Tag: Kaimon Rucker

UNC defensive leader nominated for prestigious award

While UNC waits for Kaimon Rucker’s return to the football field, Rucker earned a nomination for a prestigious award.

The North Carolina Tar Heels could greatly benefit from the defensive presence of Kaimon Rucker.

Rucker, who led UNC with 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 2023, has missed the past three games while recovering from a lower-body injury. After generating solid pressure their first two games, the Tar Heels have four total sacks between the NCCU win and JMU loss.

North Carolina’s defense was torched by the Dukes, who won 70-50. A major reason behind that was UNC leaving JMU receivers in wide-open space, but a lack of pressure contributed to JMU’s success, too.

While Rucker is known for his on-field contributions, he was recently nominated for a prestigious off-field award: the Jason Witten Man of the Year Award.

The award is, according to future Hall of Fame NFL tight end Jason Witten’s official website, awarded annually to the college football player who has demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship on and off the field.

There’s still no definite word on when Rucker will return to the field, though UNC head coach Mack Brown previously said he won’t be out for the season. The Tar Heels could greatly benefit from Rucker’s presence, though – could he be the defensive difference-maker they’re missing?

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Kaimon Rucker to miss a few weeks after having surgery

Kaimon Rucker will miss a few weeks after having surgery this week.

The North Carolina Tar Heels will be without standout edge rusher Kaimon Rucker for at least a few weeks.

Prior to Saturday’s home game against Charlotte, Rucker was seen on the sidelines not suited up. That’s a sign he will not play in the game. But not only is Rucker not playing on Saturday but UNC is likely to miss him for a few weeks per the team.

The program announced during the game in the press box that Rucker had a procedure done on his lower body and would miss a few weeks. They have not specified a return date exactly yet.

With UNC missing Rucker, it takes away a legit pass rush threat for the defense. Rucker started all 13 games for the Tar Heels last season, recording a team-high 8.5 sacks.

This year, he was expected to be UNC’s top returning player on defense. He had four tackles, two tackles for a loss, and a sack in the season-opening win over Minnesota a week ago.

Next week UNC will host NC Central and then James Madison the following week before getting into ACC play. They travel to Durham to face off against Duke in Week 4 and hopefully, UNC can get Rucker back by then.

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Kaimon Rucker praises UNC defensive coordinator Geoff Collins’ new scheme

UNC football players are already enjoying their new defensive coordinator after just one game into the 2024 season.

After just one game into the 2024 college football season, the North Carolina Tar Heels showed a marked defensive improvement from 2023.

Opponents averaged 405.4 yards per game against UNC last year. North Carolina nearly halved that figure in its season-opening, 19-17 win over Minnesota, limiting the Golden Gophers to just 244 yards.

Star edge rusher Kaimon Rucker, who recorded four solo tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack, credited defensive coordinator Geoff Collins for the defensive improvements.

A major reason behind those improvements was Collins’ ability to rotate players in and out of the game, something Gene Chizik didn’t do a ton of the past two seasons.

“I felt like it just allowed us to get more guys on the field, and for the guys that we needed in crucial situations, allowed them to be rested up and ready to go,” Rucker told InsideCarolina’s Jeremiah Holloway. “I know in the past, we would not substitute like that. And so a lot of guys would get tired when we needed them the most and stuff like that. And I know Coach Collins understood that was an issue in the past, and Coach (Mack) Brown knows that was an issue in the past, and for us to rotate around 20 guys, man, that’s something that we’ve been preaching for years that we need to do a better job of. And I feel like we finally are starting to do that a lot more.”

Just about every Tar Heel contributed on defense in the Week 1 win.. Defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie led UNC with three sacks and tackles for loss apiece. NC State transfer Jakeen Harris thrived from his starting safety spot, leading North Carolina with ten tackles.

Can the Tar Heels’ defense deliver another strong performance in their home opener against Charlotte?

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A draft’s-eye viewers guide to Thursday Night’s college football slate

A draft’s-eye viewers guide to Thursday Night’s college football slate, featuring a few interesting prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft

Labor Day weekend is here and that means college football is back in full swing. Sit back, relax and enjoy five straight days of college football, starting with tonight’s slate that features four Top 25 teams in action. 

Matchup of the Night

Kaimon Rucker, Edge, UNC vs. Minnesota’s OTs

The best game of the night also features the best matchup of the evening. Rucker, the edge rusher for the Tar Heels will be squaring off against the Golden Gopher’s offensive tackle tandem of Aireontae Ersery and Quinn Carroll.

At 6-6, 337 pounds, Ersery is a mountain and he moves like a tight end. The Missouri native has started 26 games at left tackle and one game at right tackle. The Golden Gopher left tackle is powerful and creates surge as a run blocker. With his frame and athleticism, Ersery has all the tools that NFL teams covet.

