The past has been inescapable in the playing career of Joliet Catholic’s Daniel Rouse.
The senior linebacker is the last of four brothers who have excelled at the position for the state powerhouse. He’s the final cog in a family football dynasty that began with his father.
”I also have four sisters, and I’m the youngest of eight,” Rouse said. “I have experience and advice from all of them, especially my brothers. I’ve gotten all the tips they brought down to me.
“It made me who I am now as a player. They made me want to be like them.”
His father, Kevin, a legendary high school football player in Iowa and a standout in college at Loras, coached more than 20 years at multiple levels in Joliet Catholic’s program.
His oldest brother, Kevin, played in college at Wisconsin. His second closest brother, Kyle, played at Air Force and then at Loras. Kevin and Kyle both coach on the lower levels at Joliet Catholic.
Michael Rouse, who plays at Truman State, started at middle linebacker in 2021 for the Hilltoppers on their Class 4A state championship team.
That brings us back to Daniel, a defensive anchor at middle linebacker and one of 15 returning starts for the Hilltoppers, who lost 38-20 last year in the Class 5A state championship game but come in at No. 3 in the Daily Southtown preseason rankings.
”The one thing I think about the Rouse family, the dad as a coach and the brothers, is the intensity,” Joliet Catholic coach Jake Jaworski said. “When I first started coaching, I was on the freshman staff with the father, and I learned a ton about coaching from him.
“They love all aspects of the game — the excitement and the thrill.”
In a sport where camaraderie has an outsized impact on winning, personal connections matter, according to senior linebacker Nick Bueno.
”Rouse and I have been playing football together since the sixth grade, so we know each other,” Bueno said. “His brothers coached me when I was younger. Now we’re both on the inside, and we have that chemistry and understanding about the position.”
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Rouse is a physical and tenacious player who has shown a knack for disrupting offenses and making plays at the line of scrimmage.
“I’m really a downhill player,” he said. “I get downhill really fast and I read the game well, and that is really the strongest aspect of my game.”
Much is demanded of the middle linebacker in Joliet Catholic’s system.
“You’re just always there in the action at that position,” Rouse said. “It’s just right there making the calls, and it’s a great role to play where you can be really physical and vocal out there.”
Like his brothers, Daniel wants to play at the next level. He doesn’t have any offers yet. An excellent student, he knows the NCAA Division II level will be the perfect landing spot for him.
With JCA set to host Iowa City on Friday, Aug. 31, at Joliet Memorial Stadium in the season opener, he’s ready to show the benefits of rigorous offseason speed training and workouts.
”I’ve always had that underdog mentality,” Rouse said. “Fourth week against Providence my sophomore year, and I helped us win the game. That helped me build for the rest of the season.
“I’ve developed off that each year. You always want that experience under your belt. You always want to be better than you were the year before.”
As much as the family legacy has shaped him, Rouse is eager to carve out an individual identity and assert his presence on a game.
“My brother Michael wore this No. 42 middle linebacker jersey and there’s only a couple years difference,” Daniel said. ”My dad is in two Hall of Fames. My brothers all played college football.
“I’ve always wanted to make that name for myself.”
Team: Joliet Catholic.
2023 record: 10-4.
Offensive leaders: Keegan Farnaus, senior, running back; Jake Jakovich, senior, guard; Cameron Juricich, senior, tackle; Michael Lynch, senior, tackle; Lucas Simulick, junior, quarterback.
Defensive leaders: Zachary Beitler, senior, defensive back; Nick Bueno, senior, linebacker; Zach Pomatto, senior, defensive lineman; Nico Ronchetti, senior, defensive lineman; Daniel Rouse, senior, linebacker.
X-factor: Larry Stringham, senior, running back.
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
