Tavaris Jackson is Captain Composure?

Published on September 8, 2011 by Seahawks.Com News (Feed)     

Tarvaris Jackson isn’t just the team’s new starting quarterback, the former Minnesota Viking and six-week Seahawk is the offensive captain heading into Sunday’s season opener against the 49ers.

Just call him Captain T-Jack.

At first glance, Tarvaris Jackson being voted the Seahawks’ offensive captain this week prompted a double-take. After all, the quarterback who was signed in free agency didn’t join the team until July 29 and wasn’t able to join practice until Aug. 4.

But when the players voted on Monday, the former Minnesota Viking – and first-few-weeks Seahawk – was the “obvious choice,” as coach Pete Carroll put it, before the team began preparing for Sunday’s regular-season opener against the 49ers in San Francisco.

Just don’t call it a surprise selection. Not in front of QB coach Carl Smith, anyway.

“It wasn’t a surprise,” Smith said. “He has been the captain since he got here. So it was just affirmation with their vote.”

A certain amount of captain-esque leadership comes with the position that general manager John Schneider calls “the most important on the team.” But Jackson goes beyond that, and started from the first day he walked into the locker room.

“Some of it is being the quarterback, but the players can tell in a hurry,” Smith said. “With Tarvaris, it was fun to watch. It was like, ‘OK, he had them.’ ”

And his position coach, too. “I told Pete that like Day Two: ‘He’s got them.’ ”

Jackson’s selection – along with cornerback Marcus Trufant (defense) and Michael Robinson and Leon Washington (special teams) – helped validate the confidence Carroll has shown in T-Jack from Day One.

“Sure does. Sure does,” Carroll said when asked if Jackson’s selection says a lot about him. “It’s obvious that’s who they wanted to be their leader.

“Tarvaris is a really good football player, as evidenced by the team. He’s a guy who they’ll look up to.”

Jackson’s reception as the new QB in town has not been as positive outside the Virginia Mason Athletic Center – especially among national pundits, but also on the local level. Jackson was getting pushed around so badly, that wide receiver Mike Williams felt the urge to shove back.

“It’s kind of unbelievable,” said Williams, the team’s leading last season in his first year with the Seahawks. “If it’s overwhelming for a teammate, then it has to be enough for him. I just kind of want to tell everybody, ‘Back the hell up.’ Let him play. Let him have his shot to work and go out there and do his thing.”

via Captain Composure.

Tags: 49ers, Carl Smith, Coach Carl, coach pete carroll, Composure, First Glance, Football Player, John Schneider, Leon Washington, Locker Room, Marcus Trufant, Michael Robinson, Minnesota Viking, Offensive Captain, Position Coach, Qb Coach, Seahawk, Season Opener, Surprise Selection, tavaris jackson