Complex sentence: In 1997, Jackson became the first true freshman to start a football game at NIU since 1979 when he started against Kansas State, and he would go on to start 7 more games that year.
Split into simpler sentences: In 1997, became the first true freshman to start a football game at NIU since 1979 when he started against Kansas State. He would go on to start 7 more games that year.