Kentucky Football Coach Guy Morriss has completed his coaching staff with the hiring of three assistant coaches HaroldJackson, Mark Nelson, and Rick Smith.

Jackson, one of the top pass catchers in National Football League history, will be in charge of the wide receivers. Nelson, whohas earned the Special Teams Coach of the Year award in the Canadian Football League, will be UK’s special teams coordinatorand also coach the tight ends. Smith, who has been the defensive coordinator at three major colleges, will be the assistant headcoach, recruiting coordinator, and will coach the defensive secondary.

Kentucky’s offensive staff now includes Jackson, Nelson, Morriss (offensive line), offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coachBrent Pease, and Wesley McGriff, who has been moved from defense to offense and will coach the running backs. Four of the fiveoffensive coaches have played and/or coached in professional football.

The UK defensive staff includes Smith, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach John Goodner, tackles coach Tom Adams,safeties coach Larry Hoefer, and ends coach Chris Lancaster. The defensive staff has plenty of experience, as Smith, Goodner, andHoefer all have been defensive coordinators for at least two Division I-A schools.

The three new coaches fill Morriss’ former assistant’s position and replace Scott Highsmith and Dennis Roland. Highsmith hadcoached the UK running backs and Roland was tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator.

Here are the biographies of the new Wildcat assistants:

Harold Jackson, a five-time All-Pro wide receiver and 10-year NFL coaching veteran, will guide the Kentucky widereceivers.

“When I worked with Harold, I observed his players and how they reacted to him. He is a tremendous teacher of receiverplay,” Morriss said. “He’ll be such an asset to our receivers.”

Jackson has coached receivers for 10 years in the NFL with New England (1985-89), Tampa Bay (1992-93), and NewOrleans (1997-99). In Jackson’s first season as a coach, the Patriots won the conference championship and played in the 1986Super Bowl. It was at New England where Jackson became acquainted with Morriss. Morriss played for the Patriots from1984-87 and was an assistant coach in 1988-89.Jackson enjoyed a 16-year playing career in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams (1968, 1973-77), Philadelphia Eagles (1969-72),New England Patriots (1978-81), Minnesota Vikings (1982), and Seattle Seahawks (1983).

Jackson’s career totals include 579 receptions for 10,372 yards and 76 touchdowns. He had 29 100-yard games in his careerand three 1,000-yard seasons. He ranks 15th in league history in receiving yardage. He led the NFL in receptions in 1972 and inreceiving yardage in 1969 and ’72.

A native of Hattiesburg, Jackson played his collegiate football at Jackson State University. He is a member of the JSU SportsHall of Fame.

Jackson also has coaching experience at the collegiate level. In 1990, he was an assistant coach at North Carolina CentralUniversity in Durham, N. C. In 1991, he was an assistant coach with the New Orleans Night of the Arena Football League.

Following his two-year stint with Tampa Bay, Jackson spent 1994 as the head coach at Virginia Union College in Richmond,Va. He was also head coach for two seasons at Benedict College in Columbia, S. C., where he helped revive a football programthat had been defunct for 29 years.

“I’ve known Guy Morriss since we coached together at New England,” Jackson said. “I wanted to be with him at Kentucky. He is very smart and knows the game. When Guy does something, he does it right. He’ll put a good product on the field.”

Harold and his wife, Carolyn, have one son, Brandon.

Mark Nelson, a five-year coaching veteran of the Canadian Football League, will be UK’s special teams coordinator and tightends coach.

“Mark will have instant credibility with the players,” Morriss said. “He’s a good teacher who will build a strong relationshipwith the players. The players will play hard for him because they won’t want to let him down.”

Nelson coached in the CFL from 1992-96. He was with the Edmonton Eskimos from 1992-94 as special teams coordinator,linebacker coach (’92), and running backs coach (’93-’94). Edmonton won the 1993 Grey Cup championship and Nelson wasnamed CFL Special Teams Coach of the Year.

Nelson became acquainted with Morriss when they coached together with the CFL’s San Antonio Texans in 1995. Nelsonwas the linebackers coach and San Antonio was a South Division/Conference(?) finalist. Nelson won another Grey Cupchampionship in 1996 as defensive line coach for the Toronto Argonauts.

