If he follows through with his plan, Georgia State’s Ben Jacoby is going to look like a member of the rock band ZZ Top by the end of November.
Jacoby, starting center for the Panthers, is growing a beard. It’s not manicured; it’s a giant mesh of fuzz growing out of his cheeks and chin. While not pretty, it’s fun, kind of like the Panthers last year during their inaugural season.
Jacoby said this season’s team will play with a lot more discipline and hopefully improve upon last year’s 6-5 record.
Jacoby, a native of Buford, will be key to making that happen. He is the leader of a line tasked with trying to be aggressive enough to improve upon last season’s inadequate running game, while also trying to have the technique to protect new quarterback Bo Schlechter.
He sat down with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and discussed the beard, what to expect from young Panthers and his legacy:
Q: Why the beard?
A: It’s my senior year. The beard is something I had a little bit last year. This year I complement it with my bald head. It’s my last hoorah for my senior year.
Q: When will you shave it off? Is this an NHL playoff-type thing?
A: It’ll be shaved off at the end of the season.
Q: How much fun is this going into your last season after having a winning season last year?
A: It’s really been a lot of fun, especially with having a lot of the guys back. We’ve picked up and are meshing as a team. Whenever you do that, it leads to future goals. Being able to work constantly with the same guys is going to give us a lot of chemistry going into the season.
Q: From an X’s and O’s standpoint, how will you be a better team this year?
A: I really think we will be a better team in almost every aspect. Like I said, we have almost everyone coming back. You have the same guys playing who played last year. There’s not a beat we are missing, not a lot of people we’ve got to bring up to speed. It’s really a minute factor. We’re really just concentrating on our fundamentals and blocking schemes and getting ready to go out and play.
Q: What concerns you about this year?
A: Concerns are things you don’t plan for. I don’t think we have any immediate concerns. Being in our second season, having gotten the first-season jitters out, being able to come in and be strong week in and week out is something we need to concentrate on. I think we are going to do a good job of getting it done.
Q: What are you telling this year’s true freshmen based upon what you learned last year?
A: We’re really trying to bring the true freshmen along. They are great workers; that’s something we haven’t had to talk to them about. They are doing a great job in the summer runs and the lifts. It’s more about teaching them the offensive system and defensive system and getting them up to speed on that. Their work ethic and desire are there.
Q: What do you want to be remembered for?
A: Just my hard work and toughness. Those are two things I take pride in, whether it’s in practice or the game. Those are things that I really value highly.
Q: When you are through with the season, are you going to try to swing a deal with Gillette?
A: I’m hoping I can get in with the next Roger Federer commercial.
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