defeat cross-town rival Liberty.

‘They had a really good team and we came back and scored 21 unanswered points,” Jackson said. “We should have won 2 or 3 other games we lost in the last minute.”

Those players now are at Bob Jones playing on the ninth-grade team and Jackson must coach up a new group of players.

A middle school football coach faces a unique set of challenges. He doesn’t have two or three years starters.

But Jackson embraces the challenge, as he has since his days at Lee High School where he was a quarterback and later at Alabama A&M and on to Midwestern St. (Texas) where he finished his playing career and graduated.

Adam Benefield moves up to assume quarterback for Discovery eighth grade team. Keenan Hill is new to the team and will push for playing time.

“Adam has a year in the system and he knows all my motions and shifts.”

Now in his second year, Jackson is looking for “consistency. Finding an offense and defense to fit these guys and their abilities. Making sure they are accountable and disciplined and playing hard-nosed football.”

Jackson will have the benefit of some new coaches he brought in plus a full offseason with the players.

“Preparing our guys in the offseason has been big. My job is making sure they lifted weights every week and ran. As far as size and ability they are a whole different team right now.

They are excited about the season. We will just take it one game at a time.”

Some of the key players fans should look for are #70 Collin Jones left tackle and defensive end. Austin Barnes at center, Jonah Tuttle at right guard and Ethan Fury at tackle and defensive end will all be key players for the team.