Whole new ballgame

Rupp, Franklin College’s starting quarterback and team captain, has put up impressive numbers on the football field. As a junior he was named HCAC Co-Offensive MVP and finished first in passing efficiency for NCAA Division III with a 294.87 rating. He also threw for 295.5 yards per game, first in the HCAC and eighth in Division III.

Rupp—a 6-foot, 195-pound senior—holds Franklin College records in single season completion percentage at .702 and the single season touchdown passes with 35.

No amount of accolades or records will silence his toughest critic: himself.

"I saw I completed 60 percent of my passes; I was kind of disappointed. I wanted to be around 75 percent. Personally, completion percentage I want around 75 [percent] and no interceptions," said Rupp who is also on track for the highest career completion percentage in school history.

He also would like to score seven touchdowns a game, 49 points, though he says a Franklin victory is always first on the priority list.

Rupp, who was raised in Evansville, Ind., has been an athlete for as long as he can remember.

"I tried them all. You know, baseball, basketball, football, soccer, ran track... Then in high school, freshman year I played football, basketball and baseball," he said. "And after that I just played football and baseball."

Throughout his childhood, Rupp played on teams coached by his father, Pete, who played freshman basketball and football at Florida State before transferring to the University of Evansville to play football.

"I always get it that, ‘Oh, your dad was the greatest athlete, blah, blah, blah, I ever saw play and whatnot,’" Rupp said. "And I got the opportunity to watch some of his old reels he had so that was pretty cool."

Pete Rupp is a big part of the reason his son cheers for Florida State when watching college football. Chad said he roots for Notre Dame when the Seminoles are not involved. In terms of sports heroes, there’s the Joe Montana, who played for the Fighting Irish, and the basketball player who most 22-year-olds grew up idolizing, Michael Jordan.

"He’s a great competitor," Rupp said. "He didn’t like losing and neither do I."

Luckily, at least for Franklin College fans, his mother’s athletic ability was not passed on to her youngest child.

"It’s kind of funny half the time she doesn’t even know what hand she is," Rupp said. "When I was younger throwing a baseball, ‘Oh I think I’m right handed. Wait, let me try it left-handed,’ and stuff like that. It’s kind of funny."

Even when he is not on the field, sports are still his niche. In addition to fishing and reading, his favorite pastime is playing Playstation 3.

"Me and my roommates, we get caught up on NCAA Dynasty for college football. We do that and then Call of Duty. Those are the main two I play," Rupp said.

Though one of Rupp’s roommates, senior defensive end Dan McManus, gave Rupp props on his video game skills, he said it may not be all skill.

"He is good at NCAA football. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but whenever I play him I choose like a C-minus team and he’s always like LSU or one of the better teams so I give him a break on that and try to boost his confidence," he said.

Though McManus claimed he’s always picking up his quarterback’s trash, Rupp said his biggest pet peeve is being the only one of the four upstairs inhabitants -- teammates Austin Gorrell, Kevin Lynch and Patrick Sheller live with him -- who will touch the bathroom.

That and, of course, when the offense gets stopped.

"It might sound a little corny, but I just feel like as an offensive unit we should never get stopped, that we can only stop ourselves," Rupp said.

Rupp’s decision to come to Franklin was made easy on the football field. During his sophomore year at Evansville Memorial High School, head coach Mike Leonard helped Rupp’s high school implement an offense similar to his own, making this the seventh year he’s run a Leonard-influenced offense.

Though he’s set lofty goals for himself on the gridiron, Rupp, a recreation and sports management major, decided last year he wanted to make the Dean’s List and then did it, something he hopes to continue his senior year.

After graduation, Rupp said he hopes to coach college football. And while he would like a change of scenery initially, he can see himself taking a coaching position at Franklin if the opportunity ever presented itself.

Even after leaving for Franklin, Rupp remains a family-oriented man, thanks in part to his grandmother.

"She’s always there for me. She’s taught me many lessons and she’s just a great, loving person," said Rupp.

"When you’re around your family just cherish it because you never know how long it’s going to last. Something could happen and it might not be there the next day, so when you have that time with your family take it and enjoy it."