Editor’s Note: The Northern Illinois football team opens its season at Iowa State on Thursday. Leading up to the game, the Daily Chronicle will provide readers with an occasional story about the Cyclones from the Ames (Iowa) Tribune as a part of a content sharing agreement.
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State defensive tackle Stephen Ruempolhamer answers to “Rump” or “Dutch.” But he may be responding to “Cheese” soon enough.
And he’ll have Cyclone football coach Paul Rhoads to thank for it after Rhoads compared the progress Ruempolhamer, who is half Dutch, made during fall camp to a TV ad.
“You know that (Cheez-It) commercial or wherever where that guy interviews a piece of cheese and he says, ‘No, not ready yet,’ ” Rhoads said. “That’s where he was a year ago. He’s shown that he’s ready right now.”
By the end of the 30-second spot, the cheese is mature enough for consumption. The Cyclones hope that after two years of maturing, Ruempolhamer is ready to devour offensive lineman at nose guard.
“He is a different player than he was a year ago,” Rhoads said. “Development takes place at different timing. Maturity takes place at different timing and both have happened for him at the same time.”
And it’s allowed him to be a breakout player in practice.
Defensive tackles coach Shane Burnham said Ruempolhamer, a junior, is doing a better job with his technique and fundamentals and, as a result, is making more plays.
“If you asked (center) Ben Lamaak and some of our other offensive guys, he’s a stump in there right now,” Burnham said. “He’s hard to move. He plays with great pad level.”
As an upperclassman, Ruempolhamer wants to be a leader on the defensive line and decided to lead by example. He said the offseason allowed him to get in better shape and let him fine-tune his footwork.
Burnham made a “teaching tape” for each defensive tackle this summer with individual highlights as well as cutups of other defensive tackles in college and the NFL.
Ruempolhamer said the tapes helped the defensive tackles learn proper form.
“We’ve focused on improvement since spring ball,” Ruempolhamer said. “We know we can still improve. We aren’t a finished product yet.”
But Rhoads likes the improvements made, especially out of Ruempolhamer, who Rhoads says is faster, leaner and stronger than a year ago.
“It’s like he’s moved three or four chapters ahead in the book as far as what Coach Burnham is coaching him and what the scheme is asking him to do,” Rhoads said.
Ruempolhamer saw limited action as a true freshman, recording eight tackles in nine games. He moved into the defensive tackle rotation full-time in 2009. He played in all 13 games, earning two starts.
He recorded 20 tackles and a sack last season, but hopes to have a bigger defensive impact in 2010, regardless of what nickname he goes by.
“I’ve never been called by my first name,” Ruempolhamer said.
