Randy, 5-star Domani Jackson’s dad, dishes about official go to to Michigan


If you happen to’re making an attempt to get a beat on what 2022 Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei five-star cornerback Domani Jackson goes to do, you could find loads of conflicting messages out within the ether.

Nonetheless presently dedicated to USC, Jackson has a call to make. The Trojans fired head coach Clay Helton after his Week 2 loss to Stanford, which implies that there can be a brand new employees in Los Angeles. For the time being, Jackson’s main recruiter, Donté Williams, is the interim head coach, however there aren’t any ensures that he’ll stay in his put up as soon as a brand new coach is known as.

In the meantime, Jackson is coming off of an official go to to Ann Arbor along with his household, and it couldn’t have been higher timing. The Wolverines’ Week 2 environment for its prime time evening recreation internet hosting Washington was electrical, and there have been a bevy of different elite recruits in attendance taking within the 31-10 win. Whereas Jackson has been on campus earlier than, it was the primary time that he was in a position to really soak up a recreation at Michigan, which he’s lengthy thought-about his dream faculty.

The Go to

WolverinesWire spoke with Jackson’s father, Randy, on Wednesday, and the elder Jackson offered some particulars from his personal perspective concerning the go to, beginning with attending the sport itself.

“It was sort of a surreal expertise,” Jackson mentioned. “Individuals really knew who Domani was. They weren’t shy about letting him know they wished him to play for Michigan. And truly being there and seeing the services, going by way of them, and the employees — they’ve an incredible employees there. They answered all of our questions. There was a number of connection there. After which The Large Home and the maize out. That was unreal!”

Jackson’s main recruiter is defensive move recreation coordinator Steve Clinkscale, and whereas the recruit and coach have been forging a connection since Clinkscale joined the employees in late spring, there’s been a connection brewing between his father and the secondary coach.

The Jackson household isn’t initially from Southern California. Truly, they hail from the identical place that Clinkscale calls house, in Youngstown, Ohio. And the factor about Youngstown is, even for those who depart, it by no means leaves you.

“There’s a number of similarities — each of us being from Youngstown, Ohio,” Jackson mentioned. “The mentality is just about the identical. Blue-collar, onerous work, get after it mentality, not a number of speaking. Not a number of glamor, not a number of flash, however on the finish of the day, working your butt off and incomes every little thing you get. That helped set up a fairly good relationship between us.”

Did you’ve gotten any moments with the teaching employees the place you bought to know them otherwise?

The Jackson household obtained an opportunity to take a seat and discuss with just about the complete teaching employees, Randy says, however the focus wasn’t on the recruitment aspect of issues. As a substitute, the coaches and employees obtained to know them extra as folks. “It was a go to, nevertheless it wasn’t all about soccer,” he mentioned. “It was about a number of different issues. So football-wise, I’d say it was in all probability the minimal that we talked about.”

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If you happen to’ve adopted together with Jackson’s recruitment at any stage alongside the way in which, you then already understand how shut he’s with present Michigan commit Will Johnson, a fellow five-star cornerback. At one level, the duo thought-about themselves a package deal deal, each contemplating Michigan, Ohio State and USC. Nonetheless, on Jan. 23, Jackson pulled the set off for the Trojans whereas Johnson mulled over his choices. Simply over a month later, after having visited USC unofficially with Jackson, Johnson opted to comply with in his father Deon’s footsteps and don the winged helmet.

The connection goes past the 2 prospects, nevertheless, because the Jackson and Johnson households have cast a bond between the mother and father as properly.

“To be sincere with you, I feel this is without doubt one of the issues, going by way of the method of the recruitment and enjoying 7-on-7, happening visits, he and Could have established an especially shut friendship,” Jackson mentioned. “That has, after all, the households have established an in depth friendship, as properly. I discuss to Deon on a regular basis and we textual content, we name, we discuss. A factor that may go properly past soccer.”

NEXT PAGE: How stable is Jackson’s dedication to USC?

Choices, choices

For now, Jackson continues to be pledged to USC. There are stories that he could be swayed whereas there are others saying he’s 100% dedicated to the Trojans. Nonetheless, contemplating that he’s taken an official go to to Michigan — he’ll additionally go to Alabama on Nov. 6 — it seems that stable pledge is being examined.

As Randy notes, with a lot up within the air with the Trojans teaching employees, Domani has to guage his choices to determine what he’s going to do.

“Properly, as you mentioned, he’s dedicated to USC. Nonetheless, there may be some uncertainty over there,” “The coach is gone, so there’s gonna be some modifications. We’re simply gonna need to see what modifications they make.”

So the youthful Jackson will quickly have a option to make. USC isn’t more likely to title a head coach anytime quickly, particularly if it poaches one from one other program that also has months left on the schedule. That offers the Wolverines and Crimson Tide a while to steer the nation’s No. 2 cornerback to make the flip.

So far as Randy sees it, Domani nonetheless has a number of components to contemplate, many which gained’t be answered till he treks over to Tuscaloosa.

“Proper, properly I feel 100% Domani’s choice can be how glad is he? How is the match? When he will get into an atmosphere, how does he really feel?” Jackson mentioned. “That’s in all probability going to be a very powerful factor — when he steps on campus, what feeling does he have when he’s strolling on campus and strolling round, how does he really feel? In order that’s principally the large a part of his choice is that. And what relationships does he have? Not solely with the coaches, however the gamers. In fact, as you recognize, he and Could have a really robust relationship. In order that’s gonna weigh into it additionally.”

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Whereas that could be what Domani is contemplating, what does his father need for his son? In fact, Randy solely has a lot say — Domani will make his personal alternative. But when Randy had to decide on, these are the points that he’s on the lookout for and inspiring his son to search for.

“Properly, the occasion environment wouldn’t be one in every of them! We’d not be on the lookout for that! However the complete school expertise. If you go to school, what’s the expertise going to be? Is the campus going to be a university expertise that you simply stick with it? Are you going to have these reminiscences for the remainder of your life? Or you can be strictly enterprise, you’re simply going there strictly for soccer and have soccer reminiscences solely. So it’s going to be the place he’s going to be glad in his atmosphere and the place he’s going to have the ability to match into the atmosphere. Not solely on the soccer subject, like I mentioned, however across the neighborhood as properly.”

No matter whether or not Domani Jackson chooses to remain put and say ‘Struggle On!’ or if he travels again to his native northeast, the expertise of visiting Ann Arbor was one for the ages — not only for him, however for his household as properly, Randy says.

“The go to exceeded our household expectations — by lots!”



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