Granted another shot at history, Jacob Dobbs is ready to work

When Jacob Dobbs’ senior season came to a screeching halt during a storybook year for the Crusaders, it was the first time in his life that he was removed from the sport that is the center of his universe. 

In hindsight, he claims his injury is one of the best things that’s ever happened to him. Back on The Hill for a fifth season, the four-time captain is more determined than ever to elevate his game — and lead his team to more history.

A 10-year-old Jacob Dobbs, decked out in his Michigan football jersey, sits perched atop the bleachers at a football field in the Detroit suburbs. At his side, his father, Lou, is holding a camcorder, recording the entirety of a Birmingham Patriots game. To be clear, the Birmingham Patriots are a rival youth football team that Jacob, Lou and the Macomb Mustangs are scheduled to play in eight days’ time. 

If you needed proof that Jacob Dobbs’ life revolves around football, Sept. 10, 2011 would have to be one of the best examples. That early scouting session was just the start to a football-filled day, as Jacob and Lou made the trek down to Ann Arbor later that afternoon for a matchup between Michigan and Notre Dame. Amid the buzz of the affair — it was the first night game in Michigan Stadium history, and College GameDay was in the house — the duo didn’t lose sight of their greater goals. 

Jacob and Lou remember that day vividly because it encapsulates the joy of the sport, and the intentionality required. After cheering on Michigan to a thrilling comeback victory — Denard Robinson threw the game-winning touchdown with just two seconds remaining — Jacob and Lou went right back home to rest up for their game the following morning. 

“We did the trifecta that day: scout, watch, and then get home and be ready for the game the next day,” Lou said. 

For the Dobbs family, football has always been an intricate balance of joy, emotion, intensity, detail, pride and preparation. Lou, who coached Jacob’s youth teams from when he was four years old until he was in the eighth grade, has always stressed the importance of preparing to the best of your ability. Whether it’s football, school or anything else, you always give 100 percent — effort is non-negotiable. 

"My husband always preached to all of our children: There's always somebody better than you, there's always someone bigger than you,” said Michelle Dobbs, Jacob’s mother. “But you can always outwork them.” 

That effort has carried over into all facets of Jacob’s life. It’s led to countless victories, championships and individual accolades. And it’s made the enjoyment of the sport that much larger.

“From a very young age, it was apparent to me how much I needed to care in order to be great,” Jacob said.

When all is said and done, Jacob Dobbs will go down in Crusader history as one of the most dynamic, talented, decorated, well-rounded, and universally respected and admired student-athletes ever to don a Holy Cross uniform. 

“He's the total package,” said Holy Cross linebackers coach Brian Vaganek. 

Even with a COVID-shortened Spring 2021 season, and an elbow, tricep and forearm injury that shuttered his 2022 campaign in a Week 4 matchup at Colgate, he already has 309 career tackles in just 34 games. He ranks in the top 10 in program history in tackles for loss (34.5) and sacks (16.5). 

His resume speaks for itself: 2019 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-American. Spring 2021 Sophomore All-American. 2021 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year. 2021 All-American, according to numerous organizations. Buck Buchanan Award finalist. Three-time All-Patriot League honoree. 

He enters the 2023 season as the Patriot League’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, a Preseason All-American and on the watch list for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. 

The 6-foot, 237-pound Dobbs is a freak athlete — literally, according to Bruce Feldman, who has recognized Dobbs on his renowned “Freaks List” two years in a row. His vertical jump is almost 39 inches, his laser-timed 40 is 4.59 seconds, and he’s squatted 595 pounds and cleaned 335. 

He’s a star student: a nominee for the Campbell Trophy, a four-time Academic Honor Roll selection, an Academic All-District and Academic All-Patriot League honoree, boasting a 3.76 cumulative grade-point average. 

“His buy-in to the program and understanding of what it takes to win, on and off the field, is what really sets him apart,” said Holy Cross alum and fellow All-American linebacker Liam Anderson, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts in April. “He sets an example for the other guys around him of what it looks like to be a successful college football player, and the other guys follow his lead.” 

The same intensity, emotion and heart that Dobbs plays with on the gridiron carries over into all other aspects of his life. 

“Everything I do, I do it like it's the most important thing ever in my life,” Dobbs said. “If I'm taking a test, it's the biggest test I’ve taken in my life. 

“At the end of the day, if you can look at yourself in the mirror and say ‘I gave everything I had,’ that's all you can ask for.”

But among all of his accolades, the one Dobbs is proudest of is that he is now a four-time captain, joining quarterback Peter Pujals ’17 as the only Crusader to ever hold that honor. He’s a true leader, and moreover, his positivity permeates everything he does. Seldom does he send a text message that doesn’t contain an exclamation point. He knows nearly everyone in the Luth Athletic Complex by name — from administrators, to coaches of other teams, to custodial and security staff. He’s unconditionally beloved by fans, alumni, coaches, teammates and just about anyone who’s ever met him. 

