But Jackson spent much of his summer trying to push his boundaries in the film room and weight room. He reached one goal, weighing in at 212 pounds for the start of fall practices, and he is five pounds away from his desire to bench-press 300 pounds.
"I was mad" about the bench press, Jackson said Thursday, grinning
Earlier in his post-practice interview, Jackson, now a junior, said he can "lift a lot more" now, and that he maintained his speed, which is by far his best attribute as a dual-threat quarterback.
"I think I got faster," he said. Later, he put it plainly: "Each and every day I'm trying to better myself."