Aim High: Lemont’s Jake Sulzberger ready for one last ride before heading to Air Force

Fly. Fight. Win.

That’s the motto of the U.S. Air Force. It’s fitting that someone like Jake Sulzberger would commit to play football there given that he pretty much lives by those three words on the field.

Sulzberger, a rising senior at Lemont, is the starting left tackle for the football team and an Air Force commit. Offensive linemen don’t record many official stats, so they typically don’t get the microphone handed to them very often. Add in their often immense size, and they can get a reputation for being quiet.

That’s not Jake Sulzberger.

“My voice and my leadership will really shine through this year,” Sulzberger said. “Last year we had a really rough season. 5-5 is unacceptable for Lemont football. I’m going to have a huge voice this year on the line and the offense in general making sure everyone knows their assignments. Put me in at any of the five O-line positions and I’ll know what the assignment is.”

At 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, it’s no wonder Sulzberger earned offers from about a dozen Division I programs, including five in the Ivy League and several FBS programs. In his heart, though, there was only ever one real choice: to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the Air Force.

“I’ve always loved Air Force,” Sulzberger said. “I’ve been out there a couple of times, and nothing compares to Colorado Springs to me. ... Ever since I was in elementary school I knew I couldn’t go anywhere else. I don’t want a normal experience. I want to challenge myself and play football at a high level. The attitude is service before self, and that’s how I want to live.”

As exciting as playing FBS football and serving his country is, Sulzberger is 100% committed to helping Lemont bounce back from a subpar season. He says the whole team is focusing harder on conditioning and getting their bodies ready, as well as their minds, thanks to increased time in the film room.

He also says it helps getting to learn from “the best.” Specifically, he was referring to new offensive line coach Graham Pocic. Pocic is a Lemont Athletics Hall of Famer, was a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten at the University of Illinois and spent time in the NFL. Now, he’s helping second-year head coach Willie Hayes build Lemont up even further.

Having an NFL veteran on your coaching staff is always nice, but even nicer is that Hayes believes Sulzberger basically functions as a coach himself.

“He’s an extremely mature human being for his age,” Hayes said. “I think he brings a solid leadership role that we need not only on the offensive line, but also on the entire team. He’s a kid that we can rely on to make sure kids are doing what they should be doing. He’s almost like a second coach on the field, so it’s great having him around.”

For what it’s worth, Sulzberger feels the same way about Hayes.

“I can’t say enough about coach Willie Hayes,” Sulzberger said. “That man is the main reason a lot of us come to Lemont High School. The record the first year is not a representation of who he is. Every day we want to work hard and show up for him. I’m completely doing it for him and my teammates this year.”

The big question now will be what exactly “it” is. Last year was just the second time in 11 years that Lemont went 5-5, and they haven’t finished under .500 since 2013. Last year’s group will have a lot of skill players on offense to replace, and there are questions about how things will look.

However, Hayes also is a Lemont alum who had a ton of success in his high school days. He’s a believer in this year’s group and in the future.

As for Sulzberger, he too is a massive believer.

“Since winter training I’ve said the goal is to go 9-0 heading into the playoffs,” Sulzberger said. “Nobody believes me, and I can’t blame them because of the challenges we have in front of us. My grade is very tight-knit, and we’re working with the grade below us to go 9-0 and get that fresh start. That’s the expectation.”