Arguably his biggest admirers? Holy Cross defensive coordinator Scott James’ young children. Dobbs will routinely join James on FaceTime calls to say hello to 7-year-old Caiden, 4-year-old Lincoln and nearly 2-year-old Brighton, who are overjoyed at any chance they get to see their hero. 

“It’s not just that he’s a good player — he’s a good person,” James said. “He does everything with a smile on his face. To know that my kids can look at him and see someone being good at something, and also being good as a person, it’s truly special.”

Growing up, Jacob was always perfectly good at other sports, but something about football always stuck. When for other sports, it could sometimes feel like a chore to attend practice, football never felt like an obligation.

“We never had to push him or beg him to go to practice,” Lou said. “In fact, he always wanted to be the first one there.” 

Jacob’s always been able to talk football at a high level, and he and his father obsess over every minute detail of the sport. The two will rewatch the same old Michigan games that they’ve seen a million times before, dissecting every single play. At Holy Cross, in position meetings and film sessions, he’s intentional and focused, quietly encouraging and complimenting his teammates — not just his fellow linebackers, but anyone who makes a great play.

He’s always been a student of the game, and has an eagerness to keep learning and growing. 

“He came in as a freshman, and when we started talking about our defense, he sat here and he was like a sponge,” Vaganek said. “Notebook after notebook, asking question after question. 

“You could just see that kid was all in from the minute he showed up here. Simple as that.”

Within the split second that Jacob didn’t get up, Lou immediately knew something was wrong. From his perch atop the bleachers at Andy Kerr Stadium, among fellow players’ parents, he strained his vision to confirm his suspicions. Jacob, unconditionally tough and able to play through pain, wasn’t the type to writhe on the ground in agony. 

Across the field, along the Colgate sideline, Jacob had just awkwardly tackled a Colgate player — and felt an explosion in his arm. He lay on the ground, ignoring those who immediately came to check on him, and screaming out for the Crusaders’ athletic trainer, Alicia Caswell. He felt like a million knives had stabbed him in the arm. Caswell and head coach Bob Chesney ran over, and Chesney looked directly at him, asking if he was okay. 

“Yeah,” Jacob said, “I think I’ll be okay.” 

It was a blatant lie — it was the worst pain he had ever felt in his life, and it wasn’t even close — but it was an attempt to avoid acknowledging the inevitable. Back in the medical tent, Jacob sat with Caswell quietly. They mulled the possibility of taping it, and ran a few tests, but it wasn’t long before reality began to sink in. 

Postgame, as the Crusaders celebrated a commanding 35-10 victory over the Raiders, Jacob couldn’t even move his shoulder without excruciating pain. But as he met up with Lou, and as the adrenaline was wearing off and the doubt was sinking in even more, a determined Jacob vowed not to write anything off until he got an MRI. 

The hardest part for Lou was watching Jacob, while putting on a brave face for his teammates and father, walk back to the buses for the four-hour ride from Hamilton back to Worcester. Jacob was venturing into unknown territory, and there wasn’t anything he could do.

Jacob Dobbs, the oldest of three siblings, has always been mature beyond his years. At age 2, when he would go out to lunch with his grandparents, he would opt for the salad bar rather than something on the kids’ menu. If he was on the playground, he always let his classmates go down the slide before him. He was taught to always say “yes sir” and “yes ma’am,” and treat others with respect. Jacob has always put others before himself, and he doesn’t want to let anyone down, much less the people who love him. 

Growing up, Jacob was the perfect student — he never received any grade besides an A, and had never gotten in trouble at school. But one day, he forgot to push in his chair at his desk, and came to school the next morning to find out that he’d had a card flipped — the classroom’s signal for a demerit. Convinced that his perfect record was blemished forever, and that he’d disappointed the people around him, Jacob came home utterly devastated and ashamed. (“That still haunts me to this day!” he notes.)

But he’s never one to point fingers, and he’ll always take responsibility for himself, while also holding others accountable. His nickname growing up became “The General” — when Jacob spoke, others listened. What Jacob did, others watched and followed. 

In the seventh grade, his team lost their first game of the season, and while Lou and the other coaches contemplated how to console the devastated group, a young Jacob took charge.

“Dad, let me go first,” he said. He stood up in front of his teammates and looked directly at every single one of them. 

“This isn’t on the coaches, this is on us,” he told them.

Then, he added: “We are never losing again.”

As the medical staff in the room grew more silent, the more Jacob’s heart sank. The day after the Crusaders returned from Hamilton, they observed the MRI on the screen — and Jacob didn’t know exactly what his arm was supposed to look like, but he knew it wasn’t supposed to look like that. 

“Guys, just tell me,” he blurted out. “I know you’re trying to figure out how bad it is right now, but…it’s really bad, isn’t it?” 

