Torn ACL doesn’t stop linebacker

MARBLE FALLS — Diego Ruiz shows his character every time he’s on the sideline. 

He sprained his right knee in practice during week five and re-injured it two weeks later. 

But a sprain is nothing compared to the torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered to his left knee last season while playing for Brady High School.

The senior running back and linebacker for the Marble Falls High School football team had surgery on the left knee to repair the ACL.The ACL was torn during practice.

“A fullback came and hit me,” he said. “My foot stuck to the ground. I dislocated my knee cap and tore my ACL.”

He had surgery in January. It took five months to get healed. Once he was allowed to start rehabilitation, Ruiz hit the weight room and the bike. He rode the bike for 30 minutes and later added 10-pound ankle weights. He did five sets of eight wall sits for a minute each. At first he could only squat the 45-pound bar. But as the summer unfolded, he added weight. Soon the senior was lifting 250 pounds. But Ruiz’s doctor would not release him until Aug. 1, two days before the start of two-a-days. 

“I was really trying to get ready for football season,” he said. “He made sure I rehabbed it the whole summer.”

And while he was disappointed to be sidelined with another injury, that was not the most disheartening news.

“The disappointing part as a team is not making the playoffs,” he said. “Even though I’m injured, I’d like to see them in the playoffs.”

Ruiz said he prefers playing linebacker.

“I’d rather hit someone,” he said. “I wasn’t much of a running back. I like making tackles more.”

He enjoys watching Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher. 

“He’s always flying to the ball,” the young linebacker said. 

Not only did Ruiz have to contend with rehabilitating his injured knee, he also had to learn a new playbook with new teammates.

“It’s nice,” he said. “All the guys are good guys. Two-a-days were rough. I was trying to get used to the playbook. I probably didn’t feel 100 percent comfortable until week two.”

In addition to learning a new playbook, Ruiz also was given scouting reports, just like his teammates.

He looks at heights, weights and speeds of the opposing players he’s going against, he said. 

Players also have film sessions where they watch that week’s opponent in addition to practices during the athletic period and after-school practices. In all, Ruiz said it takes about 17 hours a week. 

The senior said he likes seeing the stands full of fans no matter the team’s record, something that was not common in Brady. 

Because of his injury, he’s been able to concentrate even more on his classes.

The son of Irma and Oscar Ruiz Sr. plans to become a doctor and wants to attend the University of Texas. He also has an older brother, Oscar Jr., and a younger sister Ariel Ruiz. He is currently ranked in the top quarter of the senior class, he said. 

“My head’s on school now,” he said. “It’s been real hard, especially being a senior. Now I just yell and holler as much as I can to boost up the team.” 

Photo by Virgil Belk/Hill Country Sports Images.