Tim Rucks

Last updated

Tim Rucks
Biographical details
Born(1960-12-21)December 21, 1960
Waukegan, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMarch 10, 2015(2015-03-10) (aged 54)
Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.
Playing career
c.1982 Carthage
1983 New York Jets
1984 Racine Gladiators
1985Chicago Chargers
Position(s) Offensive tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1986–1988 Niles North HS (IL) (assistant)
1989 North Park (assistant)
1990–1994 North Park
1995–2012 Carthage
Head coaching record
Overall104–112–4
Tournaments2–1 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 CCIW (2004)
Awards
First-team All-CCIW (1982)
CCIW Coach of the Year (2004)

Tim Rucks (December 21, 1960 – March 10, 2015) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois, from 1990 to 1994 and Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, from 1995 to 2012, compiling a career college football coaching record of 104–112–4.

Contents

Early life an playing career

Rucks was born on December 21, 1960, in Waukegan, Illinois, and graduated from Waukegan West High School in 1979. [1] Rucks played college football at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, under head coach Art Keller. A first-team College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), player in his senior year, Rucks graduated in 1983. [1]

Rucks was drafted by the Denver Gold in the 14th round of the inaugural United States Football League Draft in 1983, right ahead of future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly and punter Sean Landeta. However, he decided to forego the USFL, instead signing a free agent contract with the National Football League's New York Jets on May 5 of that year. Only three months later, Rucks was released by the Jets on August 12. [1] [2]

In 1984, Rucks played for the Racine Gladiators, being named to the all-league and all minor-league teams, and in 1985 for the Chicago Chargers. Inducted into the American Football Association Semi-Pro Hall of Fame in 2002, Rucks later served on the Gladiators' (now known as the Racine Raiders) Board of Directors. [2] [3]

Coaching career

High school

Rucks was an assistant coach from 1986 to 1988 at Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois.

North Park

Rucks was the head football coach at North Park University in Chicago. Having started as an assistant coach in 1989, Rucks was promoted to head coach in 1990, becoming the NCAA's youngest head football coach at 29. Ruck served as head coach for five seasons, until 1994, compiling a record of 9–33–3. [4] [5]

Carthage

After North Park, Rucks became the head football coach at his alma mater, Carthage. Before Rucks took over, the Red Men had not had a single winning season in their previous 13 years. Rucks quickly turned the team's fortunes around, accomplishing winning records in three of their first four seasons. In 2004, Rucks led the Red Men to their first Division III football playoff in 2004, advancing all the way to the quarterfinals. For that he was named the Coach of the Year for the CCIW and the Division III North Region. In 2009, Rucks was named Wisconsin Private College Football Coach of the Year. Rucks stepped down following the 2012 season. [6] His coaching record at Carthage was 95–79–1. [7]

Later life and death

After retiring as the coach, Rucks remained with Carthage as an assistant athletic director and academic advisor. [1] In 2014, Rucks was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. [8]

On March 10, 2015, Rucks was found unconscious in his car, which had been in a one-car accident in Kenosha. Emergency crews were unable to resuscitate him. [1] [8] His death was ruled a heart attack. [2]

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs NCAA DIII#
North Park Vikings (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin)(1990–1994)
1990 North Park1–81–78th
1991 North Park0–90–89th
1992 North Park1–6–21–4–26th
1993 North Park4–4–12–4–15th
1994 North Park3–61–6T–7th
North Park:9–33–35–29–3
Carthage Red Men (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin)(1995–2012)
1995 Carthage3–5–12–4–15th
1996 Carthage3–63–4T–5th
1997 Carthage5–44–3T–3rd
1998 Carthage5–44–35th
1999 Carthage5–44–3T–4th
2000 Carthage4–61–6T–6th
2001 Carthage6–43–45th
2002 Carthage4–63–45th
2003 Carthage3–71–67th
2004 Carthage11–26–1T–1stL NCAA Division III Quarterfinal 5
2005 Carthage7–34–3T–3rd
2006 Carthage6–43–4T–4th
2007 Carthage7–34–34th
2008 Carthage5–53–4T–5th
2009 Carthage7–34–3T–3rd
2010 Carthage6–43–4T–5th
2011 Carthage5–52–5T–5th
2012 Carthage3–41–3
Carthage:95–79–155–67–1
Total:104–112–4
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

[9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carthage College</span> Lutheran college in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.

Carthage College is a private college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It enrolls 2,667 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin</span> Athletic conference in the NCAA

The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III.

The Racine Raiders are a semi-professional American football club based in Racine, Wisconsin. The team plays in the Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL).

