Former University of Connecticut offensive line and head coach Tom Jackson died on Jan. 30, at the age of 76.
Before his coaching career, Jackson was an offensive guard at Penn State from 1967 to 1970, where the team went undefeated his final two years.
In 1968 and 1969, he earned All-East honors as a guard at Penn State.
Jackson graduated from Penn State in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education and recreation. He later earned a master’s degree in physical education from Cortland State in 1975.
The New Jersey native served as UConn’s offensive line coach from 1978 to 1982 and as head coach from 1983 to 1993.
As head coach, he compiled a record of 62-57 and won three Yankee Conference championships in 1983, 1986 and 1989.
Jackson is also third all-time in school history in wins with 62 and games coached with 119.
Jackson’s best record was 8-3, which he achieved twice: in 1986 and 1989. He also received Yankee Conference Coach of the Year and UPI New England Coach of the Year honors in 1986.
Before coaching at UConn, Jackson served as Penn State’s offensive line coach and later became the offensive line coach at Watchung Hills Regional High School in New Jersey.
He also was an assistant coach at Cortland State and an offensive line coach at Millersville State in Pennsylvania before joining UConn’s staff.
In high school, Jackson was the captain of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High football team in his senior season and earned all-conference, all-area and second-team all-state honors as the best offensive lineman.
Jackson is survived by aunts Susan Murphy and Debby Zindel, as well as nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and cousins.
A funeral was held in Florida on Feb. 6 to honor his memory.
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