Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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30 MAY 2020 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY PATRICK ENGEL N eeding to create a do-it-your- self workout from home, Gabriel Rubio turned to his dad's supplies. The son of former NFL defen- sive lineman and current firefighter Angel Rubio, Gabriel found an un- moored fire hydrant, set it in his driveway, bent his waist and lifted it up and down — a crude but effec- tive bench pull. Rubio's creativity in a bizarre time earned some deserved appreciation when the video circu- lated on Twitter. This impromptu exercise was also the latest of many assists from An- gel, who has coached and developed Gabriel since the younger Rubio first tried flag football at age 5. Currently, Angel is the defensive line coach at St. Charles Lutheran High School in the St. Louis area, where Gabriel plays. For nearly 10 years, their ability to lock in to a player-coach relationship on the field and stay dad-son off of it has fueled Gabriel's rise to top- 100 player and Notre Dame com- mitment. Essential to this harmoni- ous blend, Angel said, is trust and credibility that go both ways, but especially from the son. "It's really whether a kid can learn from the parent as a coach," Angel said. "What has made it effective with him was his willingness to be- lieve he can learn from me." Added Gabriel: "When it comes to football season, it's never, 'Hey dad …' He is 'coach,' and I treat him as such." BUILT-IN CREDIBILITY Angel, of course, has a built-in advantage that fuels credibility. He was a seventh-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998 and spent two years in the NFL, bounc- ing around between five teams be- fore carving out a five-year career in the old XFL and Arena Football League. Angel entered the pros after a standout career at Southeast Mis- souri State, where he set career sack and tackles for loss records. He is in the Football Championship Subdivi- sion school's Hall of Fame. Gabriel appreciated the pedigree, though he never reached the point of being starstruck. "I think it was always just, 'Yeah, that's my dad,'" Angel said. "Even to this day, I don't think he brings up my history." The desire to be like dad was an early motivator to excel in football as a grade schooler, but not a theme that shows up now. Gabriel is here to write his own story and make his own decisions. After gaining requi- site passion for the game, though, he figured out the ideal teacher was already in his house. Angel was the head coach of Ga- briel's flag football team, then an as- sistant for his junior high team and eventually Gabriel's middle school head coach before taking a season off when Gabriel was in eighth grade. Angel hammered home his first major teaching point: coaching aggression. "I've always felt because of his good nature, he was over-the-top nice to everyone," Angel said. "We had to work on having that attitude in the older ages. Once you hit junior high, kids start to form their own personalities." All the while, Angel also tutored him in technique and pass rush moves, leaning on his own exper- tise. Mastering the footwork, an- gles, hand placement and gaining strength was one part, but putting Angel Rubio, the defensive line coach at St. Charles Lutheran High School in the St. Louis area, has mentored and developed his son Gabriel since he first tried flag football at age 5. PHOTO COURTESY ANGEL RUBIO DAD AND COACH Angel Rubio has helped fuel his son Gabriel's rise to top-100 player and Notre Dame commitment