Trey Rucker Has Been ‘Awesome’ for Oklahoma State

Trey Rucker did so much for Oklahoma State’s defense against Utah on Saturday that he needed an I.V. to keep going.

The Cowboys lost their season opener to the Utes 22-19, but the defense looked the best it has all season. And Rucker stood out from the unit. According to Pro Football Focus, Rucker played 71 snaps in the secondary on Saturday. That was the third-most on the team behind linebackers Nick Martin (82) and Kendal Daniels (72).

“I’m tired,” Rucker said after the game. “But we played Arkansas, we was out there for double-overtime. I had, like, 93 plays. I wasn’t too overly frustrated with that. I was just proud for how we came out and kept fighting and looked past that.” 

Rucker led OSU with 14 total tackles, five of which were solo, against Utah. But after four weeks, that stat wasn’t a surprise to anyone, especially his teammates. Rucker is third in all of FBS with 13.2 tackles a game this season. That number leads the Big 12. The third-leading tackler in the conference is his teammate, Martin, who averages 9.8 after leading the nation in tackling last season.

“I feel like he’s been taking a step each week,” Martin said. “I’m excited for him and how good of a player he is and his future. He’s a hell of a player.”

Rucker’s best week in that stat was against Arkansas, when he pulled in 17 tackles. He also had 15 against South Dakota State and seven against Tulsa. But overall, to back up Martin’s assessment, Week 4 was probably Rucker’s best performance of 2024. Against a top-15 team, Rucker not only led his team in tackles but also had a pair of interceptions.

He first intercepted Isaac Wilson on Utah’s second drive of the game. He then did it again the next quarter right after his own quarterback, Alan Bowman, threw a pick deep into OSU territory. Utah started its possession on OSU’s 37-yard line but didn’t get anything out of it thanks to Rucker’s turnover two plays later.

“He’s playing awesome,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “Great leadership. Fourteen tackles and two interceptions and an I.V., I mean, guy had a full day’s work. He just keeps playing and keeps hitting. You run him in there and you watch him, and the violence of the game that he plays just makes you cringe watching it. But thrilled to have him. He’s been a great leader for us.”

Rucker got to OSU before the 2021 season after transferring from Wake Forest. He immediately saw the field on special teams and played in every game as the Cowboys won the Fiesta Bowl. He then redshirted in 2022, playing only in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Rucker then cracked the starting lineup last season, totaling 100 tackles, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception.

“First of all, I just gotta give all that glory to God,” Rucker said. “He allowed me to prepare for the season. And then also, just knowing, coming off of last year, my ability and believing in myself.”