Northwestern LB Commit Jango Glackin Talks about Transfer to IMG Academy

Written by Ryan Wright

There is a massive talent shift going on in high school football with some of the top players leaving the comfort and security of the known in their hometowns to test their skill set against the best of the best. The ongoing movement to IMG Academy has spread from regional high school football programs to a global reach in just a couple of short years. One of the many making the leap to test his skill set against top of the line national talent is Ohio native Jango Glackin.

Glackin was a standout player in Lebanon before deciding to make the move to IMG Academy, and a gutsy move it was. The 6’2”, 205 pound, linebacker really had nothing to prove with college coaches already interested in his skill set. To date 17 offers have been extended but the Northwestern commit has the internal fortitude and motivation to become an even better player.

For those of you unaware of IMG Academy, IMG is a private sports prep school nestled about an hour south of Tampa, Florida in Bradenton. The school touts eight different sports student-athletes can receive instruction in while attaining a top notch education but much like most sports programs across the U.S. football is king.

The 2014 recruiting class saw three players sign with Division-I teams; QB Michael O’Connor to Penn State, OL Matt Murphy to Buffalo, and DB Matthew Boateng to Kansas. One year later 13 seniors signed letters of intent to play at the next level to schools like Ohio State, Arkansas, Florida State, Wisconsin, Miami, Cincinnati, and Oregon State among others.

In just two short years the program has grown from three to 17 players on the roster expected to go onto the next level with another handful who could also make the leap depending on how their senior seasons turns out. Mixed in with 5-star recruits like cornerback Saivion Smith, quarterback Shea Patterson, linebacker Rahshaun Smith, and defensive end Shavar Manuel are another dozen of 4- and 3-star recruits like Glackin ready to contend for a national championship in 2015 after proving their skill set on the practice field.

Even the football coaching staff and program director have elite backgrounds. Head coach Kevin Wright came to IMG after winning three Indiana state championships in five years at Carmel High School. Assistant coach E.G. Green was a standout at Florida State earning first and second-team All-ACC selections before becoming a third round NFL draft pick of the Colts. Defensive coordinator Donnie Abraham spent nine years in the NFL as a defensive back for the Buccaneers and Jets. Even the director of the football program, Steve Walsh (Miami Hurricanes), has an elite football pedigree spending 11 years in the NFL with the Cowboys, Saints, and Bears.

With all of the football acumen coming from the top down and the tremendous amount of talent lining the roster a college-ready atmosphere of daily competition for a starting spot has been laid down with Glackin admitting that he loves every minute of it.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I caught up with the Glackin getting his insight on what led him to verbally commit to Northwestern and I found out how he is adapting to being an IMG Academy Ascender.

Interview
Jango, you played all over the field last season as key athlete for you team lining up at linebacker, fullback, and kick returner. Looking back what were some of the things that you learned being a primary option for your team?

“I learned that you always have to keep working because everybody else is going to keep working so you have to try to stay ahead of the game.”

How did the transfer from Lebanon to IMG Academy come about for you?

“One of my friends mentioned IMG, he was thinking about going there for baseball, that’s how we found out about it. Then we talked to the coaching staff and the coaches said that they’d love to have me on the team. You can’t really pass it up. I just want to be the best player I can be and I know IMG develops players really well. It really was a no-brainer. You get to play with the best competition, with the best players, and you get the best coaching. I can’t say enough good things about IMG.”

From an on the field perspective, what are some of the bigger or biggest changes for you now that you are at IMG Academy?

“The biggest change for me is seeing the offense as a whole. I’m starting to become more football savvy. I’m understanding the game better and what I need to do for my job with guards pulling and reading everything. The game is starting to slow down for me since I’ve gotten to IMG even though my game is a lot faster.”

Speaking of no-brainers, how does IMG look heading into the 2015 season?

