Home is where the heart is, and Glacier’s Jackson Presley has found a home in the Flathead Valley.

The senior quarterback arrived in Kalispell three years ago and, in a short time, has left his mark. 

“As good as he is on the field, he is 10 times that off the field,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. “To be honest, I feel like a better person, a better man and a better coach for being around him.” 

Presley’s father Brian Presley, an actor and filmmaker, brought his family up to the Flathead Valley from Santa Clarita, California, in 2023. 

“I grew up there my whole life, so it was definitely a change in a lot of ways,” Jackson Presley said. “My dad, just the change of work environment for him to have more opportunities has been so good for our family.” 

The connection to Montana came quickly for Presley, who says that despite only living in Kalispell for three years, that this is his home and that the community welcomed him and his family with open arms. 

“It’s such a special feeling,” Presley said. “I remember when I first got here it was definitely a stressful thing, moving schools, but also just moving states. I didn’t know what to expect but right when I got here I was absorbed by so many incredible people and an incredible community.” 

As much as the community has welcomed Presley, he has returned the favor. 

“It doesn’t matter who it is the way he treats people. He will hug the janitors and make them feel like the most special people in the whole school,” Bennett said. 

Bennett compared him to Glacier’s first quarterback, Shay Smithwick-Hann, in how the entire school loves him, from teachers to other students. 

Inside the football program, Presley has racked up accolades including being named 2023 Western AA offensive MVP and a pair of first-team All-State selections in 2023 and 2024. Despite the individual success, Bennett says that the most impressive thing he brings to the Wolfpack is his selflessness. 

“He’s playing more team ball; he is more concerned about the team,” Bennett said. “It’s just been this growth in him, not that he was ever selfish, but he has gotten more team-focused ... and the impact he has made has increased because of that.” 

For Presley, the brotherhood is what matters the most out on the field. 

“We really just savor these moments with each other, because once you know it, high school football is over,” Presley said. “It all comes down to our culture, Coach B has done such a great job of just creating this culture and allowing us to go live in it and I think this is what has done such great things for this team is being able to develop that great culture with a great brotherhood.” 

The brotherhood has earned its way back into the state championship game for the third consecutive season with Presley guiding the team. In 11 games this season he has 27 touchdown passes to just one interception. He topped the 2,000-yard mark for the third straight year in last week’s semifinal win against Gallatin. 

The Wolfpack take the field Friday at Legends Stadium against Billings West at 7 p.m. 

No matter what happens on the field Friday, Presley has written his name on the record books and the culture of Wolfpack football for years to come. 

“I always challenge the seniors at the beginning of the year. When you are finished, leave the program better than it was before,” Bennett said. “This senior class, with Jackson as our captain, has done maybe more to impact the culture and to leave it in a better place than any class.” 

As for after high school, Presley is set to join the Sacramento State football program in January after graduating early. 

“It is such an incredible journey to go and play football at the next level after high school,” Presley said. “Recruiting can be a crazy process, but I am so glad to be able to call Sacramento my home and to know that I will be able to go and spend a lot of time down there.” 

Presley chose the Hornets after flipping his commitment from Boise State to Montana State in prior months. He also had offers from Montana and multiple schools in the Power Four conferences. According to 247 Sports, Presley is the No. 2 ranked recruit in the state and top quarterback. 

“When I was able to get in contact with Sacramento’s coaches, I just loved what they were about,” Presley said. “I loved their passion for continuing to build Sacramento.” 

Before he heads back to California, Presley has one more chance to don the blue and green, with everything on the line. 

    Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) throws a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dylan Banzet (40) in the fourth quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider