To succeed in college football, there were two things North Carolina first-year linebacker Kaimon Rucker had to adjust to: the faster speed and a new playbook.
“You gotta redo everything,” he said during a press conference on Tuesday. “It’s a reset button.”
But as the season rolls on, Rucker said he is getting quicker, stronger and reading the game faster, all the while becoming more confident. He said his “I can do this” moment was his first tackle in the season opener against Syracuse.
“I felt like, ‘OK, I can really kick it with these boys,” Rucker said.
North Carolina's young defense has had its fair share of struggles this year — allowing sub-.500 Florida State and Virginia teams to run up the score and ward off late comeback attempts from the Tar Heels — but if Saturday's win over Duke was any indication, Rucker and his fellow first-years are beginning to improve.
In praise of his fellow underclassmen who have been getting more playing time — especially on the defensive side of the ball — Rucker said linebacker Desmond Evans and defensive lineman Myles Murphy have both improved and adjusted tremendously.
"I feel like (Murphy) is getting better mentally, understanding the plays and where he needs to be," Rucker said. "... (Evans') improvement at rush mentally and physically has also increased, and I’m happy for both.”
Rucker said, as a football player, he describes himself as selfless, humble and willing to do the little things right. His dad had initially pushed him to play football, but he eventually fell in love with it and found what he wanted to accomplish in the game.
On choosing UNC, Rucker said that Chapel Hill had it all: great coaches, great teammates and great academics. Focusing on the team culture, he said the team feels like a brotherhood and sticks together through the tough times.
