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Grand Forks Herald
Lance Rucker focusing on recovery, not dwelling on missing Nebraska game
- Story byGrand Forks Herald
- Lance Rucker focusing on recovery, not dwelling on missing Nebraska game
Sep. 18—GRAND FORKS — The cliche may be for UND captain Lance Rucker, a Nebraska native, to have shoulders slumped this week at Memorial Village, dejected at the inability to showcase his skills in the Fighting Hawks' FBS opportunity at Nebraska.
Rucker, one of the best returning defensive players in the FCS, suffered a preseason foot injury and is expected out until October.
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The soft-spoken Rucker, though, shows no signs of moping around as the Hawks prepare for Saturday's 6:15 p.m. matchup with the Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.
The game will be shown on the Big Ten Network.
Rucker, a preseason All-American, was jogging on the sidelines at practice earlier this week to test his injury. UND head coach Eric Schmidt noticed and told his star edge he saw some sprinting. Rucker, though, reminded his coach it was just jogging.
"I'm not that slow," Rucker told Schmidt.
Rucker immediately shifted his first question about the personal impact of the Nebraska game to focus on his teammates.
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"I don't get to (play against Nebraska) but other guys do get to do it," said Rucker, who had a school-record 11.5 sacks last season. "Me being my best every day is being able to help the young guys play in big games like that. Whatever I can do."
Had Rucker been circling the Huskers game on his calendar throughout his career?
"I like playing in every game, so it's not really different," Rucker said. "They're just another name and another opponent on the other side at the end of the day."
None of the expected narratives about UND-Nebraska fit the unique Rucker. Growing up in Omaha, didn't Rucker have a closet full of Nebraska gear and Cornhuskers posters on his walls?
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"No, sir," Rucker said.
Did you have a rooting interest in any team?
"No, sir," Rucker said.
Rucker, who said he's never had a foot or ankle injury before fall camp, isn't looking too far ahead in his recovery and establishing timelines.
"I haven't really paid attention to it," Rucker said how his recovery is fitting into a timeline. "I've just been really taking it day-by-day, kind of going on how I feel each day. The earlier the better but I'm not going to rush it."
When the injury happened in practice, Rucker said he knew something was different and it needed to get checked out.
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"It sucks, but I can't let that determine how I react to things," Rucker said. "I accepted it, then figured out what's my next step. How do I get better from here? I'm going to come back, do my thing, just be a team player."
In total, UND has eight Nebraska natives on the roster including Lincoln products Pierre Allen Jr. and Nate Appleget.
"I think the one thing that I've always felt like when we do play, whether it's FBS or FCS games in the region ... it's awesome for our players because they grew up watching those teams," Schmidt said. "But it's awesome for our fans ... to travel and experience a Saturday night in Lincoln. There are a lot of reasons to do things like this."
