He’s been benched, replaced and pushed out. Now North Texas’ Tayven Jackson is one of the nation’s top QBs

DENTON, Texas — The conversation always seemed to go the same way: "You're a great player, but we have a guy already."

Tayven Jackson heard it again and again in the transfer portal last winter. Schools would call the former UCF starter and four-star recruit, but they were all interested in him transferring in as a backup. It was a reality Jackson almost resigned himself to late in last year's portal cycle: He'd just have to be a backup somewhere and get his degree.

Then a family connection changed his fate. His uncle, Chris, the wide receivers coach at Texas, called Jackson's dad, Ray, asking how Tayven's transfer process had gone. When Ray told Chris that Tayven hadn't had any bites as a starter, Chris said he'd call Neal Brown.

Brown had spent the 2025 season at Texas as special assistant to the head coach before taking the job at North Texas. He needed a quarterback. Tayven needed a home.

"I was supposed to be here," Jackson says in a small office in North Texas' football building.

It's a marriage that's revitalized Jackson's career and sparked Brown's first season with the Mean Green. Despite returning zero starters from a 12-win…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/