Vanderbilt assistant under review for pro-Kanye Facebook post

Vanderbilt Commodores defensive back coach Dan Jackson. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Vanderbilt football assistant under review for pro-Kanye West Facebook post

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 11/8/22

Vanderbilt football assistant Dan Jackson is under review by the school's Equal Opportunity and Access office for a Facebook post he made that was seemingly supportive of recent antisemitic comments by the rapper, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

Jackson will be taking a "step back" from his post as the Commodores' defensive backs coach after he reportedly wrote a comment on Facebook saying that West was "two steps ahead of everyone".

"Kanye is two steps ahead of everyone. ... Rappers and athletes are taught they need to think the same as the media/politicians. If they have an opinion that is opposite the mainstream, they're called crazy. More people need to wake up and speak their mind," Jackson reportedly wrote.

We are extremely concerned to see Vanderbilt University's Assistant Football Coach - Dan Jackson - defend Kanye West's antisemitism on a Facebook thread, stating people need to wake up.

Wake up to what exactly? Kanye's ongoing peddling that Jews control the world?! pic.twitter.com/473Dr6p8Ww
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) November 4, 2022

The comment was made before Vanderbilt's Week 9 loss to South Carolina.

Jackson had apologized on his Twitter account before the game and he coached during the contest.

Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Lee recently told the media that an internal investigation of the comment "began immediately", but now that the matter has been referred to Vanderbilt's Equal Opportunity and Access office, Jackson has agreed to step away from the team.

"It is important the university follow its standard process and conduct a thorough review of the complexities of this incident," Lee said in a statement to ESPN. "Coach Jackson and I have agreed that he will step back from his responsibilities with the team during the Equal Opportunity and Access office's review."

Jackson's Facebook comment wasn't made public but it was brought to light on a screen-grab video sent to the Twitter account @StopAntisemites.

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