Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | L 10-70@ Washington | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#8
Nate Rutchena
Former linebacker at California. 2025: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 230 lb · Danville, CA
CFB Index 71 · #114 of 578 LBsHigh confidenceCalifornia 2024 — college career complete
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
3★
ATH recruit
No. 1278 nationally · Signed with Monte Vista
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Former linebacker at California. 2025: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Monte Vista in 2020.
- Transferred from California to UC Davis in 2025.
Nate Rutchena
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. California to UC Davis — the move that set up everything since. The receipt: 4 tackles, 1 TFL against Washington — Week 2, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- portal record
- game log
How it ended
Four seasons at California, 61 tackles — his college career is complete.
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2020
- Recruited3-star out of Monte Vista
2025
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
California
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2021–2024
1 coach2021–2024
California
Played his entire career under Justin Wilcox.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Justin Wilcox — 21-29 over that span.
2021California5-7HC: Justin Wilcox · Balanced
2022California4-8HC: Justin Wilcox · Pass-leaning
2023California6-7HC: Justin Wilcox · Run-leaning
2024California6-7HC: Justin Wilcox · Balanced
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 4.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Tosh Lupoi
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2021
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
71 · #114 of 578 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #114 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | California | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | California | 12 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | California | 13 | 7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2021 | California | 35 | 22 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | -- |
| Career | 61 | 34 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2021 production profile sits closest to Amari Burney’s 2021 season.
70%match
NFL Rd 6
Matches Amari on
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
TFL rate
Differs from Amari on
Height (higher)
PD rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to D.J. Ford's freshman season at East Carolina (2021).
84%match
Matches D.J. on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Nate Rutchena
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology