North Texas has announced that Tayven Jackson will lead the team as the starting quarterback in their season opener against Indiana, the defending national champions. This decision, initially reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, is particularly notable as Jackson previously played for Indiana before transferring to North Texas.
Jackson, who has also played at UCF, secured the starting role over competitors Chaston Ditta, Chris Jimerson Jr., and freshman Ziondre Williams. New head coach Neal Brown, who joined the Mean Green after a six-year tenure at West Virginia, emphasized that Jackson's experience would be crucial for the upcoming road game.
In his final season at UCF, Jackson completed 63.5% of his passes for 2,151 yards, achieving 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His time at Indiana included 13 games, during which he threw for 1,263 yards with a completion rate of 61.2%, totaling six touchdowns and six interceptions. Jackson began his college career at Tennessee in 2022.
The season opener is set for noon ET on September 5, marking Jackson's first game in the American Conference after competing in the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC. Indiana will be led by former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, following the exit of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza to the NFL.
