A year ago, Lake Highlands’ Kent Ackmann was a puny 5-7, 140-pound backup quarterback.

Defensive linebackers used to kick sand in his face, and few thought he had the physical ability to start at quarterback his senior year. But Ackmann worked out, then worked out some more, and no one is pushing him around anymore.

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Filling the shoes of the “Ryan (Smith) Express” wasn’t expected to be easy for the Wildcats’ 1993 quarterback. But based on Ackmann’s 85 yards rushing in the season-opening 24-22 loss to highly-rated Arlington Lamar, he’s fitting in quite nicely in Lake Highlands’ wishbone attack.

“Kent is everything a coach could want,” says offensive line coach Jim Ledford. “Where Ryan had great speed, he ultimately would try to run over people.”

“Kent has great feet, quick feet, because of soccer. He’ll sidestep people and make them miss.”

At nearly 6-0 and 170 pounds now, Ackmann possesses an accurate arm and isn’t stopped by arm tackles. He connected on four of seven passes against Lamar for 82 yards, and scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion.

Although his team fell just short in their first outing, the effort gave Ackmann confidence.

“Nobody was down after the game,” he says. “We were coming back at the end, and if we had five more minutes, we’d have won. We hate to lose, but in some ways the game showed us that we have a lot of talent.”

Among other things, the outgoing offensive leader is a serious football card collector. He is the proud possessor of Walter Payton, Steve Largent and Joe Montana rookie cards, as well as thousands of others in his vintage collection.

“I used to collect football cards as a kid, while all my other friends were stuck on baseball cards,” Ackmann says. “Being from Dallas, I admire Troy Aikman and his coolness under pressure, but Joe Montana is the all-time best quarterback in my mind. I also like Walt Garrison, because he never quit trying on any play.”

Leadership is something Ackmann mentions often. In the Wildcats’ wishbone, the quarterback is the decision maker, the instigator and the conductor of the show. All other parts of the symphony must be in sync, but Ackmann must make the split-second decisions.

“Running the wishbone becomes second-nature for you after a while,” says the former Lake Highlands Junior High quarterback.

“After five years doing the same thing, you really don’t think about it. It just becomes instinct, I guess.”

After college, Ackmann would like to pursue a career as a sportswriter or a broadcaster, although he seems quite focused on the task as hand – leading the Wildcats to another 11-5A District championship and beyond.

“There is a tradition of winning here,” Ackmann says. “We see pictures of the 1981 state championship team, and the new tradition of the wishbone and winning under Coach Z.

“Nobody wants to be the class to let down that tradition of success.”