Since transferring from Notre Dame to Minnesota in 2022, Caroll has started 26 games at right tackle for the Golden Gophers. The Edina, Minnesota native has an NFL frame, plays with good knee bend, and gets proper depth in his sets.

Trying to get past those two behemoths, will be Rucker. The Tar Heel product is coming off a season in which he recorded 61 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 60 pressures. Rucker competes with consistent effort and has a radar for the football. As a pass rusher, Rucker wins with his quickness and it will be interesting to see his approach tonight against Ersery and Carroll.

Prospect to Watch

Grey Zabel, OL, NDSU

Zabel and the Bison head to Boulder to take on Colorado this evening. Zabel enters tonight’s contest with 22 career starts to his name. Zabel is likely the next NDSU OL to hear his name called during draft weekend. The South Dakota native is a technician and has tackle-guard versatility.

“Small School Prospect”

Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State

Slater enters tonight’s matchup against San Jose State with 35 career starts under his belt. With 33 of those starts coming at left guard and the other two at left tackle. A four-sport athlete in high school, Slater was listed on Bruce Feldman’s Annual Freak’s list this summer. From Feldman:

“He power cleaned 405 pounds and squatted 635, and he moves very well for his frame, topping out at 19.96 mph.”

Slater is regarded as one of the top prospects in the Big Sky Conference and is coming off a season in which he gave up zero sacks and 10 pressures.

Only one CBS Sports expert picks UNC to finish Top 5 in the ACC

The CBS Sports “experts” don’t have a very favorable outlook on UNC’s 2024 football season.

On Thursday, Aug. 29, the North Carolina Tar Heels make their long-awaited return to the football field.

UNC heads up north for a rematch with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, whom came to Chapel Hill last season and fell victim to a 400-yard Drake Maye passing game. The Tar Heels and Golden Gophers hadn’t ever battled before 2023, so it’s exciting to see what could be the start of a new rivalry.

Looking at North Carolina’s larger roster, there’s no two players more important than running back Omarion Hampton and Kaimon Rucker. There’s a ton of talent across UNC’s roster, but no Maye or Devontez Walker.

Even with an easier schedule, there isn’t a ton of hope for the Tar Heels in 2024. This is highlighted in the CBS Sports’ college football experts’ ACC rankings.

Richard Johnson has North Carolina finishing fifth, the highest amongst expert picks. Jerry Palm, Tom Fornelli and Chip Patterson picked UNC to finish seventh, Will Backus, Shehan Jeyarajah and David Cobb have the Tar Heels ending the year eighth, while Dennis Dodd ranks North Carolina 10th.

The expert picks are valid, but think about how many times we’ve seen teams exceed – or underperform – preseason expectations. I don’t know how much UNC has listened to what the experts are saying, but with a passionate bunch like this year’s team (just visit social media), the Tar Heels will be eager to prove people wrong and finish the season strong.

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Nine Tar Heels named to prestigious Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List

The UNC football team sports plenty of 2025 NFL hopefuls on its 2024 roster.

Every college football player’s goal is to help their team win a national championship, but they also hope to be lucky enough for NFL Draft selections.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl, seen largely as a post-college football season All-Star Game, is a great way for NFL Draft hopefuls to showcase their talents in front of NFL scouts.

Despite UNC losing football standouts Drake Maye, Devontez Walker and Cedric Gray to the 2024 NFL Draft, there are several more Tar Heels on the current roster who are 2025 NFL Draft prospects.

Those Tar Heels – Marcus Allen, Power Echols, Desmond Evans, Omarion Hampton, Max Johnson, J.J. Jones, Willie Lampkin, Bryson Nesbit and Kaimon Rucker – are being recognized with nominations to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List.

Hampton is amongst the country’s best running backs, leading the ACC and finishing fifth nationally with 1,504 rushing yards last season. Rucker is one of college football’s top edge rushers, as he led North Carolina with 15 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2023.

Nesbit is amongst the country’s best tight ends, combining for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns the past two years. Jones is poised to take over UNC’s top wide receiver spot – he led UNC with 711 receiving yards last season.

Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson is battling for the Tar Heels’s starting quarterback spot with Conner Harrell. If Johnson starts, he’ll be protected by the likes of All-ACC lineman Willie Lampkin.

Finishing up with defense, Echols will form a deadly duo with Rucker by returning 102 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. Evans is coming off a 33-tackle, five tackles for loss and 3-sack season that many expect out of a 5-star recruit, while Marcus Allen will arguably lead the secondary after his sophomore season with 49 tackles, an interception and a North Carolina-best eight pass breakups.

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Two UNC football standouts amongst CBS Sports’ top 151 players

Where do Omarion Hampton and Kaimon Rucker land in CBS Sports’ 2024 college football player rankings?

