Michigan Football: Giles Jackson poised for breakout season

Giles Jackson only scratched the surface of his potential as a freshman for the Michigan football team last season. Now, he’s ready to breakout.

Michigan football has been able to recruit California well under Harbaugh and his staff. The 2019 recruits from the Golden State provided immediate dividends for the Wolverines. Giles Jackson and Zach Charbonnet each had impressive freshman seasons. Jackson looks poised to take his production to the next level in 2020.

Giles was a factor on offense and special teams for Michigan football last season. As a true freshman, he lined up at receiver, running back, and kick returner. Every spot that Coach Gattis put him in, he excelled.

Jackson compiled 10 rushes, 9 catches, and 24 kickoff returns scoring 3 TD’s. That is versatility.

Coach Gattis got the speedy freshman more involved in the offense as the season wore on. He used Jackson in a variety of different formations. Jackson lined up out wide as a receiver and in the backfield at times. As the playing time went up, so did his production.

Giles is a match-up nightmare for defenses. Big Ten linebackers dont have the speed to cover Jackson. Gattis knows this and used that to his advantage as a play caller. The different looks had one common goal, get Giles in space, where he can do damage.

Jackson poised for 2020 breakout

The receiver will be entering his second season in Ann Arbor with a bigger role in the offense. Jackson got his feet wet in 2019 and will come into 2020 with another off-season of learning the offense.

Everyone now knows what Giles is capable of in the offense. Michigan football lost Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black in the receiver room and those were two players getting snaps over Jackson. With those players gone expect Jackson to see the field a lot more.

Jackson, along with Collins and Bell will lead the receivers. One thing that Jackson does, that Bell and Collins don’t, is line up in the backfield. When he lines up at running back Gattis can use his creativity to get him open or in a favorable match-up.

Giles can be a difference maker in the return game as well. He showed that he has home run potential as a freshman when he returned the opening kick against Maryland 97 yards for a TD. That was his first season returning kicks. As he gets more reps, there is a good chance that he finds the endzone again.

Jackson perfectly encapsulates the “Speed in Space” offense that Gattis has instituted at Michigan. Expect Giles to explode in his sophomore season in the winged helmet.