4/20/2002 - Football
Jackson Wins Admiral Mack Award

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ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Lane Jackson (Miami, Fla./Columbus), who will be a sophomore this fall, has been named the winner of the Vice Admiral William P. Mack Award as the most improved player during the 2002 spring football drills at the Naval Academy. He is just the third linebacker to have won the award and the first since Ken Fancher in 1981.

"Being a freshman, I think Lane kind of got lost in the shuffle last year," said Navy head football coach Paul Johnson. "He made the most of his opportunity this spring and steadily climbed the depth chart where he will have a chance to play for us next fall."

"Lane started out on the seventh team at linebacker, we really didn't know anything about him," said linebacker coach Kevin Kelly. "He kept showing up in scrimmages and steadily climbed the depth chart where he is even with Reggie Sealey as a second team linebacker. He has good speed, good football sense and is very athletic."

Jackson was a reserve on the Navy junior varsity last fall and did not dress for a varsity contest.

The Vice Admiral William P. Mack Award is given annually to the Navy football player who has shown the most improvement in spring practice. The award was initiated in 1976 and is named in honor of Vice Admiral Mack, the Naval Academy superintendent from 1972-75, and a strong supporter of the school's intercollegiate athletic program.

The winners:

1976.........Kelvin Graham, DL

1977.........Ed Reid, DE

1978.........John Taylor, OT

1979.........Ted Dumbauld, LB

1980.........Curt Gainer, TE

1981.........Ken Fancher, LB

1982.........Jeff Johnson, OG

1983.........Rick Pagel, DE

1984.........John Carroll, DB

1985.........Chris Castelli, OG

1986.........Enoch Blazis, MG

1987.........John Nobers, QB

1988.........Bert Pangrazio, FB

1989.........Steve Tazza, DB

1990.........Dave Christel, DT

1991.........Robert Goodson, DT

1992.........Greg Hubbard, OG

1993.........Jamie Spaman, TE

1994.........Ross Scott, WR

1995.........Shaun Stephenson, WR

1996.........Charles Fisher, DB

1997.........Gary Lane, DB

1998.........Keith Mier, LB

1999........Ron Winchester, OT

2000........Josh Bock, RB

2001........Jeff Gaddy, WR

2002........Lane Jackson, LB

--navy--