Pat Ruel

College coach infobox
Name = Pat Ruel

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Caption = Pat Ruel on the USC sidelines.
DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1950|12|5
Birthplace = Coral Gables, Florida
DateOfDeath =
Sport = American football
College = Southern California
Title = Offensive line coach
CurrentRecord =
OverallRecord =
Awards =
Championships =
CFbDWID =
Player =
Years =
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Player = Y
Years = 1971–1972
Team = Miami
Position = Offensive guard
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 1973–1976
1977
1978–1981
1982–1984
1985–1987
1988–1996
1998–1999
2000
2001–2002
2003
2004
2005–"present"
CoachTeams = Miami (OL)
Arkansas (OL)
Washington State (OL/OC)
Texas A&M (OL/OC)
Northern Illinois (OL/OC)
Kansas (OL/OC)
Michigan State (OL)
Detroit Lions (OL)
Green Bay Packers (OL)
Buffalo Bills (OL)
New York Giants (OL)
USC (OL)
FootballHOF =

Golden Pat Ruel (born December 5, 1950) is the offensive line coach for the USC Trojans.

Career

Ruel has 35 years of college and National Football League coaching experience.cite news |first=Dennis |last=Dodd |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Wherever USC's Ruel travels, offensive lines are Golden |url=http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10874173 |work=CBSSports.com |publisher= |date=2008-06-22 |accessdate=2008-06-25 ]

He lettered at offensive guard for University of Miami under head coach Fran Curci and received his B.S. in psychology in 1972 where he immediately became a graduate assistant coach in 1973. He and USC Head Coach Pete Carroll were both graduate assistants on the 1977 Arkansas Razorbacks football team.cite news |first=Rhett |last=Bollinger |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Back where they started |url=http://media.www.dailytrojan.com/media/storage/paper679/news/2006/08/31/Sports/Back-Where.They.Started-2253097.shtml |work=Daily Trojan |publisher= |date=2006-08-31 |accessdate= ] Current Mississippi Head Coach Houston Nutt was also at Arkansas at the same time, as a backup quarterback. Arkansas' Defensive Coordinator at the time, Monte Kiffin, would be a mentor to Carroll who would later have his son Lane Kiffin as his offensive coordinator at USC. The Razorbacks won the 1978 Orange Bowl that season and Ruel would move on to a full-time position at Washington State University. He spent four years with the Cougars, the first 2 seasons as the offensive line coach before adding offensive coordinator duties for his final two seasons.

Ruel's longest tenure was at Kansas from 1988-96, the first 3 as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, then adding assistant head coach to his title the final 6 years. During his first summer Lawrence, he joined the coaches and 50 or so scholarship players in sleeping on the practice field for solidarity. During his time at Kansas, the Jayhawks improved from 1-10 in 1988 to 10-2 in 1995, finishing in the top 10.

Ruel spent 1997 in private business, then moved on to Michigan State for 2 years (1998-99). The first year with the Spartans he served as offensive line coach and then adding assistant head coach duties in the second season. He was hired by the NFL's Detroit Lions in 2000 to take over as offensive line coach. He spent the next 2 seasons (2001-02) as the assistant offensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers. In 2003 he took over offensive line coach duties for the Buffalo Bills before moving the New York Giants for the 2004 season.

Carroll lured Ruel away from the NFL's New York Giants, taking him to lunch on a sunny day in Manhattan Beach. Ruel found Carroll to be charming, noting "Pete's like a beautiful woman. The closer you get, you better look out. He is very charismatic. He can smile and make you feel like a million dollars."Dennis Dodd, [http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10874173 Wherever USC's Ruel travels, offensive lines are Golden] , CBSSports.com, June 22, 2008, Accessed June 25, 2008.]

Ruel joined the Trojans in February 2005. His heralded players at USC have included Sam Baker, Winston Justice, Ryan Kalil, Deuce Lutui, Fred Matua, Chilo Rachal, Drew Radovich, Matt Spanos and Kyle Williams

Personal

Ruel's father, Pat Ruel II, was an FBI agent.Dennis Dodd, [http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10874173 Wherever USC's Ruel travels, offensive lines are Golden] , CBSSports.com, June 22, 2008, Accessed June 25, 2008.] He is married to Marti Ruel, and together they have a daughter, Sabra, who attends USC.

References

External links

* [http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ruel_pat00.html Offical Biography at USC]