Gov. Mifflin’s Isaac Ruoss has taken flight at Naval Academy

It felt like old times again for Isaac Ruoss on Saturday.

The senior fullback had a heavy workload — a season-high 21 carries — and scored the go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes to lift Navy over the University of Central Florida 34-30.

“It’s nice to have the ball back in my hands, and (to) try to make plays,” he said a few days after the Midshipmen came from 13 points down in the second half to pull off the upset. “It was like (being) back at Mifflin. That’s what I try to (relate) it to (in my mind), so the atmosphere’s not any bigger. It’s like I’m playing a high school football game at Mifflin.”

Ruoss was a star for one of the Mustangs’ best teams in 2017. He set a program record with 1,789 rushing yards and was at the center of one of the program’s greatest victories, when it took down nationally ranked Harrisburg and Micah Parsons in a District 3 Class 5A semifinal on the Cougars’ home turf.

He was Offensive Back of the Year in Berks and earned All-State recognition.

Similar glory hasn’t been as easy to attain at Navy.

The transition to a military lifestyle, the demanding academic workload and competing against a higher level of athletes was an immediate challenge for a guy who dominated on the field and never earned anything but an ‘A’ in high school.

“I thought by my second year I would be (more) involved in the offense,” said Ruoss. “That’s not how it worked out. As a competitor it was frustrating, but you learn to accept your role where the team needs you most.

“No matter where you are, whether you’re a scout player or a special teams player, you can make an impact. A win’s a win — that’s the goal at the end of the day.”

That’s what Ruoss did. He went to work on special teams and played in every game last season, covering kickoffs and on the punt and kickoff return units.

He came into camp this season battling for the starting spot at fullback and has shared that spot with James Harris. After rushing for a team-high 85 yards Saturday against UCF — a two-touchdown favorite, by the way — Ruoss leads the Midshipmen in rushing yards, rushing attempts and touchdowns through four games.

“Football was a big transition (for me),” said Ruoss. “The speed of the game, the level of play. In high school, you might face one DI player in a game, and you’re the one player on your team that’s the standout.

“Here, everyone’s kind of equal. You’re humbled by going on the scout team. Everyone serves their time and works their way up. It was good; I definitely was not ready coming out of high school for the level of play here.”

The classroom was equally challenging. Ruoss experienced a few B’s his freshman year.

“It was eye-opening,” he admits.

Just as he’s done on the field Ruoss battled and made his way to the front.

Last week he was named a national semifinalist for National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy. It is considered the “Academic Heisman.”

Each college program is allowed to nominate one player. Ruoss is the one from Navy.

“For Isaac to be the representative of this team, I couldn’t be more proud of him, how he carries himself and the success he’s had on and off the field,” said Navy fullbacks coach Jason McDonald. “On this team, where we have so many leaders… where every kid was captain of their high school team… every kid on this team was some sort of academic award winner in high school.

“You don’t get to this school without those things. Every kid holds academics in a high regard; every kid here is a leader, is a grinder, they know what hard work is.”

That describes Ruoss to a T.

His coach at Gov. Mifflin, Mick Vecchio, called him “as driven as any kid I’ve ever met – as any person I’ve ever met.”

“As far as the work ethic, the motivation (it takes to succeed at a military academy), he has it to the nth degree,” Vecchio told the Reading Eagle in 2018.

Ruoss has a 3.87 grade-point average. He’ll graduate in May with a degree in quantitative economics and receive a commission as Marine Corps officer. After that he hopes to be accepted into Naval flight school, and then to become a Marine pilot.

If all goes as plans that’s a 10-year commitment — two years at flight school, followed by an eight-year hitch with the Marines.

Ruoss says attaining success both on the field and in the classroom is balancing act.

“Being able to designate time for school on top of football is the biggest struggle people have here,” he said. “I don’t let football distract me when I’m in school, and when I’m in football I try not to let school distract me.”

McDonald calls Ruoss “a coach’s dream” because of the way he picks up plays and concepts. You don’t have to explain things to him twice.

He admires the way Ruoss persevered through tough times was ready when called upon.

“You’ve got a guy who is going to give you everything he’s got in every single rep that he takes,” McDonald says. “You’ve got a tough kid who’s taking hits from guys who out-weigh him 30, 40, 50 — sometimes 100 pounds — and he just bounces up and keeps getting after it again and again and again.”