By Paul Condry and Matt Kopsea
Success seems to come naturally for Tyler Ruxer.
Since stepping on the gridiron for the first time as a youngster, the Heritage Hills senior tight end has seemingly found his way to the winner’s circle on a regular basis.
“I first started playing football in the third grade and my dad coached my flag football team,” recalled the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Ruxer. “We ended up winning the championship that year and I have been playing ever since that.”
As a sophomore, he did his fair share to help the Patriots to a 13-2 mark and a 2023 Class 3A state runner-up finish by hauling in 27 passes for 545 yards with nine touchdowns.
In earning a second straight spot on the Indiana Football Coaches Association’s Class 3A all-state team, Ruxer was an even bigger contributor with 43 receptions for 893 yards, good for 12 touchdowns, as Heritage Hills went 14-1 and claimed its first Class 3A state title since 2000 with a 38-15 decision over Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
“I feel my greatest strengths are overcoming challenges and doing whatever it takes to be successful,” said Ruxer, who has also chipped in 54 career tackles, five interceptions, and a fumble recovery from his spot in the secondary.
However, he can’t take all of the credit for his good fortunes.
“Growing up, my greatest influences were my parents (Todd and Angie Ruxer),” explained Ruxer. “They always pushed me to be my best and made sure that I stayed focused on what is important. They showed me that I should always go after my goals and not give up. I would not be in the position I am today without their support.”
Having an experienced coaching staff as well as a great group of teammates, including University of Mississippi-bound quarterback Jett Goldsberry, has also benefited Ruxer.
“Tyler works extremely hard to continuously improve his speed and strength,” explained Heritage Hills head coach Todd Wilkerson. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, the improvement he has made in these areas have made him a nightmare matchup for high school defensive backs and linebackers.
“During both our run to the Class 3A state finals in 2023, and our Class 3A state championship run in 2024, he made big play after big play in championship games. As his senior year begins, we look to him to help lead our team throughout the season, and into the state tournament. His hard work and persistence have helped him get to where he is today.”
Ruxer’s ability to find his way to the end zone on a regular basis also made his desirable to several college programs, including the University of Oklahoma where he recently committed to attend next fall.
“I chose to commit to Oklahoma because I had a really good relationship with the coaching staff, especially (tight end) Coach (Joe Jon) Finley,” explained Ruxer. “He wants to prioritize my development as a person and player, which is important to me. Also, Oklahoma has a standard of winning, which is a value that I uphold especially since I come from a high school that has a standard of success.
“I also think that the offense (offensive coordinator) Coach (Ben) Arbuckle is bringing to Oklahoma is going to complement my abilities as a pass-catching tight end.”
Before heading off to Norman to become a Sooner, though, Ruxer would love nothing more than to close out his high school playing days at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
This will be a challenge as Heritage Hills has been elevated to Class 4A because of the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s Tournament Success Factor.
“I think that, as far as football goes, I need to continue to develop my body physically, work on blocking skills, and just overall better myself as a receiver,” explained Ruxer, whose interests outside of football, include hunting, swimming, and golfing. “As well, I need work on time management and organization at the next level. I also need to concentrate on not getting distracted by other things that don’t matter, I just need to focus on what I can control.”
Being a role model for the underclassmen is something Ruxer has embraced heading into Heritage Hills’ season opener against South Spencer on August 22.
“I remind my teammates that if you have something you’re passionate about to go do that,” said Ruxer, who currently has a 4.2 grade-point average and plans on going into the business field at Oklahoma. “I come from a very small town and nobody expected me to go play (NCAA) Division One football, but that was my dream and I did whatever it took to accomplish that. Don’t let anyone set limits on you.”
He also seems to have his long-term future mapped out as well.
“My goals are to have a great college football career, graduate with a degree, and hopefully be blessed enough to have an opportunity to play in the NFL (National Football League),” Ruxer added. “But if not, I just want to be the best father and husband that I can be.”
It appears Tyler is well on his way to being a winner both on and off the playing field.
