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Rummells adds leadership to UNI Panther offensive line

By Riley Ubben, Athletic Communications Intern –

logo_uni_panthersCEDAR FALLS – Standing at 6’5, senior lineman Jack Rummells helped lead UNI’s backfield to 1,962 yards on the ground last season while starting in all 12 games. Rummells has seen action in 32 games during his first three seasons at UNI, starting 29 of those contests.

One of the Panthers’ more experienced lineman, Rummells uses the leadership skills he has developed over the years to help the future UNI blockers.

“I’ve been working a lot these past couple of days with the new guys coming in,” Rummells said. “Just over the minute techniques and even just the process of learning. Their heads are spinning at this point. Just relaxing and making them think about one thing at a time is the main thing.”

Not only is Rummells a leader, he makes sure to have fun while staying a fierce competitor on the field. He believes that staying loose helps his overall performance between the lines on Saturdays.

“If you’re too worked up during the game, you don’t think clearly when it’s time to make big decisions,” he said. “I think just having a clear and relaxed mind helps me out.”

Despite having an easy going personality, the 301-pound left tackle from West Branch, Iowa has been developing his game for years prior to arriving in Cedar Falls.

“My cousin-in-law started up a private gym halfway between West Branch and Iowa City,” Rummells said. “It was in a warehouse in an industrial park. He fully furnished it by looking on Craigslist to get what he could and started it up from nothing. I got hooked on it at an early age. He made it a great atmosphere for me.”

A first team All-MVFC honoree last season and preseason All-American this year, Rummells credits part of that to his hard work in the weightroom over the years.

“It definitely shows at this level,” he said. “Everyone has commented on what great technique I have and you don’t get to lift the heavy weights unless you have that technique.”

Being part of an offensive line that allowed just 16 sacks last season, ranking the Panthers 23rd in the nation and third in the MVFC in the category of sacks allowed, Rummells has made pass blocking a point of emphasis this offseason.

Not only a hard worker in everything football, Rummells excels in the classroom as well as he was named to the MVFC Scholar-Athlete honorable mention team for the 2013 season. Having completed his undergraduate studies last spring, he will be starting up graduate school in the fall where he plans to attain a Master’s degree in Biomechanics.

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