Resilient Ruder's Spirit Undeterred By Tough Luck

CHAPEL HILL – Very little has been easy for Jace Ruder since he arrived at North Carolina in January of 2018. But don’t expect any negativity from the Norton, KS, native. That’s just not in his makeup.

A redshirt sophomore quarterback, Ruder is in a battle with true freshman Jacolby Criswell to backup incumbent starter Sam Howell, North Carolina’s record-setting freshman a year ago, who’s now a sophomore and on several Heisman Trophy watch lists. So Ruder isn’t under any illusion he'll get the call over Howell. But he does know his palce right now on the Tar Heels.

His mission is to get better, elevate his teammates in spirit and performance, and to be ready if and when the time comes he’s called on to perform. Really, that’s all he can do right now, and it's something with which he's come to peace.

“All I can do is work, show up and work each day and be prepared for whatever comes at me,” Ruder said. “So, whether (UNC) Coach (Mack) Brown decides to play two quarterbacks or not, I’m going to be ready to go, and whenever my chance comes, I’m going to take it and run with it.”

Brown has often inserted backup quarterbacks for a partial or even full series on the third or fourth possession of games during his previous stints at UNC and Texas. He does this to give the starter a different view but also get the backup a taste of a variety of defenses so they’re more ready to go if needed than if they simply sat and watched the starter all game every game.

Ruder has been in some crucial situations, though. All three of his appearances as a Tar Heel were in the first halves of games, though on two occasions he suffered season-ending injuries.

He played 24 snaps in the first half against Georgia Tech as a true freshman in 2018 but broke his shoulder two snaps before throwing a touchdown pass, which was his last snap of the campaign. Then, last season, Ruder played seven snaps at Wake Forest, including a 21-yard designed run, and a week later he broke his leg after one snap ending his season.

In two seasons, Ruder has played just 32 total snaps while suffering a pair of season-ending injuries. His other stats: 5-for-7 passing for 87 yards and a TD, and six carries for 42 yards. So, while he’s been in the quarterback room at UNC longer than anyone else on the roster, he’s still fairly light on the experience front, both in game action and because of the many practice reps he’s lost.

“We all forget, without spring practice, Jace has been hurt both falls,” Brown said. “He hasn’t played a lot of football.”

Yet, as the most tenured player in that room, Ruder has accepted one of the roles that comes with being the older, more grizzled guy. Ask any Tar Heel about Ruder’s spirit and positivity, and they rave about it. Ask him and he embraces it.

“I just think that’s my responsibility as a leader on the team is to lift people up no matter my circumstances,” Ruder said. “Because no matter how bad I think I’ve got it, somebody else has it worse than me. I think my job as a leader is to lift everybody up no matter the circumstances and just stay high spirited and everyday just try to bring energy to the team.”

His job is also to be ready to run the Tar Heels. Quarterbacks get injured just like anyone else on the field, something UNC certainly understands. The Tar Heels started three different quarterbacks in 2017 and comboined with 2018, Carolina QBs suffered significant injuries: Chazz Surratt (both seasons), Brandon Harris, Cade Fortin and Ruder each missd multiple games due to injuries.

But before Ruder could assume the role of next-man-up he had to get healthy, which turned into a much longer and trying process than originally expected.

Ruder went down versus Appalachian State on Sept. 21, so an eight-week timeline meant he could return for a bowl game or possibly the finale at NC State. But that’s not what happened.

“It ended up being an eight-month recovery (from the time of injury) and that took a little longer than expected…,” he said. “I got back a hundred percent in early June – late May, early June. So I ended up having surgery on my leg in February and it ended up being an eight-month recovery instead of an eight-week recovery, so it took a little longer than expected.”

Since being cleared, Ruder has been working to make up for lost time.

“It’s not easy because you’ve got to do a little extra to play catch up,” Ruder said. “But (strength and conditioning) Coach (Brian) Hess does a great job making sure that we stay healthy as we’re trying to get back into it. So I’ve just been really listening to Coach Hess and making sure I’m doing my treatments, stretching, doing my mobility work, and doing my speed work to stay caught up.”

Well, he’s just about there.

Offensive coordinator Phil Longo is pleased with Ruder’s direction.

“Jace has really done a good job athletically,” Longo said. “And he's been able to make some more progressive decisions with regards to things that are going on in the field because he brings some of that experience from last year.”

And Ruder also brings vitality, positivity and a spirit that might be overlooked by the outside world, but not within the walls of the Kenan Football Center. Just ask around, and the Heels will say so.

Note: This interview took place a couple of weeks ago.