Defensive lineman Kaimon Rucker came prepared to make impact for UNC football
Kaimon Rucker’s tackle on a third-down quarterback scramble midway through the fourth quarter of North Carolina’s 31-6 win over Syracuse probably came after even the die-hard viewers had stopped paying close attention.
Even those who only recognized it for leading the Orange to another punt. But for Rucker, a freshman linebacker/lineman hybrid from Hartwell, Georgia, it signified much more. It was his third of five tackles in the game. And it was the moment he felt he belonged.
It was simple really. As he rushed the passer, he recognized that Orange quarterback Tommy Devito was supposed to make a quick pass. When the throw wasn’t there, he immediately tucked the ball to run. Rucker came from the left side of the line and looped inside to make the tackle just as Devito was stepping up in the pocket to run through the line.
“I felt like, ‘OK, I can really be here and I can really kick it with these boys,’” Rucker told reporters on a video call. “I can really contribute to the team to where if coach puts me in a position, any position on the field, that I feel like I can get it done.”
Rucker earned his first start in the Tar Heels’ second game of the season at Boston College after his five-tackle performance against the Orange. UNC coach Mack Brown has repeatedly remarked during the course of the season that he wants to make sure to play his freshmen. Rucker is one of the main players he has in mind because he arrived a bit more advanced than a typical freshman.
Rance Gillespie, Rucker’s coach at Hart County High School, spent two stints at Georgia Southern as an offensive coordinator. When he returned to coach preps, he ran the Hart County program as if he were still coaching in college. That included the way they approached their weightlifting regimen and the tempo and transition during their practice periods.
“We try to emulate it (college) as close as possible,” Gillespie told The News & Observer. “We do our best to try to keep practice high tempo, and I do think that prepares our kids for making the jump to the next level. With that being said, it’s certainly not the deciding factor. The deciding factor is the individual and his individual grind and that’s where Kaimon excels.”
Rucker is a self-starter. He never had to be ushered into the weight room. He was already there. When players gathered to study game footage, Rucker was already sitting front and center. He brought those traits with him to Chapel Hill, and his teammates took notice early.
“Kaimon’s very disciplined, very talented,” sophomore safety Cam’Ron Kelly said on a video call. “He’s always in the film room. In the lifts, he’s very focused and dialed in, as well as just taking every opportunity that he gets and making the most out of it.”
Rucker plays behind sophomore Tomari Fox, which explains why he hasn’t gotten more playing time. Fox is fourth on the team in tackles and tied for second with four sacks. He’s not easily replaced in the lineup, although the coaching staff fully believes Rucker’s potential is that of a starter.
“Kaimon’s a guy that we liked from Day One,” Brown told reporters on a video call. “... He plays really, really hard every play. And he’s just a special young man, so we think he will be a great player for us before he leaves.”
That process will mean adding more muscle. Rucker weighs about 260 pounds, but the staff would like to see him get bigger in order to handle the constant collisions with 300-plus offensive linemen for four quarters a game.
In the meantime, Rucker says he’s gaining confidence the more he’s able to play. He finally feels he has a firm grasp of the playbook and is starting to identify offensive concepts faster.
“I feel like now I’m also getting used to the speed of the game, the mental game,” Rucker said. “Seeing opponents on the field is getting slower. I can read people. I can read the playbook a lot quicker. I can process a lot more information faster. And I feel like my confidence has definitely increased since the first time I touched the collegiate field.”
Gillespie said one thing that makes him stand out is his focus. Gillespie said he lives in the moment and respects the work required in order to getting better.
“He’s never been a guy that looks to Saturdays or Fridays, but, you know, Monday afternoon is just as important to him,” Gillespie said. “He’s consistently focusing on the process of becoming the best player that he can be.”