You discover the eyes first, piercing, narrowed when he discusses his stints at three Power 4 colleges during the last 10 seasons, most lately at Texas A&M, and now as Kansas State’s Director of Strength and Conditioning. Jeremy Jacobs and the load room is like Schroeder and his piano. Jacobs has been at different soccer applications — LSU, Duke and Texas A&M — and spent the previous two seasons because the Associate Director of Football Strength and Conditioning/Director of Football Applied Sports Science at Texas A&M, serving on the identical employees as new Ok-State head coach Collin Klein.
Jacobs has been acknowledged by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association. He’s additionally a Level 1 USA weightlifting sports activities efficiency coach and a purposeful vary conditioning specialist.
His eyes lighten when he talks about his household — his spouse, Alyssa, daughter, Beau, and sons Fitzgerald and Milo.
His eyes path again as recollections race again from fight rotations to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. A U.S. Army veteran, Jacobs frolicked as a group chief from 2003 to 2007, and he was charged with educating, coaching and supervising personnel on all techniques, customary working process and weapon programs.
“When I was deployed to Iraq, we had a mission that was supposed to be about 24 hours,” Jacobs says. “Due to a downed helicopter and other circumstances, it turned into nine days. It was nine days of rationing food and water. We were out, it was 127 degrees in the desert, and you had to ration your water and drink it at night because it was too hot during the day to drink it.”
Now Jacobs is at Ok-State. And the phrase “MANHAPPINESS” floods the videoboards at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and Jacobs has been on the town for lower than 24 hours — he left in his truck from College Station, Texas, as 3:30 a.m. and reached the Little Apple at 1:30 p.m. — and he noticed the within of the Ok-State weight room for the primary time just a bit whereas in the past.
His gears are already turning for what he has deliberate for the Wildcats. He says phrases like “gratitude” and “service” and “consistency” and “standard” and “toughness” and “resiliency.”
You ask him to describe his pleasure at this endeavor at Ok-State. And he’s speechless.
“I don’t even think I can put that into words right now,” he says.
“From the minute Collin got the job,” Jacobs says, “this has been a dream of mine since I acquired into this trade, and to do it at a program like this with a wealthy tradition and custom and requirements and an outstanding fan base, I could not ask for a greater spot — and to do it with the standard individuals he is bringing into the constructing, too.
“I love college football in general, and K-State was always one of those programs I respected from afar. K-State was always that team you never wanted to play. It’s something I’m really excited about. Just being here for the last 24 hours, you can see the pride and what people put into this program.”
Jeremy Jacobs spoke with Ok-State Sports Extra’s D. Scott Fritchen about his thrilling profession and visions for Ok-State:
D. SCOTT FRITCHEN: Take me again to your preliminary dialogue with Collin about this chance. When did you converse to him about this place and what have been some of the deciding elements in making the transfer to Ok-State?
JEREMY JACOBS: Good questions. First of all, I developed a relationship with Collin during the last two seasons as a result of I educated all of the quarterbacks, receivers and working backs — all of the skill-position gamers on offense — however largely the quarterbacks. Collin was the offensive coordinator plus quarterbacks coach there, so each single day we have been constructing a relationship and speaking about what we have been going to do in recruiting and that sort of stuff. He noticed how I did it and my philosophies of the way you talk with the gamers and prepare them. So, after the announcement that he acquired the job right here, I despatched him a textual content saying, “Congratulations!” Knowing we had a playoff run coming at Texas A&M, I needed to keep centered on that. So, it was actually the week earlier than the playoff recreation he shot me a textual content saying, “Hey, after the game would you like to have a conversation regarding this.” I stated, “Absolutely.”
