Jackson Ruess has been an integral part of Crown Point’s offensive line at left tackle. (Michael Osipoff / Post-Tribune)
Jackson Ruess has settled in nicely at left tackle on Crown Point’s dominant offensive line.
But the 6-foot-4, 280-pound senior has shown his versatility.
Ruess started at right guard last season after starting at right tackle the previous year. He is also the Bulldogs’ backup center for second-year coach Craig Buzea.
“He’s made it look seamless,” Buzea said of Ruess moving to left tackle. “But it’s not. There’s a lot of different nuances and techniques. The responsibilities are really all different. It was a change for him, but he’s picked it up great.
“He’s sort of a jack-of-all-trades. He’s really our Swiss Army knife when it comes to our offensive line. He can play all three positions if we need him and play them extremely well. He’s smart. Being able to pick up those three positions and being able to play all three is a tribute to him and his football IQ. A lot of kids get pigeonholed in one spot, and they can’t play another one, but he’s able to play all three. It’s a huge benefit for us.”
Ruess has taken all the moves in stride.
“There’s a learning curve to it, but I’ve been able to play a lot of positions to help the team,” he said. “I’ve been a good leader, being a senior. I’ve learned a lot since last year.”
In addition to the mental component, Ruess has made strides physically. He lost more than 20 pounds after topping 300 last season.
“I did a self-assessment at the end of last year, and I realized I was lacking in certain areas,” he said. “I had to make changes to reach my potential.
“I’m eating smart, eating healthy, and I’ve kept working out. I’m eating a lot more salad.”
He added with a laugh: “For a big guy, that’s tough.”
It has been tough for opponents to deal with Crown Point’s offensive line, a foundation for the Bulldogs (6-0, 4-0), who have seized first place in the Duneland Athletic Conference and are ranked No. 8 in Class 6A in the poll by the The Associated Press and No. 9 in the state coaches poll.
The group of Ruess, senior left guard Logan Pokropinski (6-3, 285), senior center Lorenzo Pintado (5-11, 270), junior right guard Jeff Meschede (5-9, 260) and senior right tackle Aidan Duerig (6-6, 325) have typically worn down defenses.
“We take a lot of pride as a unit that we can go out there and take control,” Ruess said.
Ruess, Pokropinski and Duerig are returnees. Pintado and Meschede are newcomers this season.
“They’re all the same,” Buzea said. “They all have good size. But the good thing about them, No. 1, they’re all smart. They understand the game. They live in the weight room. And they’re athletic. Obviously we hang our hat on those guys a lot.”
Buzea praised the efforts of offensive line coach Tom Cicero.
“He does a great job with them up front,” Buzea said. “It’s made a huge difference, having a year under their belt and knowing what we’re trying to do with our schemes.
“They’re correcting me half the time when I call a play. They’re nice about it, but it’s like, ‘Coach, do you mean that?’ Yeah, that’s what I meant. But they have the idea of what we’re trying to accomplish. What a difference a year makes. Last year it was baby steps, baby steps. This year we’ve taken off the training wheels, and they basically run themselves.”
Buzea also noted how the running game has opened up big-play opportunities for quarterback JJ Johnson.
“Would we like to pass the ball more? Yeah,” Buzea said. “We tried to do that a little bit in the first half Friday (at Valparaiso), and then we came to our senses and decided to let the big boys work. And it worked out for us.”
Ruess also has worked as Crown Point’s heavyweight wrestler since his freshman season. After he was a regional qualifier as a sophomore, he tore ligaments in his left ankle shortly before the start of sectionals last season, knocking him out for the postseason.
The wrestling team won the state title, and he sees a similar championship mindset developing with the football team.
“We all hang out with each other outside of football,” Ruess said. “We have a close-knit group. We take things seriously, but we also have fun.
“Everybody’s put in a lot of work. Everybody was geared up for this season. It was just a matter of the right people at the right time.”