Oracle: What’s it like being an impact player on NCAA ’07?

Amarri Jackson: I don’t play video games that much, and I didn’t know that I was one until about a month after the game was released. A lot of people kept telling me that I was the impact player for USF. I didn’t even know what that was. But I don’t play as myself.

O: Do your friends blame you for what happens in the video game?

A.J.: All the time. They’ll say, “You’re my impact player, and you’re dropping balls.” My brother calls me a lot telling me about every pass that I’d drop in the (video) game. Even in practice my teammates will ask me how I dropped a pass that was low or high. The expectations are high. I get a lot of heat about that.

O: What is the hardest thing about traveling?

A.J.: I’m a jokester, and sitting next to (wide receiver) coach (Lawrence) Dawsey is tough. I have to be on my best behavior. I really want to tell a joke, but I have to be quiet, so I just end up chewing gum.

O: What is the funniest thing an opposing fan has said to you?

A.J.: Probably last year when we went to Rutgers, a fan threw a football and it hit me in the back. When I turned around, he said, “You’re not going to do all of those magic tricks on us,’ and I just took off laughing. After the game, we shook hands.

O: What is the best end zone celebration you’ve seen?

A.J.: I’d say Chad Johnson when he did the Riverdance. That one was the funniest that I’ve seen.

O: After you scored your touchdown against Connecticut, did you want to do something to top that?

A.J.: Last year against Cincinnati after I scored a touchdown, I did a dance, and coach (Jim) Leavitt wasn’t too fond of that. So I was calm after this one. If I catch a game-winner, then I’m going to have to do a little dance.