Muggsy Jackson (NCSL Division 1 Football)

Coach Jackson in 2013.

1984-1988 Charlitta (S/CB)

1989-1993 Texas A&M (S/CB)

1994-1999 Massachusetts St. (DC)

2000-2002 Texas A&M (S/DC)

2003-2006 Boston College (S/DC)

2006 Boston College (Interim HC)

2007 Boston College (S/DC)

2008-2012 Navajo State

2013 Texas A&M (Analyst)

2016-pres Midland State

Overall: 49-54

Muggsy Jackson (Born Michael Elway Jackson) is the current head coach of the Midland State University Football Team. He has formerly served as the head coach of the Navajo State Football team and the Interim Head Coach of the Boston College Football Team. He is also the former host of *The Muggsy Jackson Show,* a sports radio show that aired on ESPN U and ESPN Radio from 2013-2016.

## Personal Life

Muggsy is married to Ashley Jackson, and together they have four children, Muggsy Jr, Robert, Ashley, and Mitch.

## *The Muggsy Jackson Show*

In 2013, ESPN Radio and Muggsy Jackson would come to a deal that would set up a radio show, starring Muggsy Jackson as the host. The show would focus on a variety of sports news, with special emphasis on College and NFL football. The show would air daily from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. On August 16, 2013, Coach jackson would leave his position as Analyst at Texas A&M, and on August 20, 2013 the first episode of the show would air, with Muggsy as host and Jon Sciambi as co-host. Until November 5, 2013, the co-host position would rotate between Jon Sciambi and Bomani Jones, before a permanent co-host was set up when Mel Kiper Jr. announced that he would co host the show. The shows ratings would quickly rise with the pair, soon rising to ESPN Radio's third highest rated show. On January 4th, 2014, ESPN announced that the show would begin to air on ESPN U once weekly on Wednesdays from 1-2. On January 6, 2014, the show would air a special from the Rose Bowl and the 2014 BCS National Championship Game, where the would cover the pregame festivities, interview players and coaches in the game, and -once the game began- would call the game as it happened. The special would be the most viewed ESPN Radio program of the year, and would be loved by critics. Both would be applauded for their detailed and in depth coverage, and their pre game interviews with Auburn coach Gus Malzhan, Florida State Coach Jimbo Fischer, Florida State QB Jameis Wintston, Auburn QB Nick Marshall, Florida State RB Devonta Freeman, Auburn RB Tre Mason, Auburn DE Dee Ford, Florida State LB Lamarcus Joyner, Auburn OC Rhett Lashlee, and Florida State DC Jeremey Pruitt. They were also applauded for their post game interviews with Florida State HC Jimbo Fischer, FSU QB Jameis Winston, FSU WR Kelvin Benjamin (Who caught the winning catch,) Auburn QB Nick Marshall, and Auburn HC Gus Malzhan. The episode would win several awards for its coverage of the event, and it would be aired on ESPN over the next few days. The shows viewing rates would continue to rise over the next few days, and by March it would become the most viewed show on ESPN Radio, and by early April, the highest rated.

In May, the show would introduce Anthony Angelo as a second co-host. Anthony had been n assistant on teh show since it began, and prior to that worked for a New York City radio station. At first, critics would be very harsh towards Anthony's work, but would eventually warm up to him.

On May 3rd, the group would hold a special reporting from the Kentucky Derby. although it would not see the great critical reception of the 2014 BCS national Championship game coverage, it would still be rated as positive by many critics.

From May 8th-10th, the group would travel to the NFL Draft. However, Mel Kiper would be busy a majority of the time elsewhere during the draft doing interviews with other stations. In replace of him, the show would have Joe Tessitore and Ray Lewis. Coverage of the event would be rather negative, but overall coverage later on would continue to stay positive.

The team would be scheduled to report live from the Indy 500 but cancelled the special after Muggsy went into emergency surgery to remove his appendix.

On June 15th, Mel Kiper Jr. would announce that he would be leaving the show to focus on other ventures. The decision would be met with very negative reception from fans and critics alike, and ratings would fall in the episode after he left. To replace him until they found a permanent replacement, the show would have Mike Patrick, Joe Tessitore, and Jon Sciambi on as replacements. On July 15th, they would announce that Bomani Jones would become the permanent replacement. A few days later, the show would begin holding their famous interviews with certain sports personalities and players. To do this, the shows run time would be extended from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The first guest on the show would be former host Mel Kiper Jr. The interview with him would be taken as very positive by critics.

