Culture and leadership take center stage for DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State debut originally appeared on The Sporting News
Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson is moving quickly to put his stamp on the program. In his preseason press conference, Jackson stressed discipline, preparation and leadership as the cornerstones of what he expects in 2025.
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“Our message has been simple,” Jackson said. “We have to come out and be a disciplined football, a sound, fundamentally sound football. We have to be the most condition and we’re just looking to change as far as our culture. We’ve asked our guys to gel together. Everybody’s been working together hard and pushing each other. But we take it one day at a time, and everything we do is we got to put the preparation before the success.”
The first big decision is set at quarterback. Jackson confirmed senior Kaiden Bennett will start the opener. “Kaiden Bennett is doing a great job of leading this team and making the right decisions,” he said. “As far as a leader, what you look for in your quarterback is you got to stay positive, relay the message, calm them down when things aren’t going right. Leaders lead, players play. So right now, Kaiden Bennett is our guy.”
Jackson pointed to growth across the roster during camp. The running backs earned praise for their toughness and explosiveness, while the defense has elevated its intensity. “Our running back room is very explosive, toughness, speed, power, elusiveness,” he said. “Our quarterback room did a good job. Our defense, our linebackers, many guys have shown how much better we’ve gotten. In breaking a losing culture, it’s brick by brick, day by day, two percent better. That’s our standard.”
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For Jackson, the role is about more than wins. “It’s a dream come true,” he said. “It’s a chance to give back to young athletes. Hopefully I can help them not just in football, but in the community, as students, fathers, brothers. That’s the bigger situation. Giving these chances and letting them see how they can be better as men in life.”
Delaware State opens its season Thursday night with an opportunity to show what that new standard looks like under Jackson.
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