After the sport, we sat down and had a proper dialog about what this could seem like. From the minute Collin acquired the job, this has been a dream of mine since I acquired into this trade, and to do it at a program like this with a wealthy tradition and custom and requirements and an outstanding fan base, I could not ask for a greater spot — and to do it with the standard individuals he is bringing into the constructing, too. My spouse has gotten to know his spouse, and she or he’s tremendous enthusiastic about it. We have a younger household, and he has a younger household. All these elements performed into it. I’m from Wisconsin and grew up within the Midwest. I really like school soccer generally, and Ok-State was all the time one of these applications I revered from afar. Ok-State was all the time that group you by no means needed to play. It’s one thing I’m actually enthusiastic about. Just being right here for the final 24 hours, you possibly can see the delight and what individuals put into this program.
FRITCHEN: You stated you arrived at Ok-State about 24 hours in the past. What time did you step into your new weight room for the primary time?
JACOBS: Yesterday at 2:00 p.m. I acquired into the truck at 3:30 a.m. and acquired right here by 1:30 p.m., and as quickly as I walked into the constructing, they walked me down and I stepped into the load room.
FRITCHEN: What was going by you thoughts at the moment?
JACOBS: A lot of issues — gratitude and simply being very grateful and feeling that feeling of being blessed for this chance. Then additionally, I am unable to flip my mind off, so I instantly began going to work about, “OK, what do I like and what do I want to change?” I simply needed to work out what they’d been doing and what variations there are so I can put together for the instructing side of all that is new. Then simply strolling round the entire thing, getting eyes on it, and the way can my program match into what we presently have, and what do we want to get, and what are we going to do from an athletic improvement standpoint.
Everything goes to be about getting the perfect out of every participant. Everyone has a special set of DNA, so you possibly can’t deal with everyone the identical. I’ve been within the Sports Science realm during the last six seasons, and actually it began at LSU as a result of we did not have a sports activities scientist, and all this knowledge was coming in and we had to begin doing one thing with it. I’m very blessed to work with Coach Tommy Moffitt (Texas A&M director of soccer power and conditioning). What I discovered from him, being round school for 30 years now, he sticks to what he is aware of works and the basics, however he is all the time in search of an edge. He’s OK with change, so I watched him as a well-established head power coach for years, yearly attempting to discover out what he might do higher with this program. What we did 10 years in the past and what we did this final season is not the identical. It’s cool to hold ahead pondering and verify your program and what you consider in and never get rooted and caught in your methods, after which having a employees round you who helps that and giving them some autonomy to problem you and ensure we’re doing every part we will for these guys.
FRITCHEN: From a bodily standpoint, once you inspected the load room, what impressed you probably the most?
JACOBS: It’s acquired nice measurement, it has all of your primary basic implements and gear you want to get began. It’s a very good circulate and logistics of how we will do issues. It has every part you want to get began Day 1 and get some work in. How it should change will likely be in all probability a gradual change over time. I’m extra of an Olympic-based coach, so there are going to be some new actions with the bar, and quite a bit of free-weight actions, however it’s all going to be rooted within the fundamentals of power and conditioning, and we’re going to do quite a bit of devoted speed-development work. How you couple your velocity work with the way you couple your work within the weight room that day is essential. Most essential, you have to be constant. Consistency is king in all this, whether or not it is lifting, conditioning, restoration, and the way will we get all of them to work collectively. There’s a extremely good nutritionist on employees right here and actually good sports activities scientists on employees right here. It’s not simply me, it is all of us collectively to maximize all of the issues that gamers want to be the perfect model of them.
FRITCHEN: One of the issues that Collin seems enthusiastic about is you serving to to construct “our K-State culture.” Laying a basis is so essential in growing the bedrock of a program or group. What do you envision the Ok-State soccer tradition to be and what are the steps in constructing a tradition?
