East Central RB Josh Ringer wins 2023 Indiana Mr. Football: 'A great surprise.'

• Ringer ran for 2,880 yards and 55 TDs as a senior with 278 receiving yards and five more TDs.
• He is East Central's second Mr. Football winner, joining Josh Martini, who won in 1994.

Samuel Ringer knew there was something special about his younger brother’s football talent at an early age.

“When we played football in the front yard, he always kept up with me pretty well,” Ringer said. “I think that kind of gave him a more competitive edge.”

But Samuel was skeptical when younger brother Josh proclaimed prior to his freshman season at East Central High School that he would crack the starting lineup. The Ringer brothers had been working out in the basement at their home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Samuel, at first, chalked it up to younger brother bravado.

“I was like, ‘Josh, it doesn’t work like that. By the third game, he was starting.”

It was the just the start of a remarkable high school career that culminated Thursday with Josh Ringer named the 2023 IndyStar Mr. Football, presented by the Indianapolis Colts. Ringer led East Central to back-to-back Class 4A state championships and finished his high school career with school records of 6,640 rushing yards and 118 total touchdowns.

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Ringer is the second Mr. Football from East Central, joining running back Josh Martini, who was named the award’s third winner in 1994. Ringer was named on 66% of the ballots from Indiana Football Coaches Association voters, who chose between the 10 Mr. Football position award winners for the annual award to the top senior football player. Center Grove quarterback Tyler Cherry was runner-up with 10% of the vote and Crown Point linebacker Will Clark third with 6.2% from the 1,850 eligible voters.

“It’s a great honor,” Ringer said. “I couldn’t do any of this without God keeping me healthy these last couple years and my family supporting me and my entire team these last four years. I’m just really blessed to be put in this position.”

Ringer was stunned Thursday morning when coach Jake Meiners pulled him out of English class to discuss plans for next week’s signing with Miami (Ohio). Waiting for him in a hallway holding the No. 1 Mr. Football jersey were his parents, Brad and Jennifer Ringer, with brother Samuel and East Central administrators, including athletic director Kevin Moore, standing nearby.

“He said something about signing day,” Ringer said with a laugh. “I said I’ll go check it out. It’s a great surprise.”

A well-deserved surprise for Ringer, who emerged as a frontrunner for Mr. Football after rushing for 2,368 yards and 39 touchdowns as a junior and leading East Central to its third state championship in program history. Ringer ran for 164 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries in an epic 24-21 overtime semistate win over second-ranked Roncalli, then ran circles around New Prairie in the state championship at Lucas Oil Stadium, going for 171 yards and four TDs.

His performance on that stage, capped with a state title, put Ringer on a short list of potential candidates going into his senior season.

“Throughout the offseason, we had a couple of conversations about that,” East Central coach Jake Meiners said. “Josh’s answer was always the same. He just wanted to go win another state championship. If that meant he had a chance at Mr. Football, that would be great. But there was never anything intentionally to try to get Josh this award. We just told Josh to go play.”

Though Ringer was at the top of every opponent’s scouting report as a senior, no one could slow him down. Maybe most impressive in the regular season was a 246-yard, three-touchdown rushing performance in a 38-28 win over Cincinnati Moeller, when he also caught a touchdown pass. In the second round of the sectional, in a 56-20 win over Martinsville, Ringer ran for 325 yards and seven TDs on 24 carries.

It continued that way through the 4A state championship against NorthWood on Thanksgiving weekend, when he ran for 251 yards and three TDs on 34 carries in a 42-14 win to cap a perfect 15-0 season. In all, Ringer ran for 2,880 yards and 55 TDs as a senior and caught 13 passes for 278 yards and five TDs.

The statistics are staggering. Ringer’s career rushing total ranks 14^th in state history and likely would have been higher if not for a high ankle sprain that limited him to five-plus games as a sophomore. His teammates, including senior quarterback Cole Burton and senior running back Ryan Brotherton, both lobbied for him to win Mr. Football after the 4A state final, speaking to his likeability and respect from within the program.

“I just love him as a young man,” Meiners said. “He has every attribute you wish all your players have. He’s incredibly hard working, incredibly humble. He’s a team-first type of guy. Josh has achieved a lot of accolades through his high school career but he’s always put his team first … he’s an incredible human being. I know I’m going to miss being around him every single day, but I’ve truly appreciated that I’ve had the chance to coach him.”

Ringer’s parents describe his personality as a “happy go lucky.”

“Very laid back,” Jennifer Ringer said. “Not much gets to him.”

Neither do defenses. Ringer will sign next week with Miami (Ohio), which is 11-2 going into Saturday’s Cure Bowl against Appalachian State in Orlando.

“It’s surreal,” Brad Ringer said of seeing his son win Mr. Football. “We’ve heard him talk about it coming up and thinking he