Gov. Mifflin grad Isaac Ruoss earns national recognition at Naval Academy

Gov. Mifflin grad Isaac Ruoss, a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy, has been named a semifinalist by the National Football Foundation for the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is also known as the “Academic Heisman.”

Ruoss is a starting fullback for the Midshipmen.

The National Football Foundation will announce finalists Oct. 27; each will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2021 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investment.

The winner of the Campbell Trophy will receive a 24-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship, and will be invited for an appearance on the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.

Ruoss, who majors in quantitative economics, carries a 3.87 grade point average and has only received four B’s in his first three years at the Naval Academy.

On the field, Ruoss is Navy’s third-leading rusher with 127 yards and one touchdown on 30 carries.

Ruoss was an All-State pick as a senior, when he helped the Mustangs go 11-2 and knock off Harrisburg, the top-ranked team in the state, in the district semifinals.

He was named Berks Offensive Back of the Year after setting program records with 1,789 rushing yards in a season, 29 rushing touchdowns in season and 45 in a career.

He was a three-sport athlete at Mifflin, earning letters in baseball and track and field.

Past winners include Peyton Manning (Tennessee), Chad Pennington (Marshall), Tim Tebow (Florida) and Justin Herbert (Oregon).  Last year’s recipient was from the American Athletic Conference, Memphis quarterback Brady White.

Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the award must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers and athletic administrators.