By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Maurice Jackson has been named the head coach of Aquinas Li’l Irish Football, the school announced in a press conference on Tuesday.
The former Marshall High School and Syracuse University star becomes the 20th head coach in program history.
Jackson takes over a program that has won 15 Section V titles and a record eight NYSPHSAA championships since the tournament began in 1993.
“I’m extremely excited about taking on this task of leading the most prestigious football program in the state here at Aquinas,” Jackson said during the press conference at the Wegman-Napier Center on the Aquinas campus. “It’s an honor to be selected as the 20th head coach of the program.”
The 1997 Rochester Press-Radio Club Male Athlete of the Year, Jackson was a two-time state long jump, 55 meter and 100 meter champion during the winter and spring track seasons at Marshall. He was also part of the Jurists’ 4 x 200 indoor state championship team and 4 x 100 outdoor relay team that also won two state titles. Jackson was also the All Greater-Rochester and Super 22 Co-Player of the Year on the gridiron.
Maurice Jackson addresses the media this afternoon at a press conference announcing him as the 20th head coach of @AQ_football pic.twitter.com/aeSNm4v4WJ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 10, 2023
He went on to play four years at Syracuse University where he helped the Orange to a 26-3 victory over Kansas State in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl and No.14 final ranking in the AP and USA Today Coaches’ Polls.
Jackson played in the 2002 Hula Bowl (All-Star Game) and later signed with the Buffalo Bills. He played one season with British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League before spending three seasons with the Rochester Raiders of the Continental Indoor Football League. He helped the Raiders to a 2007 championship and holds the franchise records for receiving touchdowns, return touchdowns and receptions.
Jackson served as receivers’ coach at SUNY Morrisville during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. He oversaw the receivers and special teams at the University of Rochester from 2010-2014. In 2016, he opened the Moe Jackson Speed and Skills School and is also the co-owner of the Speed Factory in Rochester. He served as the receivers’ coach at Aquinas during the 2022 season.
“Me opening myself up again to coach and having the opportunity to coach here and be in charge of this program feels good,” he said. “It feels really good.”
Aquinas hasn’t won a sectional title since back-to-back Class AA crowns in 2017 and 2018. The Li’l Irish finished 3-6 in 2022 and lost in the opening round of sectionals.
“I accept the challenge,” he said of taking over the Aquinas program. “It’s something that I look forward to. I’m very excited about teaching the group of young men that we have here at Aquinas.”
Former head coach Derek Annechino resigned after six years at the helm following the 2022 campaign. An Aquinas alum, Annechino had spent more than 20 years in the program. Annechino’s 2017 squad won the NYS Class AA title. The following year, the Li’l Irish won the Section V AA crown.
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