CHAMPAIGN, Ill — Illinois tight end Cole Rusk, a former standout receiver from Rock Island, will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury.
Rusk, a former four-star transfer recruit, was converted to tight end at Murray State, where he shined. Last season, Rusk was an FCS All-American with 39 receptions, 512 yards, and six touchdowns. He was also recently named to the John Mackey Award watch list, which honors the nation’s top tight end. According to PFF College’s graded scale, Rusk ranked second among tight ends in the Big Ten with a grade of 78.7, trailing only Michigan's Colston Loveland, who had a grade of 80.5.
Having grown up a fan of the Fighting Illini, Rusk always dreamed of playing football at Memorial Stadium. His passion for Illinois football was fueled by attending many games as a child, in part because his father, Steve Rusk, wrestled there.
"Dear Illini fans, after a great offseason and tons of excitement to live out a lifelong dream this season, I'm saddened to say I've suffered a season-ending knee injury," Rusk wrote on his social media outlets. "I'm already looking forward to coming back even better than before, and I'm in great hands here. I trust in God's timing and am still incredibly excited for our team to do big things this year. I came here to help us win, and I will do whatever it takes."
Head Coach Bret Bielema showed frustration when asked about the injury from several sources. But stated the squad needs to step up and find ways to fill the void.
Rusk recently attended WQAD's Sports Director Matt Randazzo's Annual Guy Randazzo Memorial Golf Outing in early June. "I'm glad to be there (Illinois). I love my teammates, I think we're going to be pretty good this year, and definitely surprise a lot of people," he said.
The Quad Cities have been eager to see local football or basketball players thrive at the D1 level. They got their wish when Moline's Matthew Bailey committed and made a significant impact as a freshman for the Fighting Illini. Unfortunately, like Rusk, Bailey suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the first game of his sophomore year.
The rivalry between Rock Island and Moline is a significant part of Quad Cities sports culture. Fans will have to wait until next year to see these former Quad City preps join forces and compete in the Big Ten, on the same team, orange and blue.
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