From Soccer Player to College Kicker: Noe Ruelas' Journey to Success at UCF
Noe Ruelas, a former soccer player, decided to switch to football to prove his friends wrong about soccer players lacking toughness. Starting as a safety and wide receiver, he eventually became a kicker for the team. Ruelas, now a college kicker at UCF, has had a successful season, converting 90% of his field goal attempts. His longest field goal this season was a 53-yarder against Kansas State. Ruelas credits his success to the coaching staff's faith in him and his range of 55 to 60 yards. Special teams coordinator Pete Alamar has played a significant role in Ruelas' improvement, focusing on fundamentals and technique during practice. Ruelas also handles kickoffs for the Knights, averaging 63.8 yards per kick with 19 touchbacks. He takes pride in his ability to make tackles if needed and dreams of causing a fumble for a touchdown.