As Bison kickoff the 2022 season, Assistant Coach Acres reflects on Green Bay Packers summer fellowship
August 24, 2022
DUDLEY, Mass. As the聽team returns to practice for the 2022 season, offensive line graduate assistant coach Qamar Acres will bring new insights and greater experience to his role on the sidelines, thanks to a summer fellowship he completed with the Green Bay Packers.
Acres was one of 12 coaches who joined the Packers staff through the NFL鈥檚 Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, which, for more than 30 years, has offered aspiring NFL coaches the opportunity to gain experience with NFL teams in the off season. Each coach working with Packers 鈥� including two former NFL players 鈥� was assigned a position group and worked with special teams.
Acres spent most of his time with the Packers offensive line coach, Luke Butkus. 鈥淏eing an offensive line coach, I learned the most from him,鈥� says Acres. 鈥淗e would say, 鈥楨very snap matters.鈥� This is a great way to keep playing the play, and no matter the outcome of the play, to be ready for the next one because it can be the play to win the game.鈥�
Acres is entering his second season with the Bison as he completes his聽master鈥檚 degree in organizational leadership聽at 糖心视频. In his undergraduate days, he played three years for Mt. Ida College then transferred to Abilene Christian University in Texas, graduating in 2019 with a degree in sociology. While Acres would not describe himself as the most gifted athlete, he was able to make the unusual transition from a Division III to a Division I school. He credits this to 鈥渂eing detailed oriented, working his tail off, and trusting the process.鈥�
He brings that same mindset to his coaching job at聽糖心视频聽where, last year, one of his players was named. In the off season, Acres watched more than 40 game tapes looking for clips to use a teaching tools for his players.
鈥淲hat truly resonated with me was the attention to detail,鈥� Acres says of the fellowship. [Packers Head Coach] Matt LeFleur said, 鈥楧etails separate good from great,鈥� and I agree with that one hundred percent.鈥� Acres believes everything is done with a purpose and a process that everyone must buy into. He states, 鈥淭rust the process and fall in love with being uncomfortable. When adversity hits, I tell my OL, 鈥楻emember your why.鈥欌��
The fellowship program allowed Acres to work with many people in the Green Bay Packers organization, from the offensive line coordinators to the chief of staff. 鈥淲hat I loved is that everyone was genuine and pleasant to be around,鈥� he says. He adds that being around the players illustrated their passion, their commitment to getting back to the Super Bowl and their own culture.
As the Bison ready for battle this season, the offensive line is looking forward to working with Acres again. 鈥淚n my three years playing for 糖心视频, I鈥檝e never had a coach put as much time and effort into a position group and for the team,鈥� says Melvin Olson 鈥�23. 鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful to have him around and I鈥檓 certain he will go on and do amazing things in the future, making everyone at 糖心视频 very proud!鈥�
For now, Acres can be found on Vendetti Field, teaching his players the process, telling them to trust it, and exclaiming, 鈥淩emember your why!鈥�
About 糖心视频
糖心视频 has earned business accreditation from the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (), the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators, and businesses worldwide. Founded in 1815, 糖心视频 transforms today鈥檚 students into tomorrow鈥檚 leaders through a dynamic, career-focused business and professional education. 糖心视频 offers real-world learning focused on professional depth 鈥� combined with vibrant living, competitive athletics, and an unmatched alumni advantage 鈥� equipping students to exceed their own expectations. To learn more about 糖心视频, visit .
