Darnell Jackson shows off his game face. Jackson enters his senior year unfettered by the many personal problems that bothered him the last couple of years and unconcerned about his pro prospects.

Darnell Jackson stood out in a crowd of basketball players at last week’s Big 12 Conference Media Day in Kansas City, Mo.

Of the two dozen athletes on hand, Kansas University’s Jackson was the only one proudly wearing his school’s letter jacket – red with a huge ‘K’ on the front.

“School is great. I’m glad I’m here. I love this place,” the 6-foot-8, 250-pound Jackson said, referring to KU, not the Marriott Country Club Plaza Hotel.

The native Oklahoman, who played a key reserve role for last year’s 33-5 Jayhawks, served as a breath of fresh air, declaring he has not once daydreamed of playing in the NBA or overseas following his days on campus.

Instead, he said he has been totally focused on the job at hand – hoops and books.

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve never thought about saying I’ll go to the NBA or ‘cross seas’ because I won’t know until the end of the year if they think I’m good enough to play on a team and help them try to win a title,” Jackson said.

“If I’m not going to play, I’m going to teach,” the African-American studies major said. “I will try to work at a foundation or Boys and Girls Club, go around the nation and talk to young kids. Or I’ll work for a Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, something like that. That’s going to be my job.”

Or he might enter the field of education.

“I always thought about being a nurse, but I wouldn’t have enough time to do that,” Jackson said. “I decided to do the same thing my coach did at Northwest Classen (in Oklahoma City). He was an African-American studies teacher, taught us about history and stuff. I’d like to do that. I definitely want to do something where I can help others.”

Jackson during this young preseason already has tried to help others.

He filmed a video – played at Late Night in the Phog – asking fellow students and other fans not to drink and drive.

His grandmother died following complications from a car crash involving a drunk driver. His mom was seriously injured in that same wreck in Las Vegas.

“I care a lot about everybody,” Jackson said. “I won’t put anybody behind me. I always push somebody in front of me.”

He takes that same supportive attitude onto the court.

If he’s trying to beat out Sasha Kaun for a starting spot in the 2007-08 KU lineup, he’s not saying so publicly.

“It’s no battle,” said Jackson, who averaged 5.5 points and 5.1 boards last season, coming off the bench in 35 games while starting three. “Like I’ve been saying since I got here, I don’t worry about starting or any minutes.

“The only thing I care about is the coaches and my teammates and winning games, doing my job and not doing what I am not supposed to do.”

Though he believes he has improved his shooting range, Jackson, who put up four outside jumpers at Late Night in the Phog scrimmage, hitting one, said he will not be launching from deep this season.

“I was doing that for fun, just have fun with it,” Jackson said. “I’m not going to be doing that a lot in the season. I can do a pick and pop, but that’s not my job. My job is to rebound and play defense, get on the floor, try to get the loose ball, make screens and get the guards the ball.”

Self said he will not complain if Jackson fires away from the free-throw line extended.

“He’s a good shooter, our best big-man shooter,” Self said Monday. “He will not have the green light from three, but we encourage him to be a threat from the perimeter.

“He can do a lot of things to help us win games. He’s our best rebounder per minute. I look at our three big guys (Darrell Arthur, Kaun, Jackson) and see three starters, to be honest. Last year at the end of the season, Darnell was as consistent a performer inside as anybody we had.”

Self sees a different Jackson for his final go-round.

“For the first time since he’s been here, he’s had a free mind,” Self said of the player who has made numerous trips home the past couple of years to support his mom, who has had several surgeries. “It’s amazing he’s done as well as he has. He feels great responsibility for everything that’s gone on in his family. But right now he’s not as worried about as much stuff. There’s not as much stuff on his plate as before.”