University of Miami head football coach Mario Cristobal announced the hiring of Chevis Jackson as the Hurricanes’ cornerbacks coach on Feb. 21, 2024.
Jackson arrives in Coral Gables with more than a decade of experience coaching defensive backs, including spending the 2023 season as co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach at Marshall.
Jackson, who worked under Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry at Marshall as cornerbacks coach in 2022, played a key role in orchestrating a Thundering Herd defense that ranked sixth in FBS in scoring defense, sixth in passes intercepted, third in yards per play and fifth in turnovers gained in 2022.
“I am thrilled to welcome Coach Jackson, his wife Ashley and his three children to our family,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “At every stop of his career, beginning with his playing days in college and in the NFL, Coach Jackson has made his impact felt.
“His units have ranked among the nation’s best by almost every measure, and his groups are defined by a high football IQ, their physicality and their ball-hawking ability. I know he will make a tremendous impact on our defense and on our program, as both a recruiter and teacher of fundamentals, which are at a premium in the secondary.”
Under Jackson’s guidance this past season, the Thundering Herd ranked No. 25 in passes intercepted (13) in all of FBS.
“I’m very excited. Just walking through the halls of this building, there are so many legends to have come through here – players who not only excelled in college, but who went on to greatness in the NFL,” Jackson said. “This is a premier place in all of football. Why wouldn’t you want to come to The U? It’s amazing to be here, and I’m appreciative of the opportunity. Being here, getting the opportunity to be at a place like this, I’m very excited and I’m ready to get to work.”
The 2022 season was a memorable one for Jackson’s group, as the Marshall secondary finished with two players in the top-50 in all of FBS in interceptions. Micah Abraham tied for third in the nation with six interceptions and Steven Gilmore added three more, giving Marshall one of the most potent cornerback tandems in the nation.
Both Abraham and Gilmore recorded interceptions in Marshall’s 26-21 upset at No. 8 Notre Dame. Gilmore’s pick-6 late in the fourth quarter provided what proved to be the game-winning score.
In addition to the interception success, Marshall was ranked No. 1 in FBS in third down conversion percentage defense, allowing just 23.5 percent conversions and the pass efficiency defense ranked No. 3 in FBS and No. 1 in the Sun Belt as well. Marshall also ranked No. 8 in FBS in first downs defense, allowing just 200 total in 13 games.
Jackson joined Marshall’s coaching staff as cornerbacks coach in February 2022 after three seasons at Kansas.
In his first two seasons at Kansas, Jackson made his impact felt, guiding Hasan Defense to All-Big 12 honors in 2019 and Karon Prunty to Freshman All-American honors in 2020. In 2020, Prunty emerged as one of the top freshmen cornerbacks in the country under Jackson’s eye.
Prunty started all nine games as a true freshman and tied for the national lead among freshmen with 10 pass breakups. He notched his first interception of the season in the final game of the year and did not allow a single touchdown throughout the nine games. Prunty was named a 247Sports.com True Freshman All-American after the season, along with earning honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition. He allowed just 38.5 percent of passes to be completed on him, which finished as the seventh-best mark in the nation and tops among all freshmen. Jackson also mentored Elijah Jones to a breakout season as a senior. Jones played in all nine games and had six pass breakups and three tackles-for-loss from his cornerback position.
In addition to coaching at Kansas from 2019-21, Jackson coached at Ball State (2016-18), LSU (2015) and South Alabama (2014-15).
While at Ball State, Jackson was named the 2017 Mid-American Conference Recruiter of the Year by 247Sports.com, serving as the lead recruiter for the Cardinals while also coaching the defensive backs.
Prior to his stint at Ball State, Jackson spent the 2015 season as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, LSU, working on a staff that guided the Tigers to a 9-3 mark and a final national ranking of No. 16.
During the 2013-14 seasons, Jackson worked as a defensive graduate assistant at South Alabama, where he helped the Jaguars earn a bowl bid for the first time in program history, a bid to the 2014 Camellia Bowl. South Alabama’s defense ranked second in the Sun Belt in both scoring defense and total defense in 2013.
Jackson was a four-year letter winner and a three-year starter at cornerback at LSU. During his time with the program, the Tigers made two SEC Championship game appearances, winning the title in 2007.
Jackson recorded two tackles and returned an interception 34 yards in helping lead LSU to a 38-24 win over Ohio State in the 2008 BCS National Championship game.
An All-SEC First Team honoree in 2007, Jackson was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL for four seasons with five different teams – Atlanta,
Jacksonville, New England, Denver and Carolina. He earned his undergraduate degree in communications from LSU in 2008 and his Master’s in Education from South Alabama.
Originally from Mobile, Ala., Jackson and his wife, Ashley, have three children: Caden, Rue and Logan.
