Mark Jackson enters his sixth season as an assistant coach at Wheaton College in 2023. He joined the Thunder staff after spending 16 years coaching at Wheaton-Warrenville South High School. Jackson spent his first eight years as the linebackers coach before serving as the Defensive Coordinator from 2008-2016. He also spent three years as the Special Teams Coordinator. During his tenure, Jackson helped lead the Tigers to a run of three State Championships and two State Runner-up finishes in a span of six seasons.
A 1977 graduate of Baylor University, Jackson was a three-year letterman and two-year starter at quarterback for the Baylor Bears under coach Grant Teaff. Prior to transferring to Baylor, he was the first-ever freshman to letter in a varsity sport at the University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP). Following his senior season, Jackson was selected to play in the East-West All-Star Shrine Game. After his graduation, Jackson played six years in the Canadian Football League including stints with the Montreal Allouttes, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In 1980, he led the CFL Eastern Conference in passing.
Mark and his wife, Nancy, live in Wheaton and have three children. His son, Brett, graduated from Wheaton in 2008 and was a running back for the Thunder.
