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Jackson aims for No. 2 on SOU career rushing By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN ASHLAND -- Southern Oregon tailback Casey Jackson hopes to conclude his college football career with an explosion today. Jackson, a senior from Seaside, needs 44 yards to become Southern Oregon's No. 2 career rusher when the Raiders (3-6) meet Western Washington (5-4) at Raider Stadium. Game time is 1 p.m. Western Washington, meanwhile, shoots for at least a share of the Columbia Football Association title. The Vikings have a 3-1 CFA record, as do Central Washington and Humboldt State. Southern Oregon (3-6, 1-3 CFA) has lost four straight games. "It's been real disappointing," says Jackson. "It's almost to the point where you just want to get it over with." But not until he rushes for 44 yards to pass Mike Shields and move into second place on the career list behind teammate, roommate and close friend Griff Yates. Jackson enters the game with 2,382 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns in four seasons. Yates, bothered by a sore ankle, injured back and a concussion he suffered last Saturday in a 16-0 loss to Humboldt State, nevertheless went over the 100-yard mark for the 16th time in three seasons with 102 yards. He's rushed for more than 100 yards in eight of his last nine games. SOU head coach Jeff Olson says Yates is expected to play today. It could also be Yates' final game. Though just a junior, he's taken a beating and has repeatedly said he might not play as a senior. "We went through this last year with Griff," says Olson. "But he came back. He feels he's 23 years old and maybe he's had enough. He's been injured so much, I can see how he might feel that way. "But we have a good relationship with Griff, and we're hoping he comes back. I think he will want to come back. He still has a chance to play at the next level." Meanwhile, the only game left for Jackson is today's. He says he's troubled by SOU's inability to play consistently well and win. "What went wrong? It's hard to say for sure," says Jackson. "We had the talent, the coaches and the ingredients there to win. I don't understand it. "But I think the coaches are going to get to the bottom of this and solve it. I think the desire to win was lacking on this team. You have to want it to win. The team that wants it most usually wins. "Attitudes need to be changed or modified." Jackson says moving into the No. 2 spot on SOU's career rushing list is important. "Shields had his name up there as the all-time rusher for a long time," he says. "Even though Griff (Yates) broke his record, I'd still like to pass him (Shields), too." Jackson says many family members and friends from his home town of Seaside will see his final game for the Raiders. "I'd like to do it for my family, my friends and the community of Seaside that has been so supportive of me," says Jackson. "I'd like to do it so I can go out with something positive like that. And being No. 2 is better than No. 3." Jackson says he will always remember his first of 24 touchdowns he scored for the Raiders. It was in his first game as a freshman 1995. The score came on an 86-yard kickoff return against Puget Sound. "My dad told me I would play in the game and score a touchdown," says Jackson. "I didn't believe him, but he was right." Jackson also fondly recalls a touchdown in the snow against Simon Fraser as a sophomore. "I sprung one for 80 yards through the snow in my sophomore year that gave me the single-season school rushing record," he said. Yates then came along and bested the mark each of the past two years. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford,