Record-Setting Cougar Jackson Dies Of Cancer Popular Player Held Washington State Marks, Had Nine-Year Nfl Career

Bernard Jackson, 46, a record-setting running back for Washington State University during the early 1970s and a defensive back for nine years in the National Football League, died Monday of liver cancer.

Jackson played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers. He spent 1995-96 as an assistant coach at Western State College in Gunnison, Colo., then worked in mutual funds in Denver.

A 1968 graduate of Dorsey High in Los Angeles, Jackson attended Pierce (Calif.) Junior College for two years before transferring to WSU to play for Jim Sweeney.

Jackson, a 6-foot, 173-pound tailback, rushed for a school-record 1,189 yards in ‘71 and finished his career with 1,779. He set a WSU record by rushing for 261 against Oregon as a senior.

His other WSU records included 27 kickoff returns for 744 yards in ‘71 and career marks of 54 and 1,242. His return average of 27.6 in ‘71 is still a WSU record, as is his 100-yard kickoff return against UCLA in ‘71.

Jackson, born in Washington D.C., played in the Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine Game and the Coaches’ All-America Game. He earned All-Pacific-8 Conference and All-West Coast first-team honors as a senior.

Jackson’s death was confirmed Tuesday by the Denver Post. He had been diagnosed with cancer in late January.