Background
Rucks was born on December 21, 1960 in Waukegan, Illinois, graduating from Waukegan West High School in 1979.
Rucks was born on December 21, 1960 in Waukegan, Illinois, graduating from Waukegan West High School in 1979.
Rucks would go on to be an assistant coach from 1986 until 1988 at Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois.
Rucks played for the Carthage Red Men under coach Art Keller. 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.
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 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 National Collegiate Athletic Association"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.
In 2004, Rucks led the Red Men to their first Division III football playoff in 2004, advancing all the way to the quarterfinals.
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 2012 season, this ranks him #2 at Carthage in total wins (second only to the aforementioned Keller) and #7 at the school in winning percentage (546). 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.
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.