Last week at Kansas, Oklahoma cornerback Brian Jackson and Kansas receiver Dezmon Briscoe became very well acquainted. The two lined up across from each other frequently.
"It was all day," Jackson recalled.
It was the matchup Kansas wanted. Last year, the Briscoe terrorized the Sooners for 269 receiving yards. A lot came by beating Jackson on routes.
Last Saturday was a different story, however.
Jackson got in Briscoe's hip pads and stayed there, holding one of the Big 12's best receivers to seven catches for 60 yards. The performance came a week after Jackson was glued to Texas wideout Jordan Shipley and made him a non factor in the Red River Rivalry.
"Being matched up with the two receivers the last two weeks, being right on top of them, he's been incredible," OU coach Bob Stoops said. "He's really held them down. Neither of them had a big play and caught very few plays. Not that he was on them every single play, but he was on them the majority of the game. He knew that if we were going to have a good defensive day, he had to show up and play great, and he did."
Those are just the latest achievements for the Sooner defensive back. He failed to get an interception against the Jayhawks, ending a streak of four straight games with a pick.
On a defense full of stars living up to their potential, Jackson is having as good a season as anyone. And OU is reaping the benefits.
One of the biggest reasons the Sooners have been so dominant defensively is the play of Jackson and fellow cornerback Dominique Franks. The pair have consistently locked down wide receivers through the first seven games.
An opposing receiver hasn't had 100 receiving yards this season. Last season, five managed to do it.
Jackson is a big reason the numbers have dipped.
"Brian is a little bit different guy than he was last year," Sooner defensive backs coach Bobby Jack Wright said. "I think it's pretty apparent that he's a much better player. He's much more confident and he's playing really good right now."
Jackson showed he had talent in his first season as a starter. He had 72 tackles and two interceptions, but even he admits he didn't bring the same level of play every game.
Playing cornerback isn't about being spectacular, it's about being consistent. Mistakes are magnified at the spot. If a defensive tackle misses a tackle, it might turn into a 6-yard gain. When a cornerback has an error, it usually turns into six points.
Jackson proved he could cover receivers when he broke into the starting lineup. But it takes more than that to elevate him to a special player. Jackson's biggest improvement has been in the days leading up to Saturday.
He was reacting to what was coming at him last this season. This year, he's been anticipating. It takes hours of watching video to understand situations and tendencies of opposing teams. It also takes a full understanding of the pressure that comes with playing cornerback.
"He understands that if he's a position where if he screws up or takes a play off or gets his eyes in the wrong place, we could lose this game," OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "He's playing that way. I've been really proud of him for taking on a more mature approach to everything. It's paying off for us big time."
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
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