
Everything always came easy for Jason Cameron. Always the fastest kid on all levels of football, Jason was sure that he would become the greatest cornerback in the history of the sport. He could keep up with every kid in the PAL and would take great delight in picking off every pass that was thrown his way.
Unfortunately, when he got to Gaither, he found out that his speed didn't translate to the high school level of play. He had great instincts, but he couldn't keep up JR Russell, the top WR at the school.
For his Sophomore season, Jason was on the JV team, no longer the star CB that he had envisioned. Coaches moved him to Strong Safety, where his lack of top flight speed could be hidden by his natural instincts.
By his Junior season, Jason was moved up to the varsity team, and was named starting SS. With the likes of Cameron, JR Russell, RB Lydell Ross, and DT Lee Roy Selmon Jr, that Gaither team would go all the way to the State Championships, losing to Miami Booker.
After the season, Jason was named 2nd Team All State, after he led his team with 88 tackles, 7 interceptions, and 3 sacks. Jason was rated a 2 star recruit by Rivals, and could see his dream of an NFL career coming to fruition. He had always dreamed of going to FSU, however it was quickly realized that the interest from the Seminoles was not mutual.
After a breakout Senior season, where he led the state of Florida with 11 interceptions to go along with 4.5 sacks and 73 tackles, Jason was named Mr. Hillsborough County, and was named 1st Team All State.
However, the offers from top schools never came. Many viewed his lack of speed along with his small stature (5'10 175lbs) as a big negative in the recruiting process.
Jason got only one offer from a Division 1 School - USF, along with a few offers from FCS schools (Mercer, Kentucky Wesleyan, South Carolina State), Jason signed his letter of intent to play at USF. Head Coach Jim Leavitt was not worried about Jason's speed and stature, but loved his instincts and leadership qualities.
Jason would redshirt his freshman year (2000). During his sophomore season, Jason would see action in every game, but mostly on special teams. He did get into 4 games as a Safety, but in mop up duty.
Going into his Junior year, Jason was determined to make his mark at USF and geared up his training and spent countless hours in tape study. However, tragedy struck during the Summer, when he was involved in a car crash on I4 that would end his playing career, after shattering his left ankle.
Coach Jim Leavitt rallied around his injured player, and made sure he would still be apart of the team. He named Cameron a special assistant during his junior and senior seasons, and named Cameron a Grad Assistant going into the 2005 season.
Jason Cameron impressed Coach Leavitt so much during his 2 years as a Grad Assistant that heading into the 2007 season, he was named Defensive Assistant Coach - Safeties.
Jason spent the 2007 and 2008 season in that role, developing Seth Reyerson and Martavius Harris into NFL Draft Picks. After the 2008 season, his old high school and college teammate, Lee Roy Selmon Jr. was named Head Coach at Mercer, and offered Jason the Defensive Coordinator job.
In 2 seasons as Defensive Coordinator, Jason improved Mercer's defense dramatically, peaking at #12 in the nation in pass yardage against. During the 2010 season, Mercer fired HC Lee Roy Selmon Jr. after the team started the season 1-4. Jason was named interim HC, and Mercer ended up the season 4-7.
Mercer named Jason Cameron the permanent Head Coach for the 2011 season, and he led the team to a dramatic turnaround, finishing the season 10-1, the only loss coming in a drubbing to Alabama 65-3.
After the 2011 season, Jason Cameron was looking at the college football landscape, and wanted to move up to the FBS.
2004 - USF (Grad Assistant)
2005 - USF (Grad Assistant)
2006 - USF (Defensive Assistant Safeties)
2007 - USF (Defensive Assistant Safeties)
2008 - Mercer (Defensive Coordinator)
2009 - Mercer (Interim Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator) (3-3)
2010 - Mercer (Head Coach) (10-1)
2011 - Arkansas State (Head Coach) (9-4) (GoDaddy.Com Bowl Win)
2012 - Arkansas State (Head Coach) (9-4) (GoDaddy.Com Bowl Win)
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