Jackson Enjoyed Role Reversal for the Avengers

Chris Jackson, the original Avenger, put some unique spin on the first pass of his Arena Football League career.

Last week against defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose, the offensive specialist took a pitch from quarterback Tony Graziani on a reverse and tossed a wobbly five-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kevin Ingram. The fourth-quarter play helped set the stage for the Avengers’ dramatic 73-72 comeback victory.

“It was a flick, it wasn’t a pass, I’ll be the first to admit that,” Jackson said after practice this week. “But it’s in the books as a touchdown pass.”

Jackson, 27, is the only Avenger who was on the roster for the team’s inaugural season in 2000. He has caught passes in all 35 games he has played and is the leading receiver in franchise history with 253 receptions for 3,489 yards and 75 touchdowns. Over the last four seasons, Jackson ranks third in the AFL in receptions and yards receiving behind teammate Greg Hopkins, a seven-year AFL veteran, and Colorado’s Damian Harrell, who is in his fifth season.

“I may not have that 4.3 or 4.4 speed, but I know how to get open and use my body,” Jackson said.

Jackson has 15 receptions for 235 yards and eight touchdowns in two games this season. The Avengers, 2-0 and in sole possession of first place in the Western Division for the first time in franchise history, play the expansion Colorado Crush (0-2) on Sunday at Denver.

“Chris runs great routes and has great hands, but what really sets him apart is his body control,” Avenger Coach Ed Hodgkiss said.

Jackson, 6 feet 2, 204 pounds, honed his athleticism playing almost every sport except football until his second year in college.

At Santa Ana Mater Dei High, Jackson was a member of the perennially powerful basketball team and also competed in track. He played basketball for one season at UC Riverside before transferring in 1994 to Orange Coast College, where a friend talked him into trying out for football.

“I was intending to go out for three days and calling it quits, but they put me right in as a No. 3 receiver, and three weeks later, I’m starting in the first week of the season,” Jackson said. “I thought I would ride it out and then go out to play basketball. But then the scholarship [offers] started coming in. I don’t think I could have gotten to the Pac-10 playing basketball, so I was thinking, ‘This football thing might be my ticket.’ ”

Jackson played at Washington State in 1996 and 1997 and helped the Cougars to the 1998 Rose Bowl. He went through training camp with the Seattle Seahawks and was on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad in 1998, then went through training camp again with the Seahawks in 1999 before joining the Avengers.

Jackson caught 91 passes and scored 26 touchdowns in 14 games in his first AFL season, had 62 receptions and 13 touchdowns in nine games in 2001, and totaled 85 catches and 28 touchdowns in 10 games last year before signing with the Green Bay Packers.

Jackson was among the final cuts before the NFL’s 2002 regular season, but was re-signed and activated for one game because of injuries.

“I knew I was going in for special teams and as an emergency receiver if someone else got hurt,” Jackson said. “I gave them everything I had and they respect that.

“Maybe down the road it will happen again.”

*

A sellout crowd is expected Sunday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Crush, owned in part by John Elway, also sold out its first two games. The game will be televised regionally by NBC.

*

The Avengers play four of their next five games on the road. They will not play again at Staples Center until March 2 against Georgia. The Avengers drew announced crowds of more than 14,000 in their first two home games.

*

Fullback-linebacker Lonnie Ford, who played at USC, was put on injured reserve because of a high ankle sprain suffered in last week’s victory over San Jose. Ron Puggi is expected to replace Ford.

*

In arena league games Friday night, the Detroit Fury improved to 2-1 with a 49-44 victory over the Carolina Cobras (0-3), and the Buffalo Destroyers (2-1) defeated the Arizona Rattlers, 49-45. Arizona is 1-2.

*

Associated Press contributed to this report.