With all the turnover within the UNC football program this offseason, there’s a lot of mystery in Chapel Hill entering the 2024 campaign.

There was just one major coaching change, as Geoff Collins replaces Gene Chizik at defensive coordinator, but the roster changes are far greater, headlined by the departures of quarterback Drake Maye and wide receiver Tez Walker to the NFL.

Despite the roster changes, North Carolina returns two of college football’s best at their respective positions: running back Omarion Hampton and linebacker Kaimon Rucker.

CBS Sports also recognizes the talent amongst the Tar Heels’ star-studded 2024 duo, with Rucker (59) and Hampton (64) taking Top-75 spots in CBS Sports’ rankings of college football’s Top 151 players.

Check out what CBS Sports first had to say about Rucker, who led UNC with 15 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2023:

“Rucker is somewhat undersized, but doesn’t let that keep him from the quarterback,” CBS Sports’ Blake Brockermeyer wrote. “He plays with a demonic edge and is a great team leader. North Carolina has plenty of raw talent on defense, but Rucker is one of the few who has put it all together.”

Let’s now shift over to Hampton, who led the ACC and finished fifth amongst 2023 running backs with 1,504 rushing yards:

“Hampton led the ACC with almost six yards a touch en route to a 1,500-yard, 15-touchdowns season,” Brockermeyer wrote. “The bruising back added another 30 catches for 232 yards and a touchdown. Hampton had 36 explosive runs and excels in the zone scheme where he can cut back at the lineman’s heels. Excellent feet and tough to arm tackle. An area for improvement? He had three fumbles last season.”

If the Tar Heels can get consistent contributions from both Hampton and Rucker on a weekly basis, they could surprise some folks in the ACC this season.

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Echols and Rucker listed on 2024 Bednarik Award watch list

Two defensive stalwarts for the Tar Heels find themselves on a prestigious award watch list this season.

Two North Carolina Tar Heel defensive players are listed on the released watch list of the 2024 Bednarik Award. Kaimon Rucker and Power Echols look to anchor the Tar Heel defense to an excellent season this year.

Echols is a 5-foot-11, 220-pound linebacker who finished last season with 103 total tackles including 5.5 for a loss, those both tie and beat career highs. He also had one interception and two forced fumbles on the year in 13 games.

The senior linebacker, Rucker, finished his 2023 campaign with 61 total tackles and a whopping 15.0 for a loss. To put that dominance into perspective, he had just 15.5 total tackles for a loss heading into last season over his first three seasons.

He also added 8.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

They will both be up for one of the top defensive awards of the year.

According to goheels.com, “The winners of the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 12, 2024. The formal presentations of the Chuck Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.”

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Kaimon Rucker named to 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List

UNC football stand out Kaimon Rucker earned some preseason recognition on Tuesday.

North Carolina Tar Heels pass rusher Kaimon Rucker returned for another year as one of the top defensive players on the roster. Rucker has developed into one of the best pass rushers in the ACC and now he’s earning some recognition ahead of the 2024 season.

On Tuesday, Rucker was one of 75 players named to the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. The watch list was released by the Football Writers Association of America, with just under a month to go until the new season.

The list features standouts from 56 schools in nine Division I FBS conferences plus Independents as contenders for the national defensive player of the year.

Rucker is coming off a 2023 season in which he finished with 15 TFL, 8.5 sacks and 12 QB pressures while starting all 13 games. He continues to get better and is hoping for another big season in 2024.

The finalists for the award will be announced on November 20th and the winner on December 9th at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet. There will also be a list released mid-season as well.

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UNC football players stroll into Training Camp Sunday

Training Camp for the UNC football team officially started on Sunday, July 28. Look at how happy the players were!

A month from today, the North Carolina Tar Heels will play their first football game of the 2024 season.

UNC will head up north to Minnesota, where there’ll face the Golden Gophers for a second-consecutive season. North Carolina and Minnesota clashed for the first time ever last year, on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Kenan Stadium, when Drake Maye threw for over 400 yards in a 31-13 UNC victory.

Even with returning stars like Omarion Hampton and Kaimon Rucker, the Tar Heels are going to have a new look on both sides of the football. Conner Harrell and Max Johnson are competing for the starting quarterback gig, J.J. Jones and Nate McCollum now lead the receiving corps, plus North Carolina welcomes a new defensive coordinator in Geoff Collins.

Luckily for the Tar Heels, they’ve had a whole summer – and still have a month – to prepare for the season.

UNC took another step closer to kickoff on Sunday, as players rolled into Training Camp.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9-_Tc8OC9s/?img_index=1

By the end of Training Camp, North Carolina should have some answers to its greatest position battles. We could even see some freshman move into starting roles, such as wide receiver Jordan Shipp.

The greatest question all us Tar Heels fans have: how will this season compare to last?

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