Jarvis Ardel Brown is an American Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles. He won the World Series with the Twins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheridan Road</span> Road in Illinois and Wisconsin

Sheridan Road is a major north-south street that leads from Diversey Parkway in Chicago, Illinois, north to the Illinois-Wisconsin border and beyond to Racine. Throughout most of its run, it is the easternmost north-south through street, closest to Lake Michigan. From Chicago, it passes through Chicago's wealthy lakeside North Shore suburbs, and then Waukegan and Zion, until it reaches the Illinois-Wisconsin state line in Winthrop Harbor. In Wisconsin, the road leads north through Pleasant Prairie and Kenosha, until it ends on the south side of Racine, in Mount Pleasant.

Lincoln Paul LaVinn was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millikin Big Blue</span> Athletic programs of Millikin University

The Millikin Big Blue are the intercollegiate athletic programs of Millikin University (MU) located in Decatur, Illinois, United States. The Big Blue athletic program is a member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) and competes at the NCAA Division III level.

DeWayne "Dewey" King was a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at San Jose State University from 1970 to 1972 and at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois from 1973 to 1979, compiling a career college football record of 39–54–1. King was also the athletic director at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art Keller</span> American football, basketball, and baseball coach

Arthur T. Keller was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach. He was the head football coach at Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois and Kenosha, Wisconsin, serving for 31 seasons, from 1952 until 1982, and compiling a record of 177–87–7.

Mike Larry is a former American football coach. He was the head football coach at the Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, serving for three seasons, from 1992 to 1994, and compiling a record of 2–25.

Jack Synold is an American football coach. He was the head football coach at Carthage College located in Kenosha, Wisconsin for four seasons, from 1988 to 1991, compiling a record of 12–24.

Roger Scott is an American football and baseball coach.

Kenneth Robert Wagner was an American football coach. He was the head football coach at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, serving for two seasons, from 1983 to 1984 and compiling a record of 6–12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewart Clark</span> American football and basketball coach

Stewart McCullough Clark was an American football and basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois from 1915 to 1919 and at Western State College of Colorado—now known as Western Colorado University—from 1928 to 1929, compiling a career college football coaching record of 10–19. Clark was also the head basketball coach at the University of Wyoming from 1924 to 1928, tallying a mark of 43–24. He was a brother of Potsy Clark.

Michael C. Conway is an American football coach. He was the head football coach for Olivet Nazarene University from 1996 to 1999 and in 2023, and North Park University in Chicago, Illinois from 2013 to 2018. In the fourth game his first season at North Park, in 2013, he led his team to victory in a game against Carthage. This win ended a 13-year, 89-game losing streak in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) play. In 2002, Conway was announced as the head coach of the Southwestern Moundbuilders in Winfield, Kansas to replace head coach Monty Lewis. However, he never coached a game for the school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norm Rathje</span> American football player and coach (1936–2011)

Norman Lee Rathje was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at North Park College—now known as North Park University—from 1967 to 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1920 Central Michigan Normalites football team</span> American college football season

The 1920 Central Michigan Normalites football team represented Central Michigan Normal School, later renamed Central Michigan University, as an independent during the 1920 college football season. In their first and only season under head coach Joe Simmons, the Central Michigan football team compiled a 4–3–1 record, shut out four of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 166 to 41. The team's victories were against Ferris State, Olivet (7–0), and Hope (17–0), and the tie was with Detroit City College (6–6). The team lost to the 1920 Michigan State Normal Normalites football team (6–7), the Michigan Agricultural frosh team (6–14), and Hillsdale (10–14).

The 1969 Carthage Redmen football team was an American football team that represented Carthage College of Kenosha, Wisconsin, as a member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) during the 1969 NAIA football season. In their 15th season under head coach Art Keller, the Redmen compiled a perfect 9–0 record and won the CCIW championship.

The 1962 Carthage Redmen football team was an American football team that represented Carthage College of Kenosha, Wisconsin, as a member of the College Conference of Illinois (CCI) during the 1969 NAIA football season. In their eighth season under head coach Art Keller, the Redmen compiled a perfect 8–0 record, won the CCI championshipand outscored opponents by a total of 303 to 138.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Carthage community mourns loss of Coach Tim Rucks". Carthage College. March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Former Gladiators player, Tim Rucks, dies". Racine Raiders. March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  3. "Semi-Pro Hall of Fame". americanfootballassn.com.
  4. DeLassus, David. "North Park Vikings". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  5. "All-time football records" (PDF). North Park Vikings . Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  6. "All-time football records". Carthage Red Men . Retrieved October 3, 2013.
  7. DeLassus, David. "Carthage Redmen". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Ex-Carthage football coach Rucks dies". KenoshaNews.com. Kenosha News. March 10, 2015. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  9. DeLassus, David. "Tim Rucks Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.