Jacks spent 19 years as the head football coach at Clarion State College from 1963 to 1981.

[1] He went to college at Pennsylvania State University, where he played on the football team as a quarterback from 1956 to 1958 under head coach Rip Engle.

[1] In January 1971, Jacks accepted the head coaching job at Williams College,[4] but held the position for only five days.

Sports Illustrated stated Jacks "face[d] his biggest rebuilding task in 18 years as coach" in 1980,[5] but that season, he led the team to the Pennsylvania Conference championship.

For the performance, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) named it the Team of the Year.

[3] By winning percentage, Jacks is the most successful Clarion football coach in school history at .729.