Warriors not counting on Jackson playing tomorrow

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i football team is prepared to play without its best defensive back in tomorrow afternoon's game against 18th-ranked Fresno State.

Safety Nate Jackson suffered a horseshoe-shaped abrasion on his left shin from a motorcycle spill Monday afternoon. UH officials said Jackson's wounds required two layers of stitches, and he was released from the hospital that day.

He rested at his Wai'anae home Tuesday and was on crutches at yesterday's morning practice.

"I'm not counting on him," UH coach June Jones said. "It's a plus if he's there."

Jackson tried to remain hopeful, saying, "If I have to play, I'll play."

But he is taking medication to relieve the pain, and he admittedly is not close to being ready to work out.

"I haven't even tried to walk on it because of the stitches," he said. "I don't want to rip them."

Jackson said the stitches will be on for another two weeks.

"I don't want to play if I'm not going to produce," said Jackson, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior. "It's as simple as that. We'll have to play it by ear and see how it goes."

If Jackson cannot play, Robert Grant will play free safety in the 4-3 alignment and cornerback Hyrum Peters will play nickelback when the Warriors go with five defensive backs. Jackson usually doubles as the nickelback. Peters, who played nickelback last season, said he is fully healed from a pulled left hamstring that prevented him from playing in the past two games.

"Robert Grant has played well this year and Hyrum's leg is feeling better," Jones said. "We'll be OK back there."

Jackson said he suffered the injury in "one of those freak accidents." He said the car stopped in front of the motorcycle he was riding, forcing him to swerve. The motorcycle spilled on the left side.

He said he did not notice the abrasions on his leg until "one of my friends drove up. He said, 'What's up, Nate?' I heard his girlfriend say, 'Ooh. Check out his leg.' When I looked at it, I kind of stopped for a minute. I checked it out. You know, I like those crazy-looking things. I just got back on the bike and pushed it over to the side."