Time management a key for Eagles’ Aklotsoe
By Christian Knox
MDJ Sports Writer
Herve Aklotsoe has come a long way
since immigrating from Togo in 2013,
and not just in terms of distance. The
24-year-old defensive tackle moved up
the depth chart into a starting role after
playing on Reinhardt’s scout team as
a freshman, all while taking accounting
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courses and raising his young son.
“It’s a hard sport. Like everything
else in my life, I try to go into it 100%.
That’s the same thing I preach to my
son,” Aklotsoe said. “I have the mentality
that I want to be the best football
player that has come through here. I
may be or I may not be, but that’s how
I approach it every day.”
When Aklotsoe arrived at Reinhardt
as a freshman, he became the low man
on a talented defensive line depth chart.
However, he improved his traits with hard
work in the ensuing offseasons, eventually
earning playing time in 15 games.
“My freshman year I didn’t play, so
that summer was big for me. I spent
a lot of time just getting stronger, not
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even worrying about football, just getting
stronger and faster. The following
year, I worked on getting better with
my hands and techniques of football.
Then the last two years I’ve played (in
games), so I kind of put everything together
to use my strength to be the best
football player I can be,” Aklotsoe said.
Aklotsoe, who squats over 600 pounds
and benches over 400, uses his 6-foot,
260-pound frame to explode into taller
offensive linemen from a position of
leverage. His work in the weight room
has set him apart in the defensive line
room, as Reinhardt coach James Miller
said Aklotsoe is probably the strongest
player on the team.
“Weightlifting for me is much more
of a passion than something I have to
do for football. I was lifting weights
before I started playing football. I’m
always (in the weight room) when I’m
not busy. Some people listen to music,
some people hang out in their room,
when I have free time I come to the
weight room,” Aklotsoe said.
In addition to strength training, he has
spent time rehabbing an ankle injury
this summer after a low hit forced him
to miss five games last season. He battled
through the pain to play in Reinhardt’s
two playoff games last spring,
for which Miller dubbed Aklotsoe an
old-school warrior, but the defensive
tackle underwent surgery for the injury
after the playoffs.
With so much of Aklotsoe’s time devoted
to classes, football, weight training
and now rehab, he said it can be
difficult to also fulfill his responsibilities
as a father.
“It’s really challenging,” Aklotsoe
said. “He was born in high school, so
I’ve had him my whole college life. It
took a lot of time management to make
sure that I’m fully involved in the football
program, but also not slacking on
my daddy duties.”
However, Aklotsoe has proved both
his defensive tackle talents and his parenting
skills to Miller.
“I’ve got three boys, and he could
watch them any day. I’ve got no problem
with him doing that. He’s awesome,
I can’t say enough about him,”
Miller said.
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