Sport(s) Football Name Tim Rucks | 1989 North Park (Assistant) Positions Tackle | |
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Born December 21, 1960Waukegan, Illinois, US ( 1960-12-21 ) 1986–1988 Niles North HS (Assistant) Died March 10, 2015, Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States | ||
Tim Rucks (December 21, 1960 – March 10, 2015) was an American football player and coach in the US.
Contents
- Early life
- College career
- Professional career
- Semi professional career
- High school
- North Park
- Carthage
- Post retirement
- Death
- Head coaching record
- References
Early life
Rucks was born on December 21, 1960 in Waukegan, Illinois, graduating from Waukegan West High School in 1979.
College career
Rucks played for the Carthage Red Men under coach Art Keller. A first-team College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin player in his senior year, Rucks graduated in 1983.
Professional career
Rucks was drafted by the Denver Gold in the fourteenth round of the inaugural United States Football League Draft in 1983 (right ahead of future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly and veteran 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.
Semi-professional career
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 would later serve on the Gladiators' (now known as the Racine Raiders) Board of Directors.
High school
Rucks would go on to be an assistant coach from 1986 until 1988 at Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois.
North Park
Rucks was the head college football coach for the North Park Vikings located in Chicago, Illinois. Having started as an assistant coach in 1989, Rucks was promoted to head coach in 1990 (having been the NCAA's youngest head coach at 29), holding that position until 1994. His coaching record at North Park was 9 wins, 33 losses and 3 ties. As of the conclusion of the 2012 season, this ranks him #4 at North Park in total wins and #6 at the school in winning percentage (.233).
Carthage
After North Park, Rucks became the head coach for the Carthage Red Men located in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
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 held that position until he stepped down following the 2012 season. His coaching record at Carthage was 95 wins, 79 losses and 1 tie. As of the conclusion of the 2015 season, Rucks ranks #2 at Carthage in total wins (second only to the aforementioned Keller). He also ranks 3rd at the school in winning percentage (.546) for coaches with at least 30 games coached.
Post-retirement
After retiring as the coach, Rucks remained with Carthage as an assistant athletic director and academic advisor.
In 2014, Rucks was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Death
On March 10, 2015, Rucks was found unconscious in his car, which had been in a one-car accident in Kenosha. Despite emergency crews' best efforts, they could not resuscitate him, pronouncing him dead soon after 1:24 p.m.
His death was later ruled as a heart attack.
Head coaching record
Table statistics