Keenan Jackson: "It's Been A Great Learning Experience"
NC State wide receiver Keenan Jackson met with the media ahead of the Wolfpack's upcoming matchup versus Northern Illinois.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.
What has this first year been like for you as a freshman getting used to playing everyday in football?
Yeah, it's been great, man. It's been a great learning experience. Learned a whole lot about myself and just more about the game of football. But yeah, I'm just, I'm excited to finish out the season with the team and see what we can do.
It seems like you've taken a pretty big emphasis on run blocking. Why? Why did you kind of make that your thing?
It's kind of how I was raised. My pops instilled it to me when I was young. I could score three touchdowns and I was blocking soft. I didn't get to talk to him when I went home. So it's kind of just always been like the motto and the mindset. And he's letting me know before I come up here. You can take what you hear and don't forget where you came from and how you grew up playing football.
Do you feel like that's helped you earn more play in the time early on outside of just obviously being a good receiver as well?
I mean, sure. I can't tell you. I mean, it's just what I do and I just try to do anything that the coach has asked me to do. So I'm going to continue to do that.
You ended your high school career in Carter Finley stadium in the state championship. How is the reality of being a part of the pack measured up to your expectations?
It's been great. It's real. I mean, my first memory is just looking up and I can still envision parts and pieces of the state championship game. But everything's been great here. I've enjoyed my time and I'm just looking forward to the next three, four years.
You look at the wide receiver room. A lot of young guys in that room. First and second year guys. I mean, how much have you guys kind of taken that onus on yourselves to improve as an overall unit after what's taken place the first four weeks?
Yeah, we're a really close group. We definitely help each other learn. You know, Dacari and Jakolbe are the only ones that are coming back from last year. So they're kind of, you know, like the, I guess you say like the head or the mentors of the group. You know, Jakolbe and Dacari. But yeah, I sit next to Jakoloe in the meeting room. So he's talking to me throughout stuff. Joker’s talk about something. I didn't understand it at first. He's the first one, you know, I'll break it down to me. So, but as a whole group, we all just try to, you know, just find different ways to contribute. You know, we don't all don't have the same skill set. All six of us, I would say. So, you know, we try to do whatever we can do to make the team better.
Your faith is clearly very important to you. You know, how does that impact the way you approach football?
Definitely makes me not take it for granted. You know, I prayed at the same place before every practice on the practice field and the same thing on the game field. But, you know, just kind of just keeps you grounded, you know, makes me not take anything for granted. Just be grateful for what the Lord is, you know, bless you, bless you with opportunities wise.
How much does that help you get through struggles like this team is going through as well?
Yeah, that's everything. You know, it's just, like I said, it keeps you grounded, keeps you focused and doesn't let you. I mean, obviously, it's natural to get into your head, but, you know, you know, if you're close with your faith and close to your family as well, you can lean on them and, you know, helps you to get through anything, any obstacle.
What do you think of CJ? You probably call a lot of passes from him. What do you get from him that has allowed him to succeed now that he's a starting quarterback?
His confidence and the way he approaches, you know, just practice. You know, he's the most high energy one. You know, obviously, we didn't have the best showing, you know, last week and he was still on the sideline talking to the O-line, talking to receivers, you know, just keeping everyone, keeping everyone focused, you know, throughout frustration. And he's definitely going to be a great player. He's going to be a great leader. And when it comes to coming in and catching the ball, I mean, all of us receiving room and quarterbacks, we do a lot of work in the offseason. So, you know, it translates.
You've had four coaches now in four years?
Four coaches in the four years?
That's how many?
In and of itself? Freshman year, senior year as well? Yeah.
How much has that kind of helped you adjust to things, like being able to handle change?
Yeah, so it's really helped a lot. I was talking to my mom about this coming into, you know, coming here in January and just being able to, you know, adapt. I played in, like you said, four different coaches, also four different offenses. So having to learn a whole new playbook each season, it definitely prepared me, you know, for college and also not being, you know, frustrated or not being or being comfortable, I would say, being uncomfortable, you know, with new stuff and just taking it with an open mind.
What's been the biggest thing you've learned in the past nine months since coming here?
Preparation, taking care of your body, just trying to be a pro as early as you can. Finding a routine, that's what I was looking for. Finding a routine, whether it's, you know, what you do, like, in the morning, like getting up earlier and going to the training room. We have a great training staff, so, you know, you can go in there whenever you have a problem, get some needles on you, do, you know, they have little rehab sheets. You can do rehab, get yourself stretched out before practice, stuff like that. So, yeah, and I've also learned that from the older guys, just talking to them and saying it's going to help you out in the long run, you know, when you're, I don't know, 22, 23, however old you are in college football nowadays, but, you know, it's going to pay off down the road.
Just your thoughts on Northern Illinois, their defense, what are they, what are you guys facing this week?
Yeah, you know, 4-2-5, they run a lot of stuff, a lot of quarters. So, yeah, I mean, we just got to, it's not too different from the defense that we've seen these past few weeks, but we've got a clean slate to come out and improve ourselves and put a good show in front of our fans, so that's what we've got to do.
At what point did you kind of realize that you had a chance to really compete for a role on this team?
It wasn't really a moment, it was just, I mean, if they don't feel like I'm ready or if they don't feel like, you know, I'm good enough at the moment, then this is what it is, but I wasn't going to, like, wait around and, you know, be like, oh, I'm not ready yet, so I just, I'm going to just go for it and, you know, whatever happens, whatever happens.