Ackerman Could Give Seminar On Motivation Mouthy Opponents, Pro Football Aspirations Among Inspirations
Tom Ackerman doesn’t have to search for motivation.
It usually finds him.
One particularly effective source reached the Eastern Washington University offensive lineman shortly before last Saturday’s football game at Weber State, in the form of a newspaper article published in the Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner.
The article included a quote from Weber defensive end Jason Jensen, a talented player and, it turns out, an equally captivating motivational speaker.
“The guy they’re pushing for All-American is just an average player,” Jensen told the paper, treating Ackerman like a walk-on relegated to the scout team. “I’ve not seen a single thing he’s done to make me think he’s a good player.”
Stunned, the 6-foot-4, 285-pound Ackerman let his blocking do the talking, helping EWU pile up 264 rushing yards in a game the Eagles lost largely on defense, 40-30.
“Tom played as dominating a game as any guy could have,” Eagles coach Mike Kramer proclaimed. “I’ve got an hour and 10 minutes of videotape that will prove who won that battle.”
On one scoring drive, the Eagles ran the ball 10 straight times. As if to prove a point, eight of those runs went to Ackerman’s side.
Of course, Jensen may not always be there when Ackerman needs motivating. Not to worry: Another reliable prod lurks in the form of 3-yearold videotapes, each filled with embarrassing footage and stashed away in the bottom drawer of a file cabinet in Kramer’s office.
In 1992, EWU cameras captured Ackerman as a 240-pound freshman, forced to start three games when two starters, including current NFL lineman Trent Pollard, were injured. The EWU media guide says Ackerman was “impressive” during those three games; the movies stored in Kramer’s file cabinet are less flattering.
“He was getting spun around and throwing some no-hitters,” Kramer said. “So any time he starts to get cocky, I say, ‘Tom, I’ve got some video for you to look at.”’
No thanks, Ackerman answers.
“I made some people laugh, that’s for sure,” he concedes. “A 240-pound freshman out there playing offensive line - geez, we don’t want those tapes pulled out.”
No tapes? No problem.
Two additional motivators - Kramer and offensive line coach Paul Wulff - should suffice. Ackerman was initiated by the vein-bulging intensity of Kramer, who coached the O-line before becoming head coach prior to last season.
“Kramer was a real good motivator,” Ackerman said. “He used to scare the hell out of me my freshman year. Coming from Nooksack (Valley High), we didn’t have anybody that intense. It was kind of an eye-opener, and I realized that this is how you have to be to be successful. He and coach Wulff are both that way.”
Finally, if those sources aren’t motivating enough, there are always the stopwatch-and-clipboard types - like the scouts from the NFL’s Packers, Raiders and Steelers who watched him at Thursday’s practice. They’re the types who determine whether guys like Ackerman are worth a look.
“They like his athleticism, they like the fact that he’s versatile, and he’s a deep-snapper,” said Wulff, a former center at Washington State and, later, in the World League. “But at the same time, he’s got to play a lot better and he’s got to finish the season strong.
“For the next level, he’s got to put on another 10-15 pounds, which is reasonable. And he needs to continue to finish plays, go to the whistle. He has the ability to knock people down, but not only does he need to knock them down, he needs to spike them - show a little bit of a mean streak play after play.”
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: The Ackerman File Prep: All-league football, basketball and baseball player at Class AA Nooksack Valley. Personal: Freshman brother T.J. is EWU’s starting left guard.