Brody Jackson will miss his players and his former program. What he won’t miss are the long nights, the solo recruiting trips and the frequent drives from here to Ohio.
Jackson’s life had been in transit for too long and it was time for a change.
He resigned as the men’s basketball coach at Pitt-Greensburg after four seasons to pursue a new opportunity at his high school alma mater.
It’s not often a college coach returns to the high school level, but Jackson was magnetized by a chance to go home.
Jackson, 35, is leaving to become the athletic director and boys basketball coach at Manchester High School in Akron, Ohio. He was a basketball and football player there before graduating in 2004.
He is glad to be Panther again.
“Things happen for a reason. This is where I grew up and played,” Jackson said. “There are strong traditions here and athletic success that we hope to carry on.”
With an August wedding planned where he will marry Mel Patterson, who is from Cleveland, the move will benefit Jackson in many ways.
“I am still living in Greensburg for now and driving back to Akron to live with my parents a few days a week,” Jackson said. “I’m sleeping in the same bed I slept in growing up. I’m a little bigger now. Hopefully, we can get settled and get into our own place soon.”
Counting last year’s covid-shortened season, Jackson was 36-46 in his time at UPG.
He was the AMCC Coach of the Year in 2019-20 after leading UPG to a 20-6 mark. The Bobcats went 12-1 at home in 2018-19.
Telling his players he was leaving was the hardest part of the process, Jackson said.
“I couldn’t meet with them because they’re not back (on campus) yet,” Jackson said. “So I called everybody. We were sick of the Zoom meetings. I know our guys came to UPG for different reasons, but I know I had some part in that. We had some really fun times.”
Jackson cleaned out his office at UPG and left a note on the desk with his phone number.
“I think the program is in a good place,” he said. “Whoever they bring in, I want them to know I am here to help. I will be following the program.”
Jackson was an assistant at Mt. Union for six years before coming to Greensburg and also served as a head coach at two Virginia high schools, Middlesex and Rappahannock.
The former Bethany standout guard still ranks among that program’s all-time leaders in 3-point shooting.
