Younger Ruud makes own mark

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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL

Bill Busch knows all about the famous football bloodlines Bo Ruud has with Nebraska.

Great-grandfather Clarence Swanson, father Tom Ruud, uncles John Ruud and Bob Martin, and brother Barrett have all played for the Big Red.

That family affair, however, has little to do with Busch's belief that Bo could become a special Husker player himself.

"What he did in high school is what impresses me, and what a good player he was there," said Busch, the first-year Nebraska outside linebackers coach. "But there's always some sort of attachment, I suppose, if you have a great brother and father and uncles that are very good players. ... That's always going to be something."

Husker family ties or no, Bo Ruud has put together a solid enough spring to once again impress Busch.

A redshirt freshman, Ruud entered spring listed No. 2 behind Stewart Bradley at SAMlinebacker. Busch noted that nothing's solid at any depth chart position, but Ruud apparently hasn't done anything to hurt his status.

"Ithink he's had an exceptional spring," Busch said. "Two things, football is important to him, and playing for Nebraska is important to him. His effort on the field, studying the game, classroom, all of that stuff, is getting better.

"Sometimes, expectations are very high that I have on him, and he's living up to those expectations. Obviously, he's very young ... but he's doing a good job of preparation and getting himself ready to play."

Ruud, honorary captain of the 2002 Super-State football team, brought high expectations with him from Lincoln Southeast High School, where he played running back and linebacker and led the Knights to a pair of Class A state championships. Nebraska coaches even suited up the freshman for road games last season.

"The thing I got out of last year, I learned a lot," Ruud said. "I got to travel with the team and really learn the defensive system and learn how to play."

Of course, that was under former defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, although Ruud said the change in defensive coaches - Kevin Cosgrove is the new coordinator - doesn't mean his redshirt season was a wash.

"But you know what? The systems are pretty similar, you'll find out," Ruud said. "You learn the concepts, and then all you've got to learn is basically new terminology. But you pick it up faster because you know what to look for, you know what to expect."

Besides, Ruud was more concerned about using his redshirt season to gain size, strength and maturity. Doesn't matter who's leading the defense, in that case.

"I've cut off a lot of body fat and put on a lot of muscle," said Ruud, who's listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. "My weight gain hasn't gone up dramatically - I think about five pounds - but it's all pure muscle."

Busch has noticed. He said Ruud has done a better job of being physical.

"He's really working on getting bigger and getting his weight up," he said. "He's done a really good job of taking on blocks and getting off blocks."

Playing at SAM, Ruud's responsibilities include covering the tight end and serving as a blitzer in pass rush situations.

"A lot of times, with the SAMs, you don't get any action. It's when they call a blitz - that's your time for the action," Ruud said. "That is the funnest for me. There's nothing better than when it's third-and-long, and they say, 'Just go after him,' and you try to make something big happen."

Ruud figures to try to make something happen on special teams, too. He's involved on the first and second teams for all coverage and return units.

Of course, Ruud's goal is to push Bradley for the starting position, but he'll take any playing time he can.

"If you can make special teams, you're guaranteed to be on the field and get yourself in the flow of the season," Ruud said.

And that's better than sitting on the sideline as a redshirt, too.

"You go into your first season ... you go right into fall camp, it's physical to start out with. But then when the season starts, if you're not playing, it's all tag-off, it's all no-touch," Ruud said. "Spring, you get to hit again, and it feels good to get that part of football back."

Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@;journalstar.com.