OC Williams Hired as Defensive Coordinator, Forrest Jackson Added to Coach Linebackers
By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media
Special Thanks to Tuskegee Athletic Communications
WALESKA, Ga. – The four-time Appalachian Division champions of the Mid-South Conference have promoted OC Williams to defensive coordinator and added Forrest Jackson to coach linebackers, Reinhardt head coach James Miller revealed today.
The hometown team (9-3), who remained No. 13 in the 2019 NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Postseason Poll in late December, went toe-to-toe with the eventual national runner-up Marian (Ind.) in the NAIA Football Championship Series First Round to wrap up last year's campaign.
"First, I would like to thank Tommy Scott [former defensive coordinator and linebacker coach] for his dedication and sacrifices he made to our football program," Miller said. "He has meant a great deal to Reinhardt University football and will be missed; we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors at UAB.
"I have known OC for a long time going all the way back to my first full-time job at UNC-Pembroke when he was the defensive back coach and I was the defensive line coach. I trust him with the responsibility of holding our kids to the same standards that Coach Scott did, all while taking us to new heights because he knows our defense extremely well. We are going to keep doing the things we've done – with just some minor adjustments – but, I know with the trio of OC, Coach Blue and Coach Jackson's leadership, our defense is in great shape for the future."
Williams, who was elevated from his primary roles along the defensive line and as running game coordinator, takes over a unit that ranked fourth overall in total defense in 2019 at 247.6 yards per game. Additionally, the Eagles continued to be one of the very best in NAIA football by also surrendering just 13.5 points per game, which was fifth nationally.
Reinhardt's 33 sacks were tied for 10th-highest in the NAIA as well.
Under the guidance of Williams one year ago, defensive lineman Seth Fallen was named a Second Team All-American from the American Football Coaches Association.
Fallen lived in the opposing backfield all season with 37 tackles, including 15 stops for-loss and a team-best eight sacks.
Jackson comes to Waleska from NCAA Division II Tuskegee (Ala.) where he coached linebackers since 2011.
"We hired Forrest Jackson from Tuskegee University after he spent the last eight years there producing multiple All-Conference and players of the year in the SIAC," Miller added. "He was a great player at the University of West Georgia that came highly-recommended from multiple references on all different levels of football. He is well-versed on Hudl and will have the ability to help with exchanges and film breakdown.
"We are very fortunate to add a coach of his caliber to our staff."
While with the Golden Tigers, Jackson oversaw All-Conference selections at the linebacker position in eight-straight seasons (2011-18), including four years – 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 – where he helped guide linebackers to All-American status.
Additionally, the newest member of the Eagle staff had players of the year in 2015-17 with Tuskegee:
- 2015 – Jewell Ratliff
- Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Player of the Year
- Defensive Player of the Year
- 2016 – Osband Thompson
- SIAC Defensive Player of the Year
- 2017 – Osband Thompson
- SIAC Defensive Player of the Year
A standout player at NCAA Division II West Georgia, Jackson was a three-time All-Gulf South Conference (GSC) selection (2000-02) helping the team capture the GSC title in 2000 and earn a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The Lakeland, Fla., native received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications from West Georgia.
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