FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Landon Jackson has seen the highs and lows of college football already in his short career.
A devastating leg injury and inability to crack the depth chart in Baton Rouge, plus a coaching change, gave Jackson a decision to make last spring.
After entering the portal and transferring to Arkansas from LSU, Jackson has carved out a role on the Razorback defensive line in short order.
In Saturday's season-opening 31-24 win over Cincinnati, the former Pleasant Grove standout had five tackles (two solo) with a tackle for loss and quarterback hurry while playing a majority of the snaps. Those numbers tied him for fourth on the team in his first start.
His combined sack with Zach Williams ended the third quarter and derailed some Cincinnati momentum after a long third down conversion.
Even though the Bearcats were able to get some things going offensively in the second half, finishing with 436 total yards, it seemed like Arkansas was always able to come up with a stop or force a turnover or bait them into a penalty.
Jackson's former teammate at LSU that accompanied him to Arkansas, Dwight McGlothern, had a 51-yard interception return of a Ben Bryant pass in the first quarter.
The defensive performance held the visitors, who were in last season's College Football Playoff, scoreless in the first half for the first time since a 42-0 loss at Ohio State on September 7, 2019.
Jackson and his comrades on the line were asked to carry a larger load after the Razorbacks lost both nickelback Myles Slusher and safety Jalen Catalon to injuries as both were sidelined for the remainder of the contest.
There won't be any delay in seeing the rigors of Southeastern Conference play for Jackson, as Arkansas hosts South Carolina next week in Fayetteville.
Another portal stalwart, Spencer Rattler, will be making his first league start for the Gamecocks. Rattler formerly played for Oklahoma but elected to transfer after Lincoln Riley resigned and took the USC head coaching position.