Grambling State parts ways with coach Hue Jackson

Grambling State relieved head coach Hue Jackson of his duties on Tuesday after two seasons.

Co-offensive coordinator John Simon was elevated to interim head coach while the university launches a national search for its next full-time hire.

The Tigers posted a 5-6 record this season, finishing with a 27-22 loss to rival Southern University on Saturday in the annual Bayou Classic in New Orleans.

Jackson, 58, has an overall record of 8-14 (6-10 SWAC) during his tenure with Grambling.

The former NFL head coach was hired on a four-year contract with an annual salary of $400,000, but only the first two years were guaranteed.

"We want to thank Coach Jackson on his contributions to the GSU football program. We wish him well in all his future endeavors," Dr. Trayvean Scott, Grambling vice president of intercollegiate athletics, said in a statement. "This was not an easy decision to make but one that we felt was necessary to move our program forward. The goal at GSU is to compete for championships every year. As we move forward, we will be intentional in finding the right person to lead this program back to its rightful place as one of the top programs in the country."

Prior to Grambling, Jackson was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee State for the 2021 season. His 30-plus years of coaching experience at the collegiate and professional levels includes a stint at Southern California in the late 1990s, where he helped recruit and groom Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Carson Palmer (2002).

Jackson coached in various positions in the NFL starting in 2004 with his first of three stints with the Cincinnati Bengals. He also held coaching positions with the Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns.

He was head coach for the 2011 season with the Raiders, finishing 8-8 before being fired.

Jackson was hired as head coach of the Browns in 2016, becoming the first coach since 2008 to start a season 0-14. The Browns finished that year at 1-15 and followed it up by becoming only the second team in NFL history to finish 0-16. He was fired after starting the 2018 season at 2-5-1.