After getting shut out by the B.C. Lions for the second time this year this past Saturday in a 27-0 loss, the Edmonton Elks made a couple of moves without letting anybody go.
The Elks promoted quarterback coach/passing game coordinator Jarious Jackson to Offensive Coordinator and former assistant coach/offensive coordinator Stephen McAdoo will still be with the team in an advisory role.
In eight games this year, the Elks have scored 105 points for an average of 13.1 points per game which ranks last in several offensive categories in the CFL.
“It’s never easy to make a significant change to your coaching staff during the season, but our results haven’t been up to our standards. Jarious has proven in his career that he’s up to the task of leading an offense to success, and I expect that to be the case given his abilities and familiarity with our team,” said Elks General Manager and Head Coach Chris Jones.
“We’ve got 10 games to make significant strides as a team this season, and Jarious is going to be a key part of that process.”
Jarious Jackson, a 46-year-old from Tupelo, Mississippi, has been the Elks’ pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach since the start of the 2022 season. Jackson spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator/quarterback coach for the B.C. Lions (2018-19) and held the same positions with the Toronto Argonauts (2020-21).
Jackson began his coaching career in 2013 with the B.C. Lions as a quarterback coach. In 2014, he went to the Edmonton Eskimos as the quarterback coach/passing game coordinator/player development under McAdoo and Chris Jones which led the Eskimos to winning the 2015 Grey Cup. Then, he held the same position when he moved to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2016 when Jones took over heading coaching duties.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity of being an offensive coordinator again in the CFL,” said Jackson. “It’s a privilege to coach in this league and with this Club, so the importance of this role isn’t lost on me,” said Jackson. “We have a lot of work to do to improve our offensive output and meet the high expectations we have as a group. That work begins now, as we’ll make the most of the bye week and get prepared for a tough Winnipeg team on August 10.”
Jackson was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round (214th pick) in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played five games in three seasons for the Broncos completing 11 of 22 passes (50%) for 114 yards, one interception, and seven carries for 15 yards.
In 2001, he played for the Barcelona Dragons (NFLE) completing 125 of 223 passes (56.1%) for 1,544 yards, 13 touchdowns, six interceptions, 43 carries for 287 yards, and two touchdowns leading them to an appearance in World Bowl IX in which the Dragons lost to the Berlin Thunder 24-17.
In 2005, Jackson signed with the B.C. Lions. He played seven seasons in B.C. completing 499 of 919 passes (54.3%) for 7,032 yards, 51 touchdowns, 35 interceptions, 227 carries for 1,048 yards, and eight touchdowns in 108 games including winning two Grey Cup Championships in 2006 and 2011 with the Lions.
In 2012, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts. He completed 72 of 136 passes (52.9%) for 846 yards, four touchdowns, three interceptions, 42 carries for 122 yards, and three touchdowns in 18 games, of which four were starts helping the Argo’s win the Grey Cup.
Collegiately, Jackson played four seasons at Notre Dame (1996-99) completing 306 of 536 passes (57.1%) for 4,820 yards, 34 touchdowns, 21 interceptions, 272 carries for 957 yards, and 13 touchdowns in 36 games for the Fighting Irish. He set the school’s single-season records for passing yards (2,753), completions (184), and attempts (316) as a senior during the 1999 season which broke Joe Theisman’s record. Jackson’s records would later be broken by Brady Quinn.
The Elks are currently on a bye week. Their next game is on Thursday, August 10th, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
