“I’m sick of it. I’m sick of dealing with it. I get sick of people asking me about it. I just want to go out and play and let my actions speak for themselves.”

That is what senior quarterback Rob Rugai replied when requested to respond to how he felt about always being a backup on the NIU football team.

After last season, when Rugai was 47 of 86 passing for 624 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions, he enters this year’s campaign ready for football.

“We’re sick of practicing,” Rugai admitted. “We’re ready for opponents. We will keep teams off balance—using the tailback, the option and the throwing game.”

Rugai also comes double-barreled. He is a threat to run the ball as well. Last year, he ran the ball 70 times for 156 yards with two TDs. In his career, he has five touchdowns to his credit with a 3.4 average when he elects to run.

But once again, Rugai is faced with the churning preoccupation of not knowing if coach Charlie Sadler will keep him in the game for an extended period of time.

So, the question still remains, should a Division I quarterback worry about not starting when he knows he should?

ugai responded, “If I go out and perform the way I can, that will take care of itself.”

But just in case things don’t work in Rugai’s favor, he does have two backups, Crabtree and freshman Ron Reichert.

“Ron is young,” Rugai upheld. “He’ll be a good player in a couple years, but he needs to mature a little.

“And Scott, he’s a good quarterback. He’s got good mechanics, and he is a natural thrower.”

Leadership is a quality desired in each and every quarterback. In this, the last of the three in-depth looks at the NIU QBs, the comparisons have been made and decisions are final. Rugai will start, but Crabtree is awaiting his opportunity as well.