Lance Rucker

Named to the 2026 Stats Performer and FCS Football Central Preseason All-America First Team. Started all 14 games at edge rusher and emerged as one of the top defensive playmakers in the FCS ... Earned All-MVFC first team honors and Stats Perform Second Team All-America honors ... Finished with 64 total tackles, including 34 solo stops, while recording a MVFC-leading 15.0 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles ... Opened the season with five tackles and a sack against Portland State ... Generated a season-high 2.5 tackles for loss in wins at UNI and South Dakota ... Recorded two sacks and 16 sack yards at Montana ... Posted a season-and career-high eight tackles at South Dakota while adding 2.0 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss ... Registered 11 tackles, including a tackle for loss, against South Dakota State ... Delivered one of his top postseason performances at Tennessee Tech, finishing with six tackles, a season-and career-high 3.0 sacks, 3.0 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and a blocked kick ... Added five tackles, a sack and two quarterback hurries in the NCAA FCS Playoff game at Tarleton State ... Forced four fumbles on the season, including three against Tennessee Tech ... Blocked kicks against Youngstown State and South Dakota State ... Finished with at least one sack in eight contests and recorded multiple sacks in four games. Started 11 games at linebacker and appeared in every game ... Tied for third on the team in both sacks (2.0) and pass breakups (3) ... Tied for fourth on the team in quarterback hurries (4) ... Compiled 37 total tackles and 19 solo stops ... Recorded a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the 52-28 win over Idaho State ... Notched a sack and a pair of QB hurries in the 31-7 victory against Northern Iowa ... Put down a season-high six total tackles at Indiana State. Saw action in all 12 games as a reserve linebacker ... Tied for fifth on the team with 1.0 sack ... Seventh on the team in tackles-for-loss with 3.0 ... Accumulated 12 total tackles, with nine of them being solo ... Recorded two quarterback hurries in the 55-7 win over Drake in the season opener ... Had a sack at Boise State ... Put down one sack in the 45-31 victory at Murray State. Appeared at defensive end and tight end for Millard South High School for all four seasons … Named First Team All-Metro and All-State in 2022 … Also earned All-Nebraska Team status as a senior … Gained Honorable Mention accolades as a member of the All-Metro and All-State Teams in 2021 … Piled up 162 total tackles, 39.0 tackles-for-loss, 21 sacks and four fumble recoveries as a Patriot … Hauled in 46 grabs for 602 yards and seven TD's as a tight end during his prep career … Voted three times as the Defensive Player of the Year at MSHS … Twice voted the Lineman of the Year at Millard South.