University of Memphis Athletics
FEATURE: Paving the Way
Jun 13, 2022 | Baseball
Paving the Way
Kerrick Jackson becomes the first Black head coach for University of Memphis baseball
By Trent Shadid
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Kerrick Jackson kept it together for most of the introductory press conference announcing him as the next University of Memphis baseball head coach.
He spoke of the program's powerhouse potential, his plan for developing players on and off the field and the trust he had already built with UofM athletics administrators.
Then, 27 minutes into the celebration of his hiring, his emotions revealed the significance of the moment while answering a question about becoming the first Black head coach in Tiger baseball history.
"I got a call from a man from Memphis who tracked my number down and said, 'I just heard the news, and when I heard the news, I had to pull over and shout,' " Jackson said. "That's when it became real."
Jackson's voice began to crack, his head dropped and he took a moment to collect himself.
"The fact that we are in 2022 still talking about firsts, and I am that first, it means a lot. I plan to do everything in my power to make sure that we stop talking about firsts and that there are people following in our footsteps, seeing the things we do here and making some powerful things happen."
One of Jackson's two sons, 11-year-old Zion, approached the podium and handed his dad a towel. He removed his glasses and wiped away the tears building in his eyes.
Through all the talk about Jackson's impressive resume and the potential of the program, this was the moment on Wednesday afternoon that displayed the significance of his hiring.
Excluding the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Jackson becomes one of only three current Black head coaches in Division I baseball, joining Georgetown's Edwin Thompson and Presbyterian's Elton Pollock.
"We are going to be the mecca of developing young minority coaches and creating more opportunities for minority players beginning at the youth level," Jackson said. "When you are in a community that is a 65% Black, the opportunity to grow the game is going to start here at the University of Memphis, on our field. Once people see the impact we are going to have, it will have an effect on other communities believing they can do the same thing. We will have the outreach that will help them get those things accomplished as well."
It is hard to find a coach, in any sport, with a more diverse set of skills and experience than Jackson. He is a well-respected leader, recruiter, talent evaluator, player developer and baseball visionary.
Jackson was president of the MLB Draft League, a collegiate summer baseball league created to showcase players ahead of the MLB draft, before joining the Tiger Family. He has been a head coach at the Division I level, an assistant coach in two Power Five conferences, a certified player agent tasked with spotting top talent and a scouting supervisor for a Major League franchise.
"We truly could not have found someone who is more qualified than Kerrick," said Laird Veatch, UofM vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics. "More importantly, he is a great person of high character. Everyone we talked to throughout this process raved about him for the type of coach, person and leader that he is."
As an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Missouri, Jackson played a seminal role in several highly ranked recruiting classes, including the No. 12-ranked class in 2014. He helped the program win the Big 12 championship in 2012 and make the transition to the Southeastern Conference the following season.
Jackson has also succeeded at other collegiate stops with far fewer resources. He has been an assistant at Fairfield, Nicholls State, Emporia State, Jefferson College, Coffeyville Community College and St. Louis Community College-Meramec.
In his first experience as a Division I head coach at Southern University, Jackson engineered the largest turnaround in the nation in 2019 when he led the Jaguars from nine wins the previous season to 32 victories and the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship. The SWAC title earned the program its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years, and Jackson was named SWAC and Louisiana Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year.
"I have been at places where we had much, much less than what we have (at Memphis)," Jackson said. "I've been places where we didn't have tees or a cage to hit in. I told my players then and I will tell my players now, none of that matters. Nobody wants to hear excuses. Either you get it done or you don't, and this program is going to be about getting it done."
As Veatch and UofM Blair DeBord, associate athletic director for development, led the search for the Tigers' next head coach, Jackson became an undeniable option. The many conversations with trusted outside consultants seemed to lead back to one candidate.
"Every baseball person we spoke with, regardless of their circle or coaching tree, knew of Kerrick and would normally respond with something similar to, 'Kerrick Jackson would be a great fit for Memphis,' " said DeBord, a former All-Big 12 catcher at Kansas State. "Kerrick went from being 'a candidate' to 'the candidate' fairly quickly."
Veatch was sold on Jackson early in the process. His decision-making process in hiring a coach centers around one question — "would I want to play for him or her?" Veatch is adept at identifying those qualities, having played linebacker for former Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, one of the most respected and successful coaches in college football history.
"There's no question walking away from our first interaction that Kerrick is someone I would want to play for," Veatch said. "Another way I would put it is we want that coach who can balance the challenge of love and discipline that our student-athletes need today. He has that ability."
By the time UofM leadership identified Jackson as its top choice, he had already long been sold on Memphis. He had seen the Bluff City's baseball talent through his years as a scout, recruiter and opposing coach.
In 2019, the Tigers hosted Jackson's Southern team for a three-game series. He told his wife, Talia, of the tremendous potential he saw in the UofM program following that trip.
"This program, this community and everything that you all are about is also what I'm about," Jackson said. "For me, that makes this is a very unique opportunity different than any other in the country. I am coming here with the intention of making this place a powerhouse. I plan on us being one of the top 50 programs in the country year in and year out."
The appeal of Memphis and the University stretched beyond the baseball field. During the interview process, Jackson recognized Diverse Magazine had ranked the UofM among the top 12 universities nationally in graduating African American students.
"That's a big deal," Jackson said. "Those types of things attracted me to this position."
Jackson's historic hiring comes as the UofM and its supporters are investing in the future of its baseball program. A $1.5 million gift from businessman, philanthropist and lifelong baseball enthusiast Avron Fogelman will support extensive renovations to the Tigers' home stadium — FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field.
"We are so fortunate to have found a coach like Kerrick to lead our program," DeBord said. "He is the perfect fit at the perfect time. He is going to build a winner here and people in college baseball will take notice."
