By admin 
Jackson Sharman signed up for this: to play quarterback, to make plays, to be a good teammate, and to absorb all manner of a pass rush designed to break him in half.
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The Sacramento State junior quarterback has had his moments in the Hornets’ 1-3 start in their first season navigating the tricky and treacherous waters of the NCAA Division I FBS high seas. He will lead the charge Saturday night at Hornet Stadium when Sac State faces Massachusetts in the program’s first-ever Mid-American Conference home game.
Sharman has made touch throws for touchdowns. He has celebrated victory — and he has agonized over crushing defeat. Last week against fellow FBS newcomer North Dakota State, Sharman was chased, hurried, sacked, clobbered and more. He kept getting up, albeit slowly, and kept getting back into the mix.
“I mean, it’s Ohana at the end of the day,” Sharman said. “Ohana means family in Hawaii, and I ride or die for these guys. I’m a starting quarterback. That’s what you’re supposed to do. I’m always going to be out there, to do my best to be out there. My legs would have to be broken for me to come off the field.”
Sharman referenced Hawaii because the state represents his home roots. He was born in Kauai and grew up in Redondo Beach in Southern California. He was a multi-sport star in high school and earned a scholarship to Idaho State, where he saw limited action over three years before his transfer to Sac State last winter.
Sharman battled Carson Conklin for the starting role in spring and fall camp as the quarterbacks became close friends. He backed up Conklin in the season-opening loss at Eastern Michigan. Conklin suffered a wrist injury on his passing hand in that game and remains sidelined indefinitely. Sharman took over, and now it’s Conklin offering support and wisdom as the backup.
Sharman passed for 247 yards and four touchdowns in his first collegiate start, a 52-0 home victory over Mississippi Valley State on Sept. 5. He struggled as did all the Hornets in a 49-3 loss at Fresno State the following week. Sharman overcame a shaky first half against North Dakota State and competed to the end, passing for 238 yards and a touchdown in the 31-10 setback. Sac State trailed 28-3 at the half.
Sharman has developed a passing rapport with leading receivers Onterrio Smith Jr. and Matt Coleman. And he has earned the praise of his teammates and coaches for his grit and resolve, absorbing shots in taking a long moment to get back up but refusing to slow down in his quest to lead the Hornets.
Sharman after one hit entered the medical tent on the Hornets sideline for evaluation. Is his mind right? Are all of his limbs still attached? He insisted that he was good to go.
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“I was ready to send in the backup quarterback, and he comes running out, ‘No, coach! I’m ready. I got this,’” Hornets first-year coach Alonzo Carter said after the game. “Even right now, he’s in there getting treatment, and he’s upset. He’s upset because he has so much passion. And that’s the type of kid you want to play with.”
Hawaiian roots, SoCal upbringing
Sharman’s fondness for Hawaii are clear in his words and expressions and on the tattoo on his shoulder. The ink also includes the initials of someone dear to his heart, his late grandmother, Joan Merritt. Sharman said family is his “why” — as in, why he competes the way he does, why he cares so much.
Sharman talks often of opportunities, of chasing dreams and dreams coming true. He was a football and baseball star at Torrence West in Los Angeles County, but his hopes of landing a football scholarship seemed dashed before Cody Hawkins reached out.
A former UC Davis offensive coordinator who is now in his third season as head coach at Idaho State, Hawkins offered a scholarship late in Sharman’s senior season, at the end of his high school baseball career. Sharman jumped at the chance, was the good teammate and still expresses appreciation to Hawkins.
As for his role now, Sharman said, “This opportunity that I have in front of me is something that I’ve been praying for my whole career. I always want to put out my best performance for these guys because that’s what they deserve. I’m going to continue to work hard every day. I’m going to attack film work, attack practice, continue to lead these guys and them fired up to play. This is my family.”
Sharman was asked how he felt after taking those battering shots from North Dakota State, and he smiled.
“Feel like a million bucks,” he said with a smile. “I took some hits, a couple of times in the same spot, but gotta keep going. Got to keep playing. Everyone was checking on me, in the huddle -— ‘You good?’ I said, ‘Yeah. It’s football. Let’s go. Let’s play. Let’s keep moving. Don’t worry about me. I’m going to keep going, If I can walk, I’m good. Let’s go!’”
UMass (3-0) at Sacramento State (1-3)
When: 6 p.m. Saturday at Hornet Stadium
On air: ESPN+, ESPN 1320 AM Radio
Of note: UMass was projected to finish last in the MAC, having gone 2-10 in 2024 and 0-12 last season, but the Minutemen have come out hot, halting a 16-game losing streak in their opener with a victory over Rutgers. Virginia Tech transfer Pop Watson III has passed for 509 yards and five touchdowns, and he has rushed for two scores for UMass. UMass endured 1-11 seasons in 2012, 2013, 2021 and 2022. The program is led by second-year head coach Joe Harasymiak, who was the head coach at Maine from 2016-18 and was the Rutgers defensive coordinator from 2022-24.
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