Before Nebraska (Beatrice HS)
Zach Ruiz comes to Nebraska after a solid career at Beatrice High School, where he starred on both sides of the ball. From his quarterback spot, Ruiz threw for 1,683 yards and 16 touchdowns while rushing for another 480 yards and 11 touchdowns. Defensively, he pulled in six interceptions.
Ruiz led his team to Class B state playoff semifinal trips in 2006 and 2007. Ruiz earned Class B first-team all-state honors from both the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star as a senior.
Ruiz garnered interest from Duke, Kansas, Missouri and Princeton before deciding to walk on at Nebraska. He was also an honorable-mention all-state selection in basketball.