Jackson returns from suspension with zest

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Xzavie Jackson got the bad news at the beginning of the summer. The defensive end from Wichita, Kan., wasn't going to play in the first game of his senior season against Murray State on Sept. 2.

The official announcement from Missouri coach Gary Pinkel came on Aug. 22, after one of the Tigers' preseason practices, though the reason for the suspension was not disclosed.

So Jackson, who had fought so hard to regain the starting spot he initially lost midway through last season, was in danger of losing it again.

"I knew the whole summer I wasn't going to play in that game," Jackson said. "Unfortunately, something happened in the summer, but it's over with now."

Though Jackson also would not comment on the reason for the brief suspension he did say at a news conference Monday that "It was something more inside than anything else."

Jackson was forced to watch from the stands as his teammates routed Murray State 47-7 in the opener. But the next week, in Missouri's 34-7 win over Ole Miss, Jackson made his first start since last year's Oklahoma State game, making two tackles and breaking up a pass.

He then made two sacks in a 27-17 win over New Mexico.

Fellow defensive lineman Lorenzo Williams said Jackson's presence could be felt as soon as he returned to practice.

"There are a couple of things that Xzavie has been doing that have been really impressive," Williams said. "He came back there right away and we accepted him with open arms, and he started making plays."

Jackson said his inspired play was due to the suspension and losing his starting job to Stryker Sulak last season. Jackson started 19 straight games at defensive end from the end of his true freshman season in 2003 until Missouri's 38-31 win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., last Oct. 8.

It was an admittedly painful experience for Jackson, a veteran player who had made almost 100 career tackles before being replaced on the depth chart by an up-and-coming redshirt freshman. Sulak started Missouri's final seven games last season, having four sacks and forcing three fumbles.

"I made some critical mistakes the game before when we played Oklahoma State," Jackson said. "I didn't know I made those mistakes, but Coach sat me down and said, 'I know you're a better player than this."'

Missouri defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski said Jackson's resurgence began in the Tigers' Independence Bowl win over South Carolina. He had four tackles and a quarterback hurry in Missouri's 38-31 comeback win over the Gamecocks. He followed that up with a good spring practice session and was on his way to regaining his starting spot during fall practice -- until the suspension. Jackson has 10 tackles and three sacks in the last two games.

Kuligowski said the emergence of Sulak helped Jackson's progress. Jackson became a key reason the 25th-ranked Tigers have the No. 1 defense in the country entering their Big 12 Conference opener against Colorado this Saturday.

"Anytime that you have a good player behind you, it pushes you to become a better player. I think that happens to any player around the country," Kuligowski said.

Said Jackson: "He's pushing me; he's pushing all the ability out. I can't do it all myself, somebody else has to do that. Stryker has brought that out of me."