Arriving in Flagstaff with nearly 10 years of coaching experience, Kenji Jackson joined the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks as the program's safeties and nickelbacks coach in March 2022.

Jackson landed in Flagstaff after spending the past two seasons as a defensive analyst with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Working under Razorbacks defensive coordinator Barry Odom, Jackson was reunited with one of his coaches during his playing career at Missouri.

From December 2014 to January 2020, Jackson coached safeties for the Missouri State Bears while also assisting with special teams. A native of Mansfield, Texas and a graduate of Mansfield High School, Jackson recruited the Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston areas for Missouri State.

Jackson began his coaching career at his alma mater in August 2012, serving as a recruiting graduate assistant for the Missouri Tigers for 10 months before shifting to a defensive quality control assistant for a year under the head coach he played for, Gary Pinkel. Playing in 51 games for the Tigers from 2008 to 2011, Jackson finished with 183 tackles and seven interceptions at Missouri. 

A standout defensive back, Jackson started at safety for two seasons and was named a team captain during his senior year. Earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in his final season, Jackson was also named the program's Inspirational Player of the Year in 2011. During his playing career, Jackson played in four bowl games with the Tigers reaching the Big 12 championship game in 2008.

After departing Missouri in 2014, Jackson spent a season as a defensive graduate assistant coach for Northwestern under longtime Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald, working with the team's defensive backs, before moving on to Missouri State.

Jackson spent time in rookie mini camp with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Arizona Cardinals before shifting his focus to coaching in 2012. During his coaching career, Jackson earned a Masters of Education from Missouri and a Masters of Sports Administration from Northwestern.