He’s 27 years old, has never played a down of football in his life, and had no prior connections to Nebraska, other than his mother’s employer, who played for the Huskers more than 50 years ago.
Yet Damian Jackson, his thick, full beard a clear indication he’s not an ordinary college freshman, is the first person Nebraska fans see emerge from the locker room, the American flag in hand as he leads the Tunnel Walk.
Nebraska players and coaches wouldn’t have it any other way, either.
Jackson, from Las Vegas, joined the team as a walk-on last spring after serving as a member of the Navy SEALs for four years.