Ja’Quinden Jackson Shares Crazy Stat With Fallen Teammate Ty Jordan In Utah’s Win Over Colorado

BOULDER, COL- Utah running back Ja’Quinden Jackson now shares a crazy stat with fallen teammate and friend Ty Jordan after the Utes took care of business against Colorado, 63-21.

Go off @leg3ndaryjaay ‼️ pic.twitter.com/q2x1wdRNtL

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 26, 2022

For those who are not familiar with the story, Jordan burst onto the scene for the Utes in the shortened 2020 Covid season compiling 83 carries for 597 yards and six touchdowns in five games. He was named the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and most expected him to have an out-of-this-world career before jumping over to the NFL. Sadly, what felt sure to be his trajectory was not meant to be. Just days after Jordan was named FOPOTY, he tragically died on Christmas Day of an accidental gunshot wound (not suicide).

Jordan was also largely responsible for getting Jackson to transfer to Utah from Texas. The two would never see the field together in Salt Lake City.

Jordan, Jackson Share A Stat

Almost exactly two years ago (December 12, 2020) Jordan played his second to last collegiate football game against Colorado in Boulder. In that game, Jordan busted out a 66-yard touchdown run to help seal Utah’s 38-21 victory over the Buffaloes.

Fast-forward to November 26, 2022, Utah was in Boulder to take on Colorado once more. This time the Utes would be without Jordan, but his childhood friend he convinced to come to Utah in Jackson also pulled off a 66-yard touchdown run to help seal the Utes’ 63-21 win that may also help launch Utah to the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Whoa 😱 #22Forever https://t.co/h7lgq85QOP

— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) November 27, 2022

It’s just one more chilling happening surrounding Jordan (and fellow teammate Aaron Lowe who was also killed later in 2021) with Jackson and the Utes.

Jackson’s Unlikely Path To Running Back

Jackson initially came to Utah as a quarterback but made the transition to running back in 2022 when the Utes’ running back room started to feel a little thin earlier in the year. The move to Jordan’s old position came on the eve of the anniversary of Lowe’s death against Arizona State.

Jordan, Lowe, and Jackson were all friends who grew up in the same Dallas neighborhood before joining the Utes. Lowe changed his number to 22 to honor Jordan after his death and became the first recipient of the Ty Jordan Memorial Scholarship. After Lowe’s death, Utah opted to retire the number 22 and renamed the memorial scholarship to honor Lowe as well.

#AGTG 🙏🏽 My boys was with me tonight 🤞🏽❤️ #LL22❤️ #22Forever❤️

— Ja'Quinden Jackson (@leg3ndaryjaay) November 27, 2022

Jackson became the second recipient of the scholarship honoring his friends while also finding joy playing football again at the running back position.

 

Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports

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