Ohio State tight end Jeremy Ruckert's sacrifice pays off against Indiana

Jeremy Ruckert was ready for whatever his quarterback wanted to do.

Redshirt freshman C.J. Stroud took the snap on Ohio State’s third play of the day, faked the handoff to his left and rolled out to the right in a bootleg. Lined up against redshirt senior linebacker Alfred Bryant, who looked to rush the quarterback from the right side of the line, Ruckert pushed him inside toward the faked handoff and rolled out himself.

The tight end slowly jogged out in the flat, keeping his eyes on his quarterback as Stroud made his reads, while also looking ahead to see what he was dealing with downfield. With nothing to work with, Stroud passed it to Ruckert, who forced a missed tackle from senior Cam Jones and recorded a first down.

It wasn't his biggest play of the game, later becoming one of Stroud’s main red-zone targets with two touchdown receptions on five catches.

But it was the play that best represents what Ruckert has been for Ohio State in each of his past four years: whatever the offense calls him to be.

“Just as I’ve said since I’ve been here, some days it’s in the run game, some days it’s in the pass game,” Ruckert said. “Whatever it is, just being able to make plays when your name is called, that’s the culture here and today was our day, I guess.”

To Ryan Day, that’s the definition of the unselfishness he’s been looking for.

The Ohio State head coach said sacrifice was a key message to his team heading into the start of the second half of the season, something he said Ruckert has been doing all season long for the offense.

“He’s done a lot of work, a lot of the dirty work blocking inside,” Day said. “Sometimes the ball doesn’t come his way, but you stay positive, you stay at it and things work out. That’s playing team football.”

Playing team football led to Ruckert being one of Stroud’s go-tos in the passing game since he returned against Rutges.

After recording six catches for 81 yards in his first four games, including no receptions against the Zips, Ruckert has been targeted 15 times in the passing game in the past three games combined, bringing in 10 catches for 92 yards and three touchdowns.

While Ruckert has been known to go downfield and get passes — including his 14-yard reception against Indiana where, in man coverage, he jumped over the Hoosier defender in the end zone for the score — he’s also served as a safety net for Stroud and the passing game, sitting out in the flat, serving as a check down when something isn’t working downfield.

But Stroud knows that when Ruckert gets the ball in his hands, he can make something happen, leading him to feel more comfortable in and around the pocket.

“I’m feeling more comfortable being out there. More so, my teammates are a huge help,” Stroud said. “Ruck, he’s a great tight end. Great body language, great routes. Today was his day to ball.”

Ruckert admitted he wasn’t doing anything special against Indiana. His performance was a product of a good week of practice, leading him to playing free without forcing anything.

The senior tight end has been up for anything his entire Ohio State career, bringing in 12 touchdowns through his last three seasons. But even with his stats better than they have ever been in terms of the passing game — coming into his eighth game of the season with 16 catches for 186 yards: both career highs — Ruckert is not a changed player.

He’s still willing to block, to be a decoy, to be a check down. Ruckert’s willing to do anything for Ohio State’s offense.

“I think that’s the biggest thing going forward is just relying on each other and play after play, knowing whoever the ball’s going to go to, we have confidence they are going to make a play,” Ruckert said.