JACOBS: You gotta do onerous issues. Toughness — you possibly can construct toughness by doing onerous issues. Resiliency — you construct resiliency by doing onerous issues. That’s the place you construct grit. Sometimes by doing onerous issues it additionally exposes in your group who has these qualities that you simply’re in search of as properly. Going again to consistency, it isn’t about once you really feel good or once you need to — the actually nice ones discover methods to do it after they don’t need to and to discover the motivation they want to. Motivation is a fleeting factor, so once you construct self-discipline and consistency in your work schedule, you fall again to that as opposed to ready for you to really feel good to do it. Then we’ll in all probability put them into positions the place conditions change, they usually have to adapt. How usually in soccer recreation does the momentum sway and one thing does not go your method and the way do you adapt and hold ending and play for 60 minutes. There’s a bodily part that we want to develop to make sure that they’ll play within the recreation for that lengthy, however there is a psychological part to keep locked in.
Learning is a ability, so instructing them how to be taught. In at this time’s world, it is even more durable. These children have so many issues coming at them. Their consideration spans, clearly, are challenged daily, so how will we get them to lock in and focus? The particulars in the way you elevate matter. If I’m going to educate a participant on the sector that his footwork and mechanics matter on how a quarterback throws the ball. Where he places his palms on the barbell and the place his ft are and the way he begins in a spring stance, these small particulars matter, too. Letting him know you possibly can’t simply be half-hearted on this after which assume you could be tremendous locked-in on this — it carries over. I feel I’m a very good trainer.
Something Coach Saban stated was, “Coaching is teaching, and teaching is motivating people to learn.” Getting them in that setting, before everything, I’m a trainer, after which we have now to have a normal, and if you happen to do not meet it there will likely be penalties, and if you happen to do meet it listed below are good issues that occur. You promote successful and there are penalties for dropping, and penalties for lack of accountability. The consistency piece, as a coach, if I’ve one customary sooner or later, and I alter it the following, it isn’t going to work. Being open and trustworthy with the gamers, you may have to be your self, as a result of in the event that they see me attempting to be any individual I’m not, they are going to see it from a mile away.
Authenticity from all of that — the vitality you carry daily and is that this essential to you? If you actually need to be an amazing participant right here, then the place are you spending your time? Now we’re residing in an period the place these gamers cannot declare to be a broke school child anymore. I’ve talked with our gamers that, “If you don’t like something nutritionally, you can fix that.” I need to educate all of these guys to be a professional, so after they go to the following stage, they know the way to prepare, recuperate, and know what it looks like to really feel good on a recreation day — all that stuff. At the following stage, they are not going to educate you, they are going to count on you to have it. If you do not have it, they are going to discover any individual who does. So, how do I construct that into our gamers — that is the Ok-State method, that is how we have performed it.
FRITCHEN: You simply talked about the “K-State Way.” What’s the usual you need for this program?
JACOBS: My greatest praise I can ever get is when any individual coaches one of our gamers and says, “That guy knows how to lift, move, and he looks like he’s trained, and he eats well.” I need them to know that man was coached up on how to do it proper, and there was a normal of high quality of motion We’re going to be a technique-first program, and I need them to elevate properly earlier than we simply begin loading the bar. Then the foundational piece is daily being that man once you are available right here and having the correct angle and calculating the angle they want to have first after they come within the door with vitality and an openness to change, as a result of there are quite a bit of new faces within the constructing, and know that what we do — I have a look at my job as a buyer service-based trade. So, I’m right here for them, they usually’re not right here for me. They want to know we’re an area they’ll come to and be a component of as opposed to feeling like they’ve to.
FRITCHEN: On the information launch that introduced your hiring, you have been quoted as saying, “Time to get to work!” Reviewing your background, you outline self-discipline, onerous work, chief, communicator, and teammate. What feelings do you carry to the desk as you start this journey at Ok-State?
JACOBS: I do not even assume I can put that into phrases proper now. There is a lot to do within the weight room that I do know the following three weeks earlier than we actually get rolling, I’m going to be busy daily getting ready for it. I am unable to await the primary day when the blokes stroll in and also you’re simply teaching. That’s the place my ardour comes from, is simply instructing what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, and because of this it is essential to them as a participant and get them to love their teammates. This is a group recreation that tradition is constructed all through. It’s acquired to be a group factor in having guys come collectively and embrace one another. As far as my very own pleasure, I imply, yeah, I do not even know the way to put that into phrases proper now.
