Omar Ruiz

Patrick Laverty

Earlier this season, Costa Mesa High senior tailback Omar Ruiz walked

into Coach Dave Perkins’ office and said, “Coach, thanks for all the

chances you’ve been giving me.”

After the first five weeks, Perkins should be thanking Ruiz for

all the yardage he has provided for the Mustangs’ offense.

Ruiz rushed for more than 200 yards for the second consecutive

game Friday, gaining 246 yards and scoring one touchdown in the

Mustangs’ 53-19 victory over Ocean View.

In his last two games, Ruiz has rushed for 490 yards and five

touchdowns and answered almost every question about whether a

5-foot-6, 150-pound back could handle 30 carries a game.

In his third varsity season, Ruiz was handed the task of replacing

Keola Asuega, who rushed for 3,932 yards in his career and scored 49

touchdowns before accepting a scholarship to Idaho State University.

“We were kind of worried going into the season because Keola was

such a workhorse, carrying the ball 30 times a game,” Perkins said.

“We weren’t sure Omar was that type of back. He has just done a great

job.”

The concern was primarily due to the size difference between the

two backs. At 6-0, 210 pounds, Asuega could withstand the constant

punishment a running back takes. Ruiz, though listed at 5-8, 175

pounds, is actually 60 pounds lighter than the player he used to

provide a change of pace for.

But Ruiz has always been accused of being too small. Questions

about his toughness should have been answered long ago, when he

played nose guard and linebacker in youth football.

“A lot of people told me, ‘Keola, that’s going to be some big

shoes to fill,’ ” Ruiz said. “I told people, ‘I’m not Keola. I’m Omar

Ruiz.’ ”

Despite his small stature, Ruiz, who has rushed for 759 yards and

seven touchdowns this season, isn’t afraid of running among the big

defensive linemen and linebackers in the middle of the field.

Perkins said one of Ruiz’s top qualities is his ability to follow

blockers. Behind a mammoth Costa Mesa offensive line, Ruiz can often

get lost running up the middle, which is exactly where he likes to

go.

“That’s exactly what I do,” Ruiz said. “People tell me, ‘Oh,

you’re too small. You can’t run up the middle.’ That’s what I like

doing, running up the middle. They don’t expect it and by the time

they realize I’m running up the middle, I’m gone.”

Gone also is the No. 2 that Ruiz wore in his first two varsity

seasons at Costa Mesa. This year, Ruiz switched to No. 32.

“I just wanted a new number,” Ruiz said. “People knew who I was,

so I wanted a fresh start and I thought I’d get a new number.

“I always tell people it’s three times better than two.”

Along with the new number, Ruiz has added body art to his game-day

uniform, which includes wristbands, a bandana, gloves and a towel.

His parents wouldn’t allow him to get tattoos, so his friend and

teammate, Chris Johnson, draws on Ruiz’s upper arms on game days. The

tradition started last season against Estancia when Ruiz had Asian

characters meaning “fearless” and “spirit” drawn on his arms. This

year, he has had a “3” drawn on one arm and a “2” drawn on the other.

Sometimes, Johnson puts a “32” on one arm and “Ruiz” on the other.

It’s not the first time Ruiz has found a way around his parents

objections. He said they were against him playing youth football, but

he went and signed up by himself.

“They were OK with it,” Ruiz said. “If it was going to keep me out

of trouble and if I wasn’t going to get hurt, they were fine with it.

Now they really support me.”

Ruiz got more than support from his coaches this summer as they

prepared him to take over the marquee role out of the backfield.

During summer practice, while running hills at TeaWinkle Park, Ruiz

was pushed extra hard with the expectation that he was going to be

the Mustangs’ primary ball carrier.

Even when Qualic Vargas -- who at 5-11, 230 is more in the mold of

Asuega -- moved to the area from Kansas, Ruiz held on to the notion

that he was going to get his chance to prove he could be an

every-down back.

“Sometimes I depend on [Vargas],” Ruiz said. “If I’m tired or I’m

hurt, I feel comfortable with him being there. I trust him. If he

gets more carries than me, it’s because he deserved it.”

Right now, nobody is more deserving of 30 carries a game more than

Ruiz, the Daily Pilot Player of the Week.