It’s exactly 2:27 p.m. — Jacob’s supposed to be in a captains’ meeting — and he can tell that Caswell and the rest of the medical staff are expressing their support, but all he hears is a metallic, ringing noise in his head, and their voices in the distance. It feels like a cliché movie scene, where the main character is receiving awful news and is unable to process it. In this case, Jacob is the main character, and he has a dislocated elbow, a torn UCL, torn forearm and torn tricep tendon.  

The walk from the sports medicine room to the football offices inside the Luth Athletic Complex is only about 125 steps, but it was the longest walk of Jacob’s life. He prayed that he didn’t run into a single one of his teammates. With the Crusaders on the brink of a historic season, he pondered what his absence would mean. For the first time in his life, he would have to sit on the sidelines — he wouldn’t be able to stand on the field alongside his brothers, doing everything he could to help lead Holy Cross to victory. All of the momentum had been going in Holy Cross’ favor, but for Jacob, it had all come to a screeching halt. 

125 steps later, when Jacob met Chesney and Vaganek in the football offices, and looked at both of them, it took everything in his power not to break down sobbing. 

Jacob verbally committed to Holy Cross in August 2018 after falling in love with the school and, more significantly, the people at the College. During a successful senior season, though, he was offered a preferred walk-on opportunity at Michigan — the program that he’s adored since birth and always known like the back of his hand. 

For a brief moment, it felt like an absolute dream come true, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized it wasn’t the right opportunity. Loyalty and commitment are in his DNA, and beyond that, he trusted that Holy Cross was the place where he could make a difference. It was a place where he could play and help build a winning culture. He wasn’t going anywhere else — Holy Cross was where he wanted to be. 

“And it was the greatest decision of my life,” Jacob said.

Just hours before Holy Cross was set to kick off against Bucknell during the 2022 EBW Classic at Polar Park — two weeks after Jacob’s injury, and the day after his surgery to repair his elbow —  Coach Chesney and other members of the coaching staff stopped by to check in on him. 

“There aren't many coaches in America doing that,” Jacob said.

Lifted by the support around him, Jacob countered the darkest moment of his football career with his unrelenting positivity — and a desire to come back stronger than ever before. He sure wasn’t going to let an injury derail his career. Instead, he fueled his energy into elevating his game. 

Two weeks after his surgery, his cast was removed, and he began the rehab process immediately. He did as much as he could with his other arm, and began working to straighten his injured arm again. By January, he was starting to bench again. By spring ball, he was fully cleared to practice, though his coaches limited his participation. A recovery process that could have taken six months or more turned into a three-month recovery. 

Throughout the rehab process, even when he couldn’t be physically involved, Jacob found a new way to make a difference — he cheered on his teammates the whole way from the sideline, and though his football knowledge and leadership has always been valued, he became more of an extension of the coaching staff than ever before. 

“I can’t emphasize enough how impressive it was that his demeanor, character, and morale never wavered,” Anderson said, “and he was still a great leader and teammate for the rest of the guys while he was down.”

And of course, the winning helped. 

“Seeing how my teammates responded to adversity, and how they rallied behind me — they just continued to forge on, and didn’t let anything stop them,” Jacob said. “It just shows how this program is about everybody involved. If one person goes down, the show goes on, and the show goes on pretty well.

“It was probably the greatest experience of my life to be able to go through that,” he said, adding with a smile: “It's the greatest horrible thing that’s ever happened.” 

Just hours away from kickoff entering Jacob’s fifth year at Holy Cross, he is taking his enthusiasm and effort to another level. Each test will be the biggest test he’s ever taken, each practice is the most important practice of his life. And every single day is the best day of his life. 

“Now, every day, it's the greatest day of my life,” he said. “I don't care if it's 100 degrees on that turf. It is the greatest day of my life, because I'm playing football.”

When you consider the success Jacob Dobbs has had on the field and off the field, it begs the question: Is there anything he isn’t good at? 

The natural response would be something along the lines of say, golf, for example — which Jacob does eventually admit he’s terrible at (his father concurs). But what does he lead with? 

“I can’t blow a bubble while chewing gum,” he says with a laugh. 

Setting those flaws aside, anyone who knows Jacob will agree: There is nobody like Jacob Dobbs, and there never will be. But for as much as those around him gush about Jacob, he’s even quicker to compliment them. 

“How could you not want to be in a place where around every corner is just another good person, someone who wants to see you succeed?” Jacob said. “It's really hard to fail when everybody around you is rooting for you to succeed, and doing everything in their power to help you succeed.”

Once Jacob knew his senior season would be cut short, there was never a doubt in his mind over what the next year would bring. As soon as he could, he filled out the academic paperwork to add a religious studies major, and extend his time on The Hill. There’s still unfinished business, and there’s nowhere else he’d rather be. 

“I'll be right here,” he told his coaches as soon as he could. “I'm not going anywhere.” 

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