He also served as head coach of football and baseball at his alma mater, Hillsboro High School.
[1][2] After high school, he turned down a professional contract with the NFL's Detroit Lions[3] and made up his mind to teach and coach sports.
After 13 years at Hillsboro High school, Rutschman was approached about taking over the head football coach position at Linfield College.
Linfield trailed defending NAIA-II champion Northwestern 22–0 with just over three minutes left in the third quarter, but would come back to win 33–22.
Before stepping down as head coach in 1983, he led the Wildcats to six conference championships and seven NAIA District 2 titles.
The spacious and modern athletic complex, including two new gymnasiums, a swimming pool and multi-purpose field house, was constructed, a new baseball stadium was erected and the tennis courts were relocated and expanded.
The field house, a 26,600-square-foot (2,470 m2) multi-purpose facility completed in 1995, was named in honor of Rutschman and his wife, Joan, for their 27 years of service to the college.