FRITCHEN: About 22 years in the past, you have been in a vastly totally different realm. You have been defending the best nation on the earth whereas serving within the U.S. Army. You have been a group chief from 2003 to 2007. You have been in cost of women and men of their training and coaching of all techniques, customary working procedures and weapons programs. In what methods did these experiences form you into the person you might be at this time?
JACOBS: I discovered very a lot that once you assume you’ve got given every part that you simply in all probability have solely expelled about 50% of your vitality. I acquired pushed to limits I did not assume I might go to. What you understand is once you increase these boundaries, and once you return to them, they do not appear so onerous anymore. How a lot of it’s psychological? Your mind will give up far earlier than your physique. It was about instructing myself and different those that you have not even touched the floor of what you are succesful of. We reside in a world the place everyone seems to be evaluating to any individual else by a social media app or no matter. The quote is, “Comparison is the thief of all joy.” What I discovered ready of management was authenticity and that there are good leaders and dangerous leaders. You have to lead by instance. If you ever need to lose a winner, tolerate a loser. I take into consideration that on a regular basis. Sometimes holding the usual is difficult and it is uncomfortable. When you maintain individuals accountable, they are going to push again, so you may have to be the dangerous man, and be OK with that, and be agency sufficient within the perception of what you are instructing is true, and people guys will usually come again to you, however they’re testing and discovering out. Learning how to maintain your customary when it is uncomfortable and when everyone is taking a look at you such as you is perhaps the dangerous man, however that is OK.
FRITCHEN: What was an train or mission you have been in a position to accomplish throughout your time within the U.S. Army that basically examined you however that you simply’re most proud of?
JACOBS: There are so many. It’s humorous as a result of once you first go in, you assume street marching is straightforward — at the least I did. I can stroll with weight. I can try this. When you be taught what the usual of strolling with weight and velocity looks like after 20 miles, it is a totally different feeling in your physique. The ache that I endured for hours on finish — there is a totally different stage of bodily preparedness that I want to get myself to for some of these things. It was one of probably the most eye-opening experiences. I bear in mind I had a definite second by all these resolution processes, whether or not it’s primary, infantry, air-borne or ranger, all by it. When I used to be deployed to Iraq, we had a mission that was supposed to be about 24 hours. Due to a downed helicopter and different circumstances, it became 9 days. It was 9 days of rationing meals and water. We have been out, it was 127 levels within the desert, and also you had to ration your water and drink it at night time as a result of it was too sizzling in the course of the day to drink it. I bear in mind I had a second, pondering, “Now, I get why you go through those things.”
I used to be 21 years previous. At a younger age, I’m having that realization that what they did in coaching completely made sense to me now, as a result of we went by all that coaching, and also you be taught to improvise, adapt and overcome. That’s urgent on regardless of what occurs to you is a message to the group that it does not matter what occurs to you — hold going. Don’t let your circumstance dictate your actions. Keep going. Keep going. So, what now? Even on the soccer area, when one thing dangerous occurs? Cool. What’s subsequent? What’s subsequent? Keep pushing. Keep pushing. If you be taught that and get to that mentality you possibly can accomplish quite a bit of nice issues if you do not get sidetracked by your destructive circumstances of the present second in time.
FRITCHEN: Final query, from being that boy rising up in Waukesha, Wisconsin, to the place you sit at this time, what have you ever discovered most about your self throughout your journey?
JACOBS: Tough query. What have I discovered most about myself? Probably that I’m not as nice as I feel I’m and that is OK. I feel I’m OK with it. And I’ve discovered that life is actually about service to others, and also you discover a sure gratitude from that. Some of that’s my religion and development as I’ve turn out to be an grownup. Doing issues for others, there is a sure reward, a sure success, and it is the one piece that I’ve discovered, that I actually do really feel fulfilled. Put the concentrate on different individuals as a substitute of your self. I’ve selfishly gained a ton of success in that myself.