CTA's Day 13 of Quarantine With Pine-Richland's Miguel Jackson

SOURCE: (TWITTER, @_mjjacks)

Check out Miguel Jackson: Miguel is currently a junior at Pine-Richland High School. He was on the roster when Pine-Richland won 2 WPIAL football championships in 2017 and 2018. He currently plays defensive end for the Rams and has been making a name for himself. This past season, 2019 WPIAL & PIAA football season, Jackson recorded 10 sacks, 56 tackles, forced three fumbles, and scored one defensive touchdown. Jackson is currently ranked 17th on WPIAL Insider's 2021 Top Prospect List. He currently has offers to play college football at schools such as The College of Holy Cross, James Madison University, Eastern Kentucky, Robert Morris, Harvard , Yale, Central Michigan, Akron, and others.

Questions & Answers:

What have you been doing during this COVID-19 crisis?

Miguel Jackson: "Working out, talking to coaches on FaceTime, and doing my schoolwork."

Ok Miguel, in your first three years of high school, your Pine-Richland football team played in 6A. Next season, in your senior year, your team will move to 5A. What do you think of your team moving down in classification next season?

MJ: "It really didn’t bother me moving down to 5A because I know we’re still playing the top teams in 6A and we’re playing the top teams in 5A. So, we’re going to play the best competition and I know me and my boys are going to play 100 percent."

Last season, in 2019, your Rams lost to Central Catholic in the WPIAL 6A football championship game. What would you say your team learned after that loss?

MJ: "I felt like things were really put in perspective on how good we are. It showed that we can be beat and we just can’t get cocky and I can kind of see it in some players thinking they were better than they thought they were. We just need to finish for all 48 minutes."

What's it like playing for head coach Eric Kasperowicz?

MJ: "He’s an amazing coach, definitely the best coach I had. He knows how to pick apart offenses and it shows. We have one of the top defenses in the state because of him and it shows."

So, tell me how you got first into football?

MJ: Well actually, I started playing flag football when I was 6 years old and I really enjoyed playing it. My parents started letting me play tackle football when I was 10 years old and I enjoyed playing it and after that I always wanted to play in college.

When it comes to sports, who would you say is Pine-Richland's biggest rivalry?

MJ: "I would say either North Allegheny or Central Catholic. It’s always a great game between us and those teams. With NA being so close to us that’s a big rivalry; and us always seeing Central in the playoffs or championship, it’s always a great game between us."

If you had to choose another WPIAL football player from another school to play at Pine-Richland next year, who would you choose? And, why?

MJ: I would choose Nahki Johnson out of West Mifflin because we lost a linebacker and he can fill that spot. He can play like a hybrid between defensive end and linebacker. He’s a great all around player.

What is the biggest prank that you have ever seen happened at Pine-Richland High School?

MJ: "I really haven’t seen any pranks when I came here, but I have heard something about a mattress in the pool."

What is something that people would be surprised to know about you?

MJ: "I can play the piano. I used to take a class at the high school."

Brentaro Yamane: bkyamane@gmail.com and Twitter/Instagram @BYHilton13