Two years ago, Mark Jackson scheduled a non-conference series with Wyoming for Syracuse football as SU’s senior associate athletic director.

Two months ago, Jackson was part of the Oakland Raiders’ end of the contract negotiations with No. 1 draft pick JaMarcus Russell, a contract that could reportedly reach more than $60 million.

That’s called a quick rise in the industry.

Jackson’s career arc is both impressive and intriguing, considering how prominent a role he appears to have within the Raiders organization in just his first season in Oakland.

He came to Syracuse with athletic director Daryl Gross from Southern California, where he was the director of football operations/assistant athletic director. Before USC, Jackson worked as a coaching assistant with the New England Patriots – one season under Pete Carroll and one under Bill Belichick.

He was instrumental in helping Gross develop a foundation at SU, contributing to different areas of the athletic department such as scheduling, contracts and television rights. He left Syracuse almost 19 months into the job for an upstart sports marketing and media venture in Los Angeles. The company never took off as Jackson had expected.

‘I owed it to myself to try it and see if I could hit it big,’ said Jackson, 35, of leaving Syracuse. He is married with four kids (three at the time he left Syracuse) and saw potential in the start-up.

Looking for his next job, Jackson knew he wanted to get back into pro football or college athletics. You know those career counselors who tell you timing and connections are everything? Well, Jackson is an example.

Raiders owner Al Davis, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and SU alum, is known for his maverick way of management. Davis lived up to his billing this offseason when he looked to the college ranks to hire a head coach. Except Davis didn’t find the hot college head coach. He found the hot college assistant – then USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, 31.

Jackson and Kiffin were close from USC. Jackson was looking for employment and had experience in a managerial position, albeit not in the NFL. But Jackson knew Kiffin and the two trusted each other.

In the NFL’s salary cap era, where front-office decisions dictate the success of an organization perhaps as much as coaching decisions, cohesion between the front office and the head coach is imperative. Jackson and Kiffin had an established relationship, and Jackson was hired in February.

Jackson’s official title is ‘director of football development,’ and his team bio makes him sound like a utility infielder within the Raiders’ front office: ‘He will be involved in a number of areas including player contract negotiations, personnel evaluation, coaching staff decisions, media relations and overall administrative functions of the football team.’

Based on that description, it wouldn’t be a shock if Jackson also suited up at long snapper or sold hot dogs at halftime. When asked, though, Jackson was more specific about his role.

‘I think more or less be involved in all the areas that Lane puts his time to,’ Jackson said. ‘I work on his behalf. Contracts mainly, salary stuff, overall administration. There are number of different things. This summer, I had the rookie negations. I helped Lane and Mr. Davis with free agency.’

Jackson is part of a rebuilding process in Oakland similar to what he witnessed at USC and what he was a central part of implementing at Syracuse. In all three cases, he came in with a regime trying to change a culture. Former Raiders coach Art Shell and Kiffin are vastly different in age and approach, as was Gross to former SU athletic director Jake Crouthamel.

This is noteworthy because even though Jackson has left Syracuse, he still tracks them from afar. Jackson has a vested interest in the football program considering he was around when the decision was made to fire Paul Pasqualoni and to hire Greg Robinson.

‘You got to do the little things to win. You got to learn how to win, performing in crucial situations, not making penalties,’ Jackson said. ‘I saw it at SC. It’s that culture of winning; we knew we were going to win – everyone from the head coach to equipment manager. That’s what we’re trying to do (in Oakland), and that’s what (Robinson) is trying to do (in Syracuse).’

Jackson pledged his loyalty to Robinson. He understood the unrest among frustrated fans. His message is one heard wherever there is a rebuilding effort. Jackson said there is much that goes on beyond the wins and losses.

He saw everything come together at USC and was fair in admitting there were factors in place to make the USC process go quicker. To hear him discuss that situation is eerily similar to hearing Gross discuss the same topic. If anything, it’s evidence that Gross’ optimism is certainly not blind – even if critics suggest it’s misguided.

It’s optimism Jackson holds in his job, too, adding a hand – an influential one – to an organization with four straight losing seasons and just 15 wins in the past four years.

‘Daryl wants a national championship. We want a world championship,’ Jackson said.

For the championship Jackson is trying to win, he no longer has to worry about scheduling Wyoming. His responsibilities are just as expansive as when he was at Syracuse, but much more expensive.

Zach Berman is the sports columnist for The Daily Orange, where his columns appear every Wednesday and other select days throughout the semester. He can be reached at zberman@syr.edu.

Published on October 30, 2007 at 12:00 pm