When news first surfaced Monday that Malik Jackson was transferring from USC to Tennessee, it was characterized by some as the Trojans’ ”first real defection stemming from NCAA sanctions.”
According to Jackson himself, that’s simply not the case.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Jackson made it clear that an opportunity for more playing time in Knoxville led to his decision to leave Los Angeles, not the sanctions that hit the program.
“It wasn’t that at all,” Jackson told the Times. “I didn’t really care about that. I was playing with my buddies, but Tennessee hit me up and they said they needed help at the end spot, that I could come in and help them.
“That sounded better than where I felt I was at with USC.”
Last year, Jackson appeared in 13 games for the Trojans. This year, with the lack of depth at his position, Jackson will likely appear in that many games and have a very real shot at starting most/all of them.