In August, the group would travel to the US Open (tennis), where they would cover the event. One Interview between Muggsy and former four time Open winner John McEnroe would win an award for sports interivew of the year.

On September 10th, two days after the US pen coverage would end, Bomani Jones would announce that he would be leaving the show. Part time replacements for him would be John Clayton, Don Orsillo, Jon Sciambi, and and Andy Brickley. By October 5th, Jon Sciambi was hired as the co-host.

In 2015, an interview between Muggsy and Then Big 9 conference associates over rumors of foul play orchastrated by the Big 9 conference led to break in a case that eventually led to the NCSL take over of the Big 9, and the eventual collapse of the Big 9. Muggsy would win several awards for th interview, and would win the NCSL achievement award for substantially contributing to the association.

For the remainder of the year, the show would continue to have high ratings, and would continue to be the most listened to show on ESPN Radio.

Shortly after the New Year, Jon Sciambi would be controversially fired by the shows producers, citing "falling ratings" as why. Jon would later say that he loved the show dearly, and never wished to leave it, and that he wished that they would have kept him. However, he would quickly be replaced on January 9th, by former Co-host Mel Kiper Jr. Mels return would be met with high applause. On January 12th, the show would begin airing a special on the 2015 CFP National Championship Game, that was very similar to the show from the year prior. The show would once again be met with critical acclaim, and the show would once again win several awards for it.

The shows lineup would stay the same until August 10th, 2015. In between that time, the show would enter a golden age, with content that has long been revered as some of the best in the shows history. Some specials that the show held included Super Bowl XLIX on February 1st, The 2015 NBA All star Game on February, 15th, March Madness, The 2015 Stanley Cup Finals, The 2015 WNBA Draft, The 2015 Boston Marathon, The 2015 NFL Draft, The 2015 Kentucky Derby, The 2015 FIFA Womans World Cup (The first time a show was taped outside of the USA. Its was taped in Canada,) The 2015 NBA draft, And The 2015 world series. On top of that multiple 1-on-1 interviews with many former and current sports individuals would also air, and be met with critical acclaim. In August, the show would announce that they would be adding a fourth member to the shows lineup, bringing back Jon Sciambi.

With Jon, the show would continue to prosper, and would cover further events throughout the remainder of the year. In January, the now famous coverage of the College Football National Championship game would continue, with it once again being acclaimed by critics and listeners alike.

On May 21st, 2016, the show would announce that Mel Kiper Jr would be leaving the show.

Just three days later, the show would announce that Muggsy would be leaving the show as well. Muggsy had accepted the head coaching job at Midland State. In response to this, the shows following episodes scheduled until September would all be cancelled, as the show would try to find a replacement. Jon Sciambi would leave the show soon after, and ESPN Radio would announce that *The Muggsy Jackson Show* would become *The* *Angelo Anthony Show* in September. He would host the show by himself until January, when it would be announced that he would co-host the show with Mike Golic Jr. During these first few months, the ratings for the show would be rather negative, and had lost its title of highest rated and most watched ESPN Radio Show. However, by March it would recover. The two would continue as hosts until June, when Muggsy's youngest son, Mitch, would be announced as the newest co-host. This trio would continue for over a year, until June 2018, when a fourth co-host would be announced, Dale Arnold. This lineup would stay until April 2019, when Mitch Jackson would leave for Fox Sports. He would be replaced in September 2019 by Naoko Funayama would replace him. However, in December, Naoko Funayama and Mike Golic Jr. Would be let go by ESPN and the show, citing lowering ratings and lacking performance by the two as reasons. This would be met with harsh backlash, as many fans had enjoyed the twos time with the show. While covering the

## Head Coaching Record

### Navajo State

2008 4-8

2009 9-3 Italy Bowl W

2010 8-4 ABC Bowl L

2011 3-9

2012 0-12

### Midland State

2016 5-7

2017 6-6

2018 7-5 Fox Bowl L

2019