At 5-9 and between 180 and 200 pounds during his playing days, one
might assume Jack Weisensell was a speedy running back or maybe a
slot receiver, but no, those are the vitals of one of the top
offensive linemen in The College of Wooster’s football
history.
“Jack was able to get more accomplished on the field than people twice his size,” Art Marangi, his position coach at Wooster, recently remarked. “In the 10 years that I coached the offensive line, I would place Jack in the top three-to-four performers during that period (1976-86).”
Weisensell, who grew up in the Cleveland area and played in a state championship game while at St. Edward High School, came to the College when a new head coach at the time, Tom Hollman, was telling recruits that freshmen would have the same opportunity as upperclassmen at playing time.
Hollman kept his promise and Weisensell was among a group of six-to-eight newcomers to get on the field right away. A talented guard, he first alternated snaps, bringing plays into the huddle as one of “the messengers,” but it wasn’t long before the Fighting Scots decided they wanted him out there for every play. He gained the starting nod midway through that first season and stayed there for the rest of his career.
While playing in the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference, Weisensell’s Wooster teams won six games in each of the nine-game seasons from 1977-80 (24-11-1 overall; .681 winning percentage). Those lines helped clear the path for offenses that averaged 20.0-plus points three of the four years, including a high of 23.3 in 1980, and they were some of the most prolific rushing teams Scot fans have ever witnessed, highlighted by the 1978 group which grinded out 256.3 yards per outing on the ground.
Weisensell capped his career with a pair of honors, with one being a spot on the 1980 All-OAC First Team, so how did the undersized lineman not only hold his own but excel in the trenches?
“I guess I was just quick, and aggressive,” he explained. “We also worked hard and lifted a lot of weights … I was pretty strong at the time. I benched 385 the summer between my junior and senior years, and had a pretty good squat number too, although right now I forget the number.”
Marangi added, “Jack possessed great game sense, a superior knowledge of the game, and outstanding blocking technique. He rarely made assignment mistakes.”
The other award Weisensell picked up as a senior at Wooster was more prestigious – first-team Academic All-American® recognition from the College Sports Information Directors of America. Proving to be a worthy selection, he has gone on to a highly successful law career, earning partner status at Akron-based Amer Cunningham Brennan, Co., LPA for 10 years and at Bernlohr Wertz, LLP since 2004. Weisensell even briefed, argued, and won a case in the United States Supreme Court.
Despite the heavy time requirements of his profession, which also includes serving as a sport agent, having been certified by the National Football League and Canadian Football League, Weisensell still finds time to run, having completed 10 marathons, and serve as a high school wrestling official, while also keeping up with his kids’ activities. He is married to Barb, and they are the parents of Jessica (23), Jason (21), and Jordan (14).