Around Iredell Sports

2008 Jan-24

Fighting Illini first to offer Rucker

West Iredell wide receiver Quan Rucker looks for room to run after hauling in a pass during the Warriors’ 14-13 win over Lake Norman on Sept. 14, 2007. Rucker is being recruited by the University of Illinois.

By Brian Meadows

Champaign and roses just might be in Quan Rucker’s future.

Illinois, which represented the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl this year, wants Rucker to come to its Champaign, Ill., campus and don its orange, white and blue uniform when he’s done with high school.

West Iredell football coach Mark Weycker came bearing the good news at school last Wednesday when he spoke to Rucker, one of his players.

The presentation came in a roundabout way, Rucker said.

Weycker explained to him that the first of expectedly many formal offers had been made for the junior’s services as a college football player.

Anxious for the suspense to cease, Rucker asked from whom, to which Weycker replied: Illinois.

“Illinois?” Rucker shot back, somewhat in disbelief.

“It shocked me,” Rucker said, “but it was definitely exciting to know.”

Illinois’ Kurt Beathard, who coaches outside receivers, phoned Weycker on Jan. 16 about Rucker.

Rucker returned the call.

“Coach Beathard told me to keep doing what I’m doing,” Rucker said, highlighting the theme of their conversation.

What he’s been doing is having a significant impact on both sides of the football for West Iredell.

As a junior, Rucker caught 52 passes for 642 yards and five touchdowns.

“He’s got great speed and soft hands,” Weycker said. “He makes things look easy. He’s smooth.”

Rucker finished second in the county in receiving yards and tied for first in receptions as the Warriors went 9-4 and reached the second round of the 3A state playoffs for the second time in three years.

Likewise, the Illini finished 9-4. They experienced a remarkable surge this year under Ron Zook, who was named Liberty Mutual national coach of the year after leading the team to a tie for second place in the Big Ten, a berth in the Rose Bowl — which they lost to Southern Cal — and a No. 20 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.

According to Weycker, Clemson and Virginia have also shown interest in Rucker, a 6-foot, 183-pound wide receiver and defensive back.

“It’s still early in the process,” Weycker said. But, “Anytime a top-20 program is interested, it shows the validity in an athlete’s abilities.”

Illinois first observed Rucker last spring while evaluating Warriors running back Bobby Morrison.

Weycker didn’t hesitate to keep them informed. While in Spartanburg, S.C., to see Morrison play in the N.C.-S.C. Shrine Bowl in December, he provided members of the Illinois coaching staff with some of Rucker’s video highlights.

“They were the first to kind of say, ‘Wow, we’ve gotta have this kid,’ ” Weycker said.

“Quan is a good kid. He works hard, and his academics are in line.”

Rucker, who could move to quarterback next season for the Warriors, has yet to give a verbal commitment to a college program. He can’t sign a national letter of intent until February 2009.

No rush. He is keeping his options open and enjoying the moment.

“One thing I don’t do, I don’t make it all I think about,” Rucker said of Illinois’ scholarship offer. “It would probably drive me crazy if I did.

“But I think about it from time to time throughout the day,” he added, grinning real wide. “I’ll get excited for a little bit, and then I’m like, ‘Calm down.’ ”

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