| In addition to 95 wins at Carthage, Tim Rucks is the last coach to have a .500 record at North Park. |
Longtime Carthage head football coach Tim Rucks will assume a new set of administrative and managerial responsibilities when he joins the Carthage athletics administration team as an assistant director of athletics. The promotion is effective Nov. 19, 2012.
"Tim has had an exceptional 18-season coaching career at
Carthage," said Carthage athletic director Robert Bonn. "We are
thrilled to have him contributing his talents to broader
initiatives within the athletic department."
In his new role, Rucks will leave behind coaching responsibilities
and immerse himself in athletic recruiting, student eligibility and
advising, alumni relations, and fundraising.
Rucks had stepped away from the head coaching role earlier this
season after a medical issue forced him from the sidelines during a
game against North Central.
"I've loved the past 18 years as head football coach at Carthage,"
said Rucks. "I'm looking forward to this new opportunity and to
continuing my association with the college."
Carthage will launch a national search in the coming weeks for a
new head football coach.
The promotion for Rucks ends an 18-year career as Carthage's head football coach (95-79-1, 18 years at Carthage; 104-112-4, 22 years overall). He was named American Football Coaches Association North Region "Coach of the Year," as well as College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin "Bob Reade Football Coach of the Year" in 2004 with an 11-2 conference-championship team that reach the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Football Championship. He was also named Wisconsin Private College "Football Coach of the Year" in 2009. From 1990 to 1994, Rucks was the head coach at North Park University, also in the College Conference of Illinois Wisconsin.
Rucks is a native of Waukegan, Ill., attended Waukegan West High School and played four years of football at Carthage under head coach Art Keller. As a senior in 1982, Rucks was named first-team All-CCIW offensive tackle. He graduated in 1983 with a double major in English and political science. Rucks was selected in the third round by the Denver Gold in the inaugural United States Football League draft before signing as a free agent with the National Football League's New York Jets. He played with the Jets during the 1983 season.
From 1986-88, Rucks served as an assistant football coach at Niles North High School in suburban Chicago. He was named an assistant football coach at North Park in 1989 before the college promoted him to head coach prior to the 1990 season.