Last season simply ate away at Marlin
Jackson. You could see it in his body language as he struggled
through off-the-field issues, injuries and a position change. You
can hear it in his voice now as he talks about what frustration he
endured during his junior year at Michigan.

Jackson entered 2003 fresh off of one of the best seasons ever
put together by a Michigan defensive back. He finished it miserably
staring at the Rose Bowl scoreboard — caught in the quandary
between pride at the Wolverines’ first trip to Pasadena since
1997, and the personal frustration over having less to do with that
success than he would have liked.

And so, despite the NFL calling his name, Jackson opted to
return to Ann Arbor for his senior season.

“The season didn’t go well last year,” Jackson
said. “It didn’t start well. It didn’t end well.
I couldn’t leave Michigan on that note.

“That was a low note, and I wanted to leave on a high
note.”

 

Bittersweet at the top

 

People might listen to Jackson describe Michigan’s magical
Big Ten title run and Rose Bowl berth as a disappointment and think
to themselves that it carries selfish connotations.

It’s a thought that couldn’t be further from the
truth.

The real story is that Jackson — who was one of the
nation’s best at cornerback in 2002, setting a Michigan
single-season record for pass breakups with 18 while recording
three interceptions and 51 tackles — took a personal hit in
order to help the team.

Entering last season, the Wolverines were dangerously thin at
the safety position.

So Jackson was asked to move from corner to help Michigan offset
that concern, a request that he agreed to in hopes of helping the
Wolverines get their best defense on the field.

“(Moving Jackson to safety) gives us the advantage of
putting our 11 best players on the field,” Michigan coach
Lloyd Carr said when the move was announced. “It gets Marlin
in a position, as a free safety or a safety who’s in the
middle of the field, where he’s the kind of guy who’s
capable of making a lot of plays.”

But the Sharon, Pa., native never fully became accustomed to the
change.

Faced with different defensive assignments and a more
physically-demanding position, Jackson struggled to embrace his new
role.

“It was frustrating,” Jackson said, his eyes looking
like he’s ready to blindside someone just thinking about it.
“I was frustrated the whole season. But being that I accepted
(the position change), it meant that I had to bite my tongue. I
accepted it, I took it with open arms, so I had to play it out. I
couldn’t say anything to (Carr).

“I just had to bide my time.”

Unfortunately, Jackson wound up with more time to kill than he
would have liked. Jackson was charged with misdemeanor assault for
a fight that ensued at a party in June of 2003 and, as a result,
was suspended from Michigan’s season-opening win over Central
Michigan.

Then, just when he was starting to feel more confident at
safety, Jackson hurt his hamstring in the Wolverines’
thrilling come-from-behind victory at Minnesota.

If Jackson was at the pinnacle following his first two seasons
as a Wolverine, then he reached rock bottom in his third.

And it left him needing to figure out if he wanted to be here
for a fourth.

 

Seeking help, Deciding alone

 

Jackson wanted to come back to Michigan. But he also wanted to
play cornerback again.

Why?

“I’m the best corner in the country,” Jackson
said after the Wolverines’ loss to Southern Cal. in the Rose
Bowl. “If I’m back here, I’ll be at
corner.”

Now, Jackson will say that he didn’t necessarily mean for
what he said to come across the way it did. Then, it was likely the
culmination of what had been a brutal season for the Michigan
star.

Still, the request to move back to the cornerback spot
didn’t fall on deaf ears. With young safeties like Ryan Mundy
and Brandent Englemon stepping up their play, the Wolverines no
longer had a driving need to fill that position.

So Jackson would have his corner spot back. It was just a matter
of whether he’d be playing it in college or the NFL.

To decide, Jackson would discuss the situation with two talented
wide receivers.

He first tracked Roy Williams, formerly of Texas and currently
playing for the Detroit Lions.