“Oh man, we look great. Honestly we look really good. The defense is starting to get together and starting to gel more. We are communicating better. The offense is starting to get there as well and limiting their mistakes. The practices have been running pretty smooth over the last few days.”

What are your strengths on the field as a linebacker?

“Probably my speed. I know there probably are some heavier linebackers out there, but I feel like I can get to the ball quicker and I feel like I am a for sure tackler. I don’t miss a lot of tackles.”

What are your goals for the 2015 football season?

“Really to take the games like coach says “10 one-week seasons” and of course to win a national championship. If we take care of every single one of the 10 one-week seasons the rest will come.”

What about for you personally? Do you have a stat line you want to hit this year or any other personal goals you want to achieve?

“I’m just here to support my team. I’m here to do my part. If I get million tackles great. If I get zero but I’ve done my job that’s fine too.”

You had such a large role on the field last year but because IMG is so stocked full with top talent at every position will we see you all over the field again in 2015 or primarily just at outside linebacker?

“The way our defense is set up, sometimes I’m a Mike linebacker. We run what is like a 4-2-5. I’ll be a Mike but I can play both Mike and Will. I feel like I’ll be playing mainly at Will but if they need me to play at Mike I can play that too. On special teams, they have me on kick return and on punt as the personal protector.”

Did you go to any offseason one-day camps this summer to help receive a little more on the field instruction?

“No sir. I didn’t go to any college camps but I did go to the Sound Mind, Sound Body camp in Detroit. There were a lot of schools there though but I didn’t go to any specific school camps.”

This maybe a question you’ve answered a million times but I’m curious. What drew you to commit to Northwestern?

“I really Coach (Pat) Fitzgerald (head coach), he’s a great guy. It helps that you have a great linebacker as your head coach. Big Ten football, I mean the school speaks for itself. The education is unbelievable. So you get the best of everything really. You get Big Ten football, a great education, and it’s in a great location too. Football, location, and education, it’s all great so why not?”

Do you plan on taking all five of your official visits during your senior year?

“No sir, as of now I am just taking one and that’s to Northwestern.”

Have you set an official visit date yet?

“No sir. I think they’ll have all the players visit around the same time, the incoming class. I’m not sure when that will be. I think they’re doing that so we can bond together and hang out together, stuff like that.”

If you haven’t started already, do you plan on recruiting others to join you at Northwestern?

“Yes sir yeah. I’m always talking to my teammates here at IMG telling them they need to go to Northwestern.”

When you’ve talked to any of the football recruiters that have offered you or showed interest in you what have they told you they like about your game?

“With Coach (Randy) Bates (linebackers coach) he came out and saw me during spring ball, I think he liked my athleticism really.”

Is there a pro or college player that you try to play like when you’re on the field? Or maybe better worded, is there a player that you like to watch and incorporate some of their fundamentals and put that into your game?

“I try to play like Luke Kuechly (Carolina Panthers) but I know I have a long way to go (laughing).”

Who has made the biggest impact on your football career?

“There are a lot of people that have done a lot to help me. I’d have to say my dad (Greg). He has always been there for me and he has always supported me. When others haven’t, he always has.

“Also, Coach (Tommy) Langford at IMG. Even though I have not been with him that long he has taught me so much in the time that I have. I view the game totally different and I feel like I’m four times the player I was last year.”

What is your favorite part of playing football?

“Oh man, so many – I guess, there is no other feeling like it. When you go out there for a game with all your teammates that you have sacrificed so much with waking up 5:30 in the morning day in and day out just grinding and then you get out there with them on the field to play. It’s an unbelievable experience.”

Jango enters the 2015 football season with reported offers from Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Harvard, Indiana, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Navy, South Florida, West Virginia, Western Michigan, Wisconsin, and Yale.

Photo credit: Greg Glackin; Jango at Northwestern with Pat Fitzgerald.
Photo credit: jango20.net; Jango at Northwestern.
Photo credit: 247sports.com; Jango