After leaving the CFL, Nelson was defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for three seasons at Valdosta StateUniversity. His 1997 defense led the Gulf South Conference in rushing defense and total defense. His 1998 unit led the conferencein passing defense and was second in total defense.

Nelson coached at Arkansas Tech in the 2000 season as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. Tech went 7-3,including a win over Delta State, the only loss suffered by the eventual NCAA Division II national champion.

A native of Edmonton, Nelson was an NAIA All-American during his collegiate playing career at East Central Oklahoma StateUniversity. He played seven seasons in the CFL as a linebacker and fullback with Calgary (1980-85) and Saskatchewan (1986).

Nelson began his coaching career in 1986 at Choctaw High School in Edmond, Oklahoma. He entered the junior college rankswith Independence (Kan.) Community College. He was an assistant coach from 1987-89, then was promoted to head coach for the1990 and 1991 seasons. ICC played in the 1987 Dixie Rotary Bowl. He left ICC in 1992 for Edmonton of the CFL.

“Kentucky has an excellent university and football program,” Nelson said. “Playing in the SEC is a great challenge and GuyMorriss is the perfect man to lead us through it. Guy is a straight-shooter who rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. It’s an honor towork with him again.”

Nelson and his wife, Lori, have three children, sons Kyle and Kolton and daughter Kayli.

Former UK assistant Rick Smith, who has been defensive coordinator at three Division I-A schools, returns to Lexington asassistant head coach, recruiting coordinator, and defensive secondary coach.

“I’ve known Rick Smith by reputation as a man of integrity, an excellent ‘X and O’ coach who gets the most out of his players,”Morriss said. “He’s the kind of person and coach we want here.”

Smith comes to UK from the University of Cincinnati, where he made a significant impact during his two years as defensivecoordinator. Last season, Smith’s defense generated 34 turnovers fourth in the nation and the Bearcats went 7-4, earning a berth inthe Motor City Bowl. In 1999, his first season at UC, the Bearcat defense improved more than 20 places in every NCAA statisticalcategory, allowing an average of 99 fewer yards and 15 points per game while forcing six more turnovers than the previous season.

As defensive coordinator at Tulane in 1997-98, Smith was responsible for helping transform the Green Wave from a unit thathad won five games in three years combined to one that won 19 games in back-to-back seasons.

Smith helped guide Tulane to a perfect 12-0 record and No. 7 ranking in both major polls in 1998. The Green Wave won theConference USA title and defeated Brigham Young in the Liberty Bowl. In 1997, the Green Wave led the nation in interceptionswith 26 pickoffs.

Smith spent seven seasons at Kentucky (1990-96) as defensive backs coach, adding the duties of defensive coordinator in hisfinal season. Smith had an All-Southeastern Conference defensive back in each of his last four seasons at UK.

During his career, Smith has seen 24 of his defensive backs drafted by National Football League teams. Twenty of his 24draftees have played at least three seasons in the NFL.

A native of Tallahassee, Smith played collegiate football and baseball at Florida State University. He got his start in coaching asan assistant for three years at Godby High School in Tallahassee, then was head coach at Wakulla (Fla.) High School for three years.

Smith entered the collegiate ranks in 1977 as the head junior varsity coach at Georgia Tech, then coached one season at EastTennessee State as defensive backs coach. He returned to high school football for three seasons as head coach at Marianna (Fla.)HS.

Smith returned to college football in 1983, coaching at Georgia Tech (1982-85), Alabama (1986), and Baylor (1987-89). Smith coached alongside current UK defensive coordinator John Goodner at Baylor, and the Bears achieved national rankings inpass defense.

“I’ve always loved Lexington and the University of Kentucky. It’s a great challenge to play in the Southeastern Conference andI wanted to get back in the SEC,” Smith said. “I also wanted to work for a coach like Guy Morriss, who has earned a reputation ofbeing highly respected by his players.”

Smith and his wife, Barbara, have three children daughter Beth and sons Steve and Billy.