100 Day Bulldog Countdown: 49 Days – Billy Jackson’s 49 Sacks

Jeff Lebby’s era of Mississippi State football has arrived.

The Bulldogs are on their third coach in as many years as Mike Leach’s tragic passing opened the door for defensive coordinator Zach Arnett’s debut as head coach last year. That experiment failed before the year even ended for State and now it’s Lebby’s turn to take the wheel.

While there is always a risk in hiring first time head coaches, Lebby brings to Starkville an exciting offensive scheme that has been productive everywhere he’s been. The coach has also brought with him some swagger that has the fanbase ready to see what’s next.

Over the course of the next 100 days, we will take a look at Lebby’s roster and even some fun historical rewinds that will bring back memories for Dawg fans of all ages.

Today, we look at a record that might not ever be broken.

100 Day Bulldog Countdown: 49 Days – Billy Jackson’s 49 Sacks

If there is to be a conversation about the best defensive player in the history of MSU football, it can’t take place without Billy Jackson being mentioned.

Many Bulldog fans might not recognize the name, but the history books haven’t forgotten him. Jackson played ball for Emory Bellard in the early 1980’s and never let his 6’1, 225-pound frame keep him from being one of the best defensive ends in the country. He was also part of one of the Bulldogs’ best front sevens in Starkville ever and it included Glen Collins, Johnnie Cooks, Earnie Barnes and Tyrone Keys to go along with Jackson.

The Plant City, Fla., native had his most memorable season of his career in 1980 as a freshman, for many reasons. The Bulldogs were the talk of the SEC with that defense and Bellard’s offense was beginning to pick up steam in his second year.

After a 3-8 season in 1979, the Bulldogs got off to a 3-0 start in ’80 and would eventually go 9-3 with just one conference loss. Along the way, they knocked off No. 18 Miami and then ended the nation’s longest winning streak when they defeated No. 1 Alabama and Bear Bryant, 6-3. Of course, Jackson was right in the middle of history there as he recovered a fumble inside the five after Keys broke through the line and nailed the quarterback to virtually win the ball game.

Jackson followed that up with a game-winning sack against Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl and sent the Bulldogs to the Sun Bowl with five-straight wins to end the regular season. Jackson finished his freshman year with a school-record 17.0 sacks and was named Freshman All-American. Strangely enough, he wouldn’t be named All-SEC that year.

He followed up that big freshman season with three-straight First-Team All-SEC honors. Jackson had 15.0 sacks as a sophomore, 9.0 sacks as a junior and 8.0 as a senior as he finished his career with 49.0 sacks- a number that hasn’t been touched to this day. Notably, three of the players on that stout 1980 defense rank in the top four of sacks all-time as Keys is second with 26.0 and Cooks fourth with 24.0.

Jackson also ranks seventh all-time in career tackles with 360, is second with 52.0 tackles for loss and second in single-season tackles with 180. He still stands second in SEC history in sacks in a career.

Since Jackson was on campus, only five players have even eclipsed double-digit sacks in a single season with defensive end Montez Sweat being one of them as he had 10.5 in 2018.

So the next time friends get together to debate the best defenders of all time in maroon and white, look no further than No. 91.