Josh Ringer is Mr. Football

Ringer's family surprised him at school on Thursday for the announcement.

Josh Ringer was greeted by his family for the Mr. Football announcement on Thursday afternoon. EC Athletics photo.

(St. Leon, Ind.) - Josh Ringer is Indiana Mr. Football. 

The East Central star running back won the award in a landslide, receiving 66 percent of the vote from 1,850 eligible Indiana Football Coaches Association voters, reports the Indy Star. 

Ringer beat out Center Grove quarterback Tyler Cherry and Crown Point linebacker Will Clark to become East Central's second Mr. Football winner in school history. Josh Martini previously won the award as the state's top high school football player in 1994. 

School staff did their best to surprise Josh on Thursday morning, pulling him out of English class to "show" him how upcoming Signing Day procedures would work. Ringer was "skeptical" when head coach Jake Meiners and athletic director Kevin Moore took him to a place "nobody signs."

He was then greeted by family at the Natatorium where he was announced as Mr. Football. 

Hugs all around for @JoshRinger5. #MrFootball pic.twitter.com/H3ziNtlufO

— Trojan Media Productions (@TrojanMediaPro1) December 14, 2023

Ringer's initial thought, "I just remembered how blessed I was to be in a position to even get this award, just a blessing by God." 

In true Josh Ringer form, he talked more about the team and what they have accomplished during his high school career than his individual accolades, noting the back-to-back state titles as the highlight of his years at EC.

"I just feel like this is what I've been working for since I was younger," said Ringer. "I've been surrounded by such great coaches and teammates that would do anything for me, and I'd do the same for them. They helped me accomplish this." 

Head coach Jake Meiners was elated for Josh. 

"I'm incredibly proud of him, incredibly happy for him," said Coach Meiners. "He's worked so incredibly hard and has been such a key figure within our program the four years. It caps off his high school year in a positive way. He'd be the first to tell you that he was extremely happy about the back-to-back state championships, but for him to receive that sort of recognition on a statewide level is incredible. He's definitely earned this." 

Similarly to EC's previous Mr. Football winner, Ringer helped his team to an undefeated season and a state championship in 2023. 

The Miami (Oh.) University commit ran wild, racking up a single-season school record 2,880 yards and 55 touchdowns. He added 13 receptions for 278 yards and five scores. 

For his career, Ringer owns a litany of EC records, including:

• Most Career Rushing Yards: 6,640 (14th all-time in Indiana)
• Most Career Rushing Touchdowns: 110
• Most Career Total Touchdowns: 118
• Most Career Points: 708 (9th in state history)
• Single Season Rushing Yards: 2,880
• Single Season Rushing Touchdowns: 55
• Single Season Total Touchdowns: 60 
• Most Rushing TDs in a Game - 7 
• Most Points Scored in a Game - 42
• Best Rushing Average in a Season - 10.3

Coach Meiners used the term "mind boggling" when speaking about Ringer's career production.

"Realistically, if it weren't for him being contact traced a few times his freshman year and dealing with an ankle injury his sophomore year, his career stats may be even better than they ended up being," said Coach Meiners. "Every statistic that he has been able to achieve its him, and the hard work and dedicate his been able to put in. You run out of words to say about him." 

Now, Ringer directs his focus to getting ready to play Division I football at Miami (Oh.). He says he's "excited to be surrounded by a bunch of athletes who love to compete and have love for the game." 

Coach Meiners believes Ringer's best football is ahead of him, and spoke to what kind of person Miami University is getting

"He's one of my favorite human beings on this planet. He is a young man that is extremely humble, he's a young man that is incredibly hard working. I love the way he represents our program, represents himself, his family and the community. He's just incredible. He takes everything with such grace and pushes the light on other people when he deserves recognition. I'll miss coaching him. They are really, really going to like him up in Oxford."