How UNC football’s Kaimon Rucker intends to repay coach Mack Brown’s faith in him

Kaimon Rucker’s haberdashery was top notch this past week at the 2024 ACC Football KIckoff, North Carolina’s defensive end showing off a nice wardrobe for the media event.

Less obtrusive was a small bracelet on his left wrist. On it: “Keep choppin’.”

The bracelet, made by teammate Jahvaree Ritzie as a birthday present, and its message have special meaning to Rucker. It’s something his father used to say to him repeatedly as a kid, becoming something of a personal mantra, Rucker said.

“Life is full of ups and downs and you never know what you’ll get hit with,” Rucker said Thursday in Charlotte. “Regardless of what it is, whether it’s good, bad or ugly, you’ve got to keep choppin’. It reminds me of the resiliency that I have had to have throughout my life.”

Rucker, a graduate student, recalled that as a high school player in Hartwell, Georgia, there were many recruiters who doubted him because of his size. He was judged a three-star recruit, ranked No. 136 in Georgia, by ESPN.

“It was a very frustrating time,” Rucker said.

But UNC coach Mack Brown wanted him and took him, and has watched as the 6-2, 265-pound defensive end developed into one of the ACC’s best players.

How good? Remember last season when N.C. State linebacker Payton Wilson swept just about every defensive award worth having? Rucker could challenge for some of the same awards this season, including 2024 ACC defensive player of the year.

Again, when Rucker has any doubts or second-guesses himself as he has in the past, all he needs to do is glance at his new bracelet.

“It’s a constant reminder just to keep going,” he said. “It gives me that extra motivation when I wake up and when I go to sleep at night, to keep chopping, to keep pushing, to show that resiliency day after day.”

Rucker was named second-team All-ACC last season after finishing with 61 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles for losses (TFL) and 12 quarterback hurries. Starting all 13 games, he was a handful at the “Jack” position, which he likens to a hybrid of linebacker and defensive end, using explosiveness to rush the passer and crash the pocket.

Regardless of the terminology, his mindset was to be a “play disruptor” — his words — and help blow up offensive possessions. He did it well enough to merit some talk about him being ready for the next level and a possible move to the NFL, but he decided on a return to Chapel Hill for one final fling.

Rucker did not like the Tar Heels’ late-season slide – a 6-0 start and top-10 ranking followed by a 2-5 finish. He did not like the barbs and criticism thrown the defense’s way during the slide. He wanted better and wanted to be a part of making it better.

“I’m glad to have him back,” linebacker Power Echols said. “It’s his drive, his tenacity, his presence on the field.”

There is much for college athletes to consider these days in making such a decision — yes, NIL deals being a part of the equation. But Brown also decided to switch defensive coordinators, bringing in former Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins to replace Gene Chizik and run the D.

Rucker also made a switch — from No. 25 to jersey No. 7, which he said also honors his father. And having Collins come in, and his plans for the defense, were to Rucker’s liking as well

“He has brought a lot of energy and a lot of aggressiveness,” Rucker said of Collins. “He set the bar for us to be the best defense in college football.”

That’s setting it pretty high, of course. UNC, 8-5 overall and 4-4 in the ACC in 2023, was 10th in the league in points allowed per game (27.3), 11th in rushing defense (163.2 yards) and 12th in total defense (404.4 yards).

“We need to be the defense everybody is talking about, but not because of how many rushing yards we gave up or how many passing yards we gave up,” Rucker said. “We need to be talked about for what we can do, the talent we have on our defense, the hard work and determination we have.”

Brown has said the Tar Heels are committed to using more players to allow the starters some rest to keep them fresher — in games and especially in the course of the season. That was a factor last season, Brown said, with defensive players such as linebackers Ced Gray and Echols getting almost every snap and inevitably wearing down.

“We’ve got to do it, and the coaches have to have enough guts to put them in,” Brown said of using his depth.

All that sounds good to Rucker, although he likes being on the field, not the sidelines. He has been listed at the “RUSH” position — more football jargon — but will keep on doing many of the same things as last season with the intent of being more consistent at it.

Rucker said he can be both a power rusher and speed rusher, that he keeps working on his techniques and better at what he calls the “game of chess” up front between the D linemen and the opposing offensive front.

“I see myself as versatile and I see myself as dominant,” he said. “And if I see myself as those things, that’s what I have to live up to.”

A year ago, Gray was the leader of the Carolina defense, its heart and soul. This year, Rucker and Echols are two of the older guys, two of the leaders.

“If we’re going to be handed the keys to the car, we’ve got to be trusted that we can drive it,” Rucker said.