When a coach -- who eventually calls a young man "probably the best player ever at our school” -- starts out an interview by talking about everything other than football, one knows the story is a good one.

"Let's talk about Jackson Cummings as a person,” said Coach Greg Benzel, a U.S. History teacher at Rocklin, in his 10th year at the Thunder's helm after starting with the program when the school opened in 1993.

"It's very unusual for a kid to be genuinely concerned about other people,” continued the coach. 

"All our kids are respectful but he has a sense of respect, outstanding character, looks you straight in the eye when you talk to him. He has every reason to be arrogant and feel entitled but Jackson's not that way at all.

"A perfect example is we have a junior program here. The little kids all look up to Jackson and he's willing to help with anything for them. He even gets the water and ice for the kids.” 

"He's a fierce competitor and he wants to do well for himself, but mostly for the team,” Benzel told CalHiSports.com with pride in his voice. 

All right coach but this senior running back is only 5-8, 165?

"People don't see him as a power runner but he's explosive and can change direction. He's able to make guys miss or punish them.”

Just like Cummings did in last Friday's 51-27 victory over Roseville. It was a victory that wrapped up the Thunder's first-ever Sierra Foothill League championship and kept the team a perfect 10-0 going into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs.

His 337 yards rushing on 28 carries with six trips to paydirt not only earned Jackson a video clip on ESPNEWS on Thursday, but also the ESPN RISE CalHiSports.com Boys State Athlete of the Week award.

Only league rival and fellow Sac-Joaquin powerhouse Granite Bay has been able to hold him under 100 yards in a 14-7 Thunder victory.

On the season, Cummings has 1,607 yards on the ground and 26 touchdowns. He's also caught 17 passes for 183 yards and two TDs, and for good measure he returns kickoffs and punts.

Last season he ran for 685 yards and 10 TDs, and in his sophomore season Cummings had 352 yards rushing and six scores. 

"He's really quick and smart, and very skilled,” said his nominator, ESPN RISE Deputy Editor and CalHiSports.com Executive Editor Mark Tennis, who saw Cummings at the Stanford Nike Camp.

Speaking of smarts. Jackson's 4.3 weighted GPA has gotten him looks from several Ivy League schools, plus Stanford, Nevada UC Davis and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. 

Like many honorees and just like coach said, Cummings first words were about the team.  

"We came out of camp at the beginning looking real physical from a team standpoint, and with high standards although we weren't ranked that high,” Cummings told CalHiSports.com in an early Wednesday morning interview prior to class.  

"We've been a basketball school,” he continued. "In football, this was our first league championship and the first time our program has been really recognized and ranked.”

One of the reasons Rocklin didn't start out that high in the rankings is a 4-6 record from last year. It took wins over Nevada Union, Granite Bay and Del Oro of Loomis to really push up the Thunder in the CalHiSports.com State Top 25.

"We're not looking too far ahead but right now Daniel Lessard and my job as captains is to get everyone on the team united,” answered Jackson, when asked about the possibility that should the second-seeded Thunder run the table in a bracket that includes top-seeded Stockton St. Mary's, and third-seed and defending CIF Open Division bowl champion Sacramento Grant, Rocklin would be in the catbird seat for either an Open or Division I North Bowl berth.

Some of those he's keeping united include senior DB Scott Polaske, who has 48 tackles and three interceptions on the season, QB Jimmy Laughrea, a junior who has passed for 1,979 yards and 18 TDs, and TE Holden Huff, a 6-6 senior who has 23 catches for 683 yards and six TDs.

Besides being a three year varsity football starter, Cummings makes Rocklin the first school in the almost two-year history of this award to have teammates as winners.

Last year, on a 33-3 Thunder basketball team that lost in the Division II state championship to Rialto Eisenhower, Cummings was a point guard and averaged 5.0 points and 3.3 assists per game

One of the four-year varsity player and three-year starter's mates was the team's big star, ESPN RISE CalHiSports.com State Boys Athlete of the Week, 6-10 Brendan Lane, now at UCLA, who won the award during last season.

With that the subject turned to family, and Cummings' voice beamed with pride for each member.

"My dad grew up in Wisconsin and played football at Northwestern,” said Jackson.

Not only did Casey Cummings, currently in sales, play for Northwestern, but the fullback was a three-time All Big-10 all-academic selection.

"My mom played lacrosse and field hockey at Northwestern.”

Once again, not only did Robin Cummings, the office manager of a recreational sports facility, play for Northwestern, she was a member of the USA National Field Hockey team and earned academic honors as well while in college.

"That's where they met (Northwestern) and that's where I was born and lived until I was eight.”

Jackson also has a younger sister, 14-year-old Delaney, a freshman at Rocklin who plays basketball and soccer. "She's an athlete too,” remarked big brother.

Cummings is also involved in a mentoring and tutoring program that helps student-athletes and other students. He was one of the students that helped set it up and got other football players involved.

Jackson is still undecided about college but tells CalHiSports.com he "wants to continue his football and get the best education possible. The best of both worlds.”

He's thought about studying psychology, his favorite subject, but also likes philosophy, and radio and film, and hasn't ruled out the possibility of becoming a coach.

"I love football and I might like to get into coaching,”  he said.

Cummings' own coach would obviously love hearing that and knows it's going to be tough next season without him.

"Jackson makes our program better, the school better and is an asset to the entire community,” Benzel said.

Off the field, Cummings is just as special, but on the gridiron he has the Thunder roaring towards possible showdowns with some of California's top-ranked teams.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.