Rylan Howe/KANSAN

Jeff Hawkins, junior guard, and Darnell Jackson, freshman forward, wait to check in during the game against Missouri on Sunday afternoon. In that game, Jackson logged eight minutes and grabbed two rebounds. After sitting on the bench for most of the season, Jackson has challenged himself to work harder in practice.

When Kansas coach Bill Self checked the voice mail on his cell phone three weeks ago, he listened to a message unlike any other.

Freshman forward Darnell Jackson called Self to say he wasn’t taking advantage of the opportunity Self was giving him, and things were about to change.

“For an 18-year-old kid to say that shows you quite a bit,” Self said.

The phone call came as a surprise to Self because the day before Jackson called, Self admitted that he thought he wasn’t giving Jackson a fair opportunity at playing time.

After being buried on the bench for most of the season, Jackson didn’t get down. Instead, he challenged himself to work harder in practice, and Self took notice. Recently, he has increased his playing time and has been one of the first forwards to come off the bench in a game.

“Since we had that conversation, it’s like a light has come on,” Self said. “He realized that there were no more free lunches. It’s unfortunate that it happened late in the season, but he’s a much better practice player and is giving himself the opportunity to get into games now.”

Jackson said it wasn’t always easy for him to stay upbeat, but finally realized that his time would come. Though he never felt he was on the same level as starting forwards, junior Christian Moody and senior Wayne Simien, he believed it was his duty to elevate his game in practice.

“I just had to turn my life around and start looking at the positives,” Jackson said. “I like to be on the court during games and to do that I had to start doing things in practice. I’ve just been playing hard.”

The Oklahoma City native said that Self stressed turning hard work into a routine. It wasn’t enough for him to set screens and rebound well in the occasional practice — it had to be done at all times.

The idea of giving maximum effort hit home with Jackson because he never had to try his hardest to be good in high school.

“I was thinking this would be just like high school,” Jackson said. “But I figured out that it wasn’t. This is a Big 12 school, you know, Division I. It’s a lot better competition.”

In addition, Jackson said he was able to turn the corner because of the support sophomore guard J.R. Giddens gave him. Giddens is also from Oklahoma City, and is a close friend of Jackson’s.

Giddens told Jackson to watch the others, because he’s as athletic as those guys, and he just needed to get out there and show people what he could do.

“He’s really talented,” Giddens said. “He’s starting to get a feel for the game. He’s made some vicious dunks in practice, and he’s only going to get better. I’m proud of him.”

Since Jackson began playing with a renewed attitude he has been fighting for loose balls up and down the court.

He has attacked rebounds like never before, and set screens to get the guards open.

In the last three games he has played an average of 9 minutes. He has only scored five points in that time, but he played the way Self wanted him to, and at 6-foot-8 tall, 240 pounds, he’s given the Jayhawks a much-needed inside presence.

“We need someone besides Moody and Simien to play,” Self said. “I like how Darnell is playing. He’s a body down there.”

Jackson said that he was happy about the minutes he is getting, but still thinks he won’t be a key contributor for Kansas until next year. He is, however, excited about his new role filling in for Moody and Simien, and hopes to play like an NBA All-Star in the NCAA Tournament.

“Coach told me he wants me to play like Ben Wallace,” Jackson said. “To do that I’ve got to block every shot, get every rebound and take charges. That’s my role right there.”