St. James starts Jackson, Houser slgn football scholarships
St. James quarterback KJ Jackson and receiver Clint Houser signed with Arkansas and North Alabama, respectively, on Friday. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
St. James held a signing day celebration for quarterback KJ Jackson and receiver Clint Houser on Friday, bringing some reflection for Jackson as he remembered watching a similar event five years ago from the gym grandstands.
“Me and Clint were in middle school, seventh grade, when Collin Duncan signed (as a defensive back with Mississippi State),” Jackson said. “We had the conversation that we were going to be here (at a signing ceremony). I think one of our greatest strengths is that we’re so naive to our dreams. We don’t look through the analytics, we believe that we can make it happen. And I’m so proud of Clint and I for making this dream happen.”
Jackson signed in December with the University of Arkansas, but school was out for the holidays so St. James held a special celebration for the record-setting quarterback and one of his favorite receivers on Friday.
“We’ve never had a quarterback sign with a Power Five school,” St. James coach Neal Posey said. “He’s a definition of a DI quarterback. He’s got the size, he’s got the speed, he’s got the strength, definitely has the brain for it. I think he’s going to do really well at the University of Arkansas.”
Jackson will leave St. James next Tuesday as the most decorated athlete in school history. As a basketball power forward, he helped the Trojans to their first-ever appearance in the state tournament in 2022. As a baseball first baseman, he was a member of the first Trojan team to reach the semifinals of the state playoffs since the 2006 state championship team.
As a four-year starter at quarterback, he led the Trojans to the 2022 Class 3A state championship and the 2023 semifinals, finishing his career as the third-rated player in the history of the Alabama High School Athletic Association with 130 career passing touchdowns, trailing only Piedmont’s Jack Hayes (158 in 2018-22) and American Christian’s Chris Smelley (134 in 2002-05).
He owns school records for most passing touchdowns in a single game, season and career; for most passing yards in a game, season and career; and for completion percentage in a season. He’ll leave for Fayetteville on Wednesday, report on Friday and attend his first class the following Tuesday.
“It’s a lot for me,” he said. “I’ve got to sit down and look at the itinerary but I know we’re going to be action-packed the first few days up there. It’s going to be awesome getting into workouts and pushing my body to the limit, transforming my body, being around the guys, learning their personalities and being with (offensive coordinator) Coach (Bobby) Petrino, learning the playbook and picking his brain. He’s one of the best of all time to do it, so it’s going to be awesome getting up there with him and learning from him.”
When he committed back in April, the plan was to learn a few things from starting quarterback KJ Jefferson, but Jefferson elected to enter the transfer portal and transfer to Central Florida, leaving Jackson as one of four candidates for the starting job next fall, along with 2023 backup Jacolby Criswell and Boise State transfer Taylen Green.
“It’s a great opportunity and I’m so blessed to be in this position,” Jackson said. “I truly feel like I’m walking into the best position that I can at Arkansas. We’ve got a great quarterback room and there are a lot of great players in that room.
“I feel like, instead of us looking at one guy and learning from him, we’ll all be learning together and pushing each other. We’ve got a new OC, so everybody’s going to have to learn his terminology, the way he likes the protections to be called, together. This is a fresh new slate for Arkansas in the quarterback room. They’ve got Jacolby Criswell up there who can sling it, they’ve got Malachi Singleton up there who can sling it, too. And they’ve got a transfer, Taylen Green, and we’re all going to be good, we’re all going to be pushing each other.”
At the same time, reflecting on that moment five years ago, Jackson is walking away from a place he’s grown fond of over the years.
“It’s really bittersweet,” he said. “I’ve had so many great memories here, everybody that I suited up with and played with. I really loved every single person that I played with, any sport at St. James. It’s been awesome, getting to know everybody, and awesome to be seen as a leader at St. James. It’s a great atmosphere, great people on and off the field. Every single class is fun. You have fun going to school and that’s what I love the most about St. James.”
As for Houser, he thought his football career might have ended the night he dislocated his ankle against Handley.
“At the time when it happened, when I looked at it, I really didn’t think I was coming back,” the St. James senior recalled. “I remember saying that and Coach said, ‘You’re good, you’re good, I’ve seen it before, calm down, you’ll be all right.’”
He was all right, as it turned out, completing an incredible turnaround from potential season ending injury to the football field in five weeks.
On Friday, his football revival was complete as he attended a signing day ceremony in the school gym to announce his signing with North Alabama.
“I’m just blessed,” he said. “All I can do is thank God for allowing me to be here in this position.”
For Houser, the road to a college scholarship was blocked by a variety of obstacles. At 5-foot-9, the senior doesn’t have the size many colleges are looking for. Playing for a Class 3A program can make it difficult to get noticed as well. And he was just starting to showcase his ability in a variety of positions for the Trojans when the injury occurred in the second game of the season.
“Clint’s just an all-around great athlete,” St. James coach Neal Posey said. “The more he touches the ball, the more explosive plays happen. The day he committed, two hours before our first-round playoff game, he touched the ball 10 times and had four touchdowns and 175 yards. He’s a playmaker. He’s going to make plays at North Alabama, too. They got a steal with Clint. They probably got the most underrated player in the state.”
Houser had turned some heads with his ability at defensive back, but the 2023 season promised to offer plenty of highlights as he worked at both receiver and running back as well as kick returner and punt returner. Spending five weeks on the sidelines gave him an opportunity to study the college recruiters and see which college program believed in him.
“After the situation I was in, it was finding the right coaching staff who really felt like it wasn’t a business, but a family,” Houser said.
He finished the year with 600 yards and 10 touchdowns in nine games and while a lot of rivals know him for his ability in the secondary, he prefers playing on offense.
“I felt like I was better on offense,” he said, “but if a school wanted me on defense, I would definitely take the time and put in the work to be as good as I was on offense.”
That’s one more plus for North Alabama, whose coaching staff feels Houser can be explosive for the Lions as a slot receiver and multi-purpose athlete, a thought that brings a smile to his face.
“It’s almost like playing here,” he said. “The system they run is similar to ours so I feel like I can succeed there.”