Tackling a lifelong goal: LHS grad Jackson Ambush finishing his college football career at highest level with Florida Atlantic

Aug. 24—Jackson Ambush's first taste of college football at its highest level produced a bit of "culture shock."

"Definitely the attention to detail to everything," the former standout linebacker at Linganore High School said after transferring from Division I-AA Albany to Division I-A Florida Atlantic during the offseason.

"It's like they say. The eye in the sky don't lie. They catch everything, and it's either our way or the highway."

The 5-foot-11, 225-pound Ambush just turned 22 and already has his degree in homeland security from Albany. When his football playing days are over, he is interested in working for the federal government in an investigative-type role. He can see himself working for the FBI.

But after probably being under recruited coming out of Linganore for various reasons and with two years of college eligibility still left, Ambush felt he owed it to himself to play on the highest level that he could, fulfilling a lifelong goal.

"His junior year [at Linganore], he didn't get much time because he got hurt," said Rick Conner, the longtime coach of the Lancers, referring to an ankle injury for Ambush. "The junior year is huge when you are talking about [recruiting]."

By the time he got back on the field and had a stellar senior season for Linganore, Ambush was probably off the radar of most of the major colleges.

"His senior year, he was one of the best players I ever coached at linebacker in 38 years," Conner said. "He's that good."

During his four seasons at Albany, which were limited by a redshirt season and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambush became a team captain and earned All-American status.

He appeared in all 11 games the last two seasons as the Great Danes' middle linebacker and was one of the team leaders in tackles. But the team's record suffered, as Albany in went 2-9 in 2021 and 3-8 in 2022.

"Definitely, it was a learning experience when I was up there, for sure," Ambush said of his time at Albany. "It helped me develop as a college player and as a man. I am grateful for Albany and what it had to offer me."

At Florida Atlantic, Ambush will play for a high-profile coach, Tom Herman, the former head coach at Houston and Texas, who was hired in December to spark the Owls' program after back-to-back 5-7 seasons.

Florida Atlantic is set to begin its first season as a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC), which was won last season by Tulane and includes other programs like Memphis, Navy and SMU. The Owls will open the season at home in Boca Raton on Sept. 2 against Monmouth. Then, there is a home game against Ohio on Sept. 9 and a night game at Clemson on Sept. 16.

So far, Ambush has been taking reps with the first and second teams in preseason practice at middle linebacker. He again hopes to be the quarterback of the defense.

"Coach Herman has his own thing," Ambush said. "The attention to detail, his coaching philosophy, I have never seen anything like it before. It creates a winning culture in my opinion."

The intensity of the work and the length of the work days took some getting used to, Ambush said, especially in the heat and humidity of south Florida, which he much prefers to the cold weather he would live and play in at Albany.

"In a little more than two months, he has totally transformed his body," Ambush's father, Bobby, said. "He arrived at FAU [at the end of May] around 219 pounds. And now he's up to 226. And that's in the Florida heat. He is gaining weight."

In phone conversations with his father about the intensity of the work, Jackson Ambush relays that "this is not for everybody," Bobby Ambush said. "This level of football is not meant for everybody. This will make you think if you really want to do this."

But, so far, before an official down has been played, Ambush is loving it at Florida Atlantic and seems ready for the challenge.

"I am just trying to enjoy this experience, just enjoy it while I am here," he said. "You only have a certain amount of time to play ball. So, I am just trying to enjoy this and ultimately lead my team to a championship and a bowl ring.

"Like Coach Herman says, we can do snow angels in confetti and have a fat ring by the end of the season."

Follow Greg Swatek on Twitter: @greg_swatek