Charlie Jackson, an Atlanta Falcons assistant coach for the past two seasons, is the new Head Football Coach at Kentucky State University.

“I am ecstatic to accept the Head Football Coach position at Kentucky State University. President Brown and Athletic Director Etienne Thomas speak my language. My minimum standard is graduating student-athletes, but I am extremely encouraged to know that achieving excellence, across the board, with regard to the student-athlete experience, is a priority for this administration.

My goal for the football program is simple: to compete against perfection. Every member of our football operation will demonstrate an all-consuming mindset to maximize his or her God-given potential, and we will do the same as a team. President Brown and Mrs. Thomas have outlined their plan to reclassify to NCAA Division 1 (FCS) status in the near future, and I am thrilled to lead the charge from a football perspective.

Coach Jackson, a veteran United States Air Force officer, has a long history with the National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As a defensive assistant and defensive backs coach with the Atlanta Falcons, he coached Pro Bowl Strong Safety, Keanu Neal, and Free Safety/Nickel Back, Domontae Kazee, who tied for the NFL lead with 7 interceptions in 2018. The 2017 Falcons defense was the best the organization has had in over 20 years. The defense finished in the NFL top 10 in many categories, including yards per game (318.4 – 9th), rushing yards per game (104.1 – 9th), red zone percentage (45.8% - 5th), and points per game (19.7 – 8th). The 2017 season marked the first time since 1998 the Falcons defense finished the season ranked in the top 10 in both total defense and scoring defense.

Prior to coaching with the Falcons, Jackson served on the NCAA national headquarters staff as a member of the college football rules enforcement group. His background also includes multiple defensive coaching roles with the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos and coaching fellowships with the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams. He also served as a college scout for the Seattle Seahawks organization. He has collegiate experience at Colorado, UCLA, Utah State, Buffalo, and the United States Air Force Academy.

Jackson was a Commissioned Officer in the United States Air Force before entering the coaching arena. He ascended to the rank of Captain while being stationed more than four years at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida and Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. His duties included serving as the U.S. Government point man in negotiations with three foreign government agencies in support of international treaty agreements.

Jackson was a defensive back at the United States Air Force Academy as a student-