Bo Jackson: What Could Have Been

When people hear the name Bo Jackson, they think of an incredible two-sport athlete. They think of a man with electrifying speed and the strength of an ox.

And then they think what could have been.

Vincent Edward Jackson was born on November 30, 1962 in Bessemer, Alabama. He was the eighth of ten children, and did not have a father. The first time he met his dad was when he 10 years old.

He was named after his mother’s favorite actor, but because of his unruly and rambunctious behavior, his family referred to him as the “wild boar”. This was eventually shortened to “Bo”, which is what we have called him ever since.

Bo attended to McAdory High School, in McCalla, Alabama. He was a multi-sport athlete while there, dominating on the gridiron, diamond, and track.

As a senior in football, Jackson rushed 108 times for 1,173 yards, which comes out to 10.9 yards per carry, and 17 touchdowns.

In the ensuing spring Jackson moved on to baseball, hitting 20 home runs, which tied the national record.

He was also fantastic in track. As a senior, he won state titles in multiple dashes, hurdles, the high-jump, and the long-jump.

He was even a two-time decathlon state champion.

All of this led to him being drafted in the second round of the 1982 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, directly out of high school. But Bo turned down their offer to go to college.

Obviously, Jackson was very heavily recruited coming out of high school. Ultimately, he decided to attend Auburn University. The day he committed himself to Auburn marked the beginning of one the most prolific careers in college sports history.

As a freshman, Jackson was the Tigers’ starting running back. He proved to be an immediate difference maker, scoring the game-winning touchdown against hated rival Alabama, which gave Auburn their first win in the series in over a decade.

He was also a key contributor in their 33-26 Tangerine Bowl victory over Boston College.

In his sophomore year, Bo rushed 158 times for 1,213 yards, and a 7.7 average. He led the team to an 11-1 record that season. His best performance of the year came against Alabama, when he carried the ball 20 times, going for 256 yards, which is a 12.4 average.

They ended up facing Michigan in the Sugar Bowl that year. They would win that game 9-7, and Jackson was named the Most Valuable Player. Bo was also a consensus All-American that season.

In 1984, as a junior, Jackson missed a big portion of the season with a separated shoulder. But he was able to return late in the year and lead Auburn to the Liberty Bowl, where they would defeat Arkansas 22-15, with Jackson being the MVP.

As a senior in 1985, he set school records with 1,786 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. He also had 6.4 yards per run.

Once again, he had his best performance in the Iron Bowl, the annual rivalry game between Alabama and Auburn. This time, Jackson had 142 rushing yards and a pair of scores. And he did it all with two cracked ribs.

In his last college football game, he was named the 1986 Cotton Bowl’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player.

That year he was again a Consensus All-American. In addition to this, he was the recipient of the Walter Camp Award, the Chic Harley Award, and was named the UPI Player of the Year, as well as the Sporting News Player of the Year.

Oh yeah, and he the Heisman Trophy, too. He won the vote over Iowa quarterback Chuck Long by just 45 points, which is still the closest outcome in Heisman history.

He concluded his collegiate career with 4,303 rushing yards, a 6.6 average, and 43 TDs.

In baseball, he found great success as the Tigers’ center fielder. Although his baseball stats and performances are not as well documented as they were for football, he was a top-notch player in both sports.

His best season was in 1985, when he hit 17 homers, had 43 RBI, 55 runs, and a batting average of .401. He was declared ineligible to play as a senior because he accepted a free plane ride to Tampa Bay to undergo a physical for the Buccaneers of the NFL.

In track, he qualified for the 100-meter dash as a freshman and sophomore, with his best time being 10.4.

He even considered running for the United States Olympic Team, but eventually decided to stick with his other sports.

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