Jackson Hired as a Defensive Assistant
February 16, 2026 | Football
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Derrick Jackson, who owns over 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, has been named a defensive assistant at the University of Louisville, head coach Jeff Brohm announced on Monday.
 Jackson reunites with Brohm after working two seasons as the cornerbacks coach at Purdue in 2017-18 where he helped the Boilermakers to a pair of bowl appearances, including a 38-35 victory over Arizona in the 2017 Foster Farms Bowl.
Before joining the Louisville staff, Jackson spent three seasons at Bowling Green working in the secondary and serving as the defensive pass game coordinator.
Jackson joined the BG staff in February 2023 after spending four seasons at Northern Illinois as the associate head coach, co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.Â
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Jackson's initial year at BGSU in 2023 saw a secondary that finished the year No. 4 in the nation with 17 interceptions as the Falcons led the nation in takeaways (28). BGSU's starting cornerbacks Jordan Oladokun and Jalen Huskey both finished the year tied for No. 19 in the nation with four interceptions.. The BGSU defense in 2023 finished No. 25 in the nation in total defense (326.1) and No. 12 in the nation in passing yards allowed (179.8).Â
He joined the Northern Illinois football coaching staff as associate head coach, defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2019.Â
At Wake Forest from 2012-16, as outside linebackers (2012), defensive backs (2013) and cornerbacks (2014-16) coach, the defense showed similar improvements. The Demon Deacons ranked in the Top 40 in the nation in total defense in 2013, '14 and '15, and Wake Forest won the 2016 Military Bowl behind a scoring defense that ranked 23rd nationally. During his time coaching the WFU defensive backs, six of his players earned All-ACC honors, three played in post-season all-star games and cornerback Kevin Johnson was a first-round draft pick by the Houston Texans in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Jackson coached the defensive line at Rice in 2011 and at Akron in 2010.
 A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Jackson was defensive line coach at Syracuse in 2007-09, and served as co-defensive coordinator in 2008. His pupils at Syracuse included defensive tackle Arthur Jones, a three-time All-Big East selection and 2009 third-team All-American, and Freshman All-American defensive end Chandler Jones. Both Arthur Jones (5th round, Baltimore Ravens, 2010) and Chandler Jones (1st round, New England Patriots, 2012) went on to be selected in the NFL Draft.
Before working at Syracuse, Jackson spent the 2006 campaign as defensive line coach at Michigan State. The Spartans limited the opposition to eight rushing touchdowns that season.
 Jackson's first stint at NIU came in 2005 when he served as defensive line coach on the staff that led the Huskies to a 7-5 record and its first MAC Championship game.
Prior to NIU, Jackson spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons at Eastern Illinois as defensive line coach and was the defensive ends coach at Army in 2001-02. He began his coaching career at West Georgia as tight ends coach from 1999-00.
A four-year letterwinner at Duke, Jackson started 40 consecutive games and finished his career as the eighth-leading tackler in school history. He was named the team's most outstanding defensive back twice and was a member of the Blue Devils' 1989 Atlantic Coast Conference co-championship and All-American Bowl team.
Jackson earned his bachelor's degree in history from Duke in 1993. Jackson and his wife, Renae, are the parents of twins, daughter Alana and son Dakota. Renae, also a Duke graduate, was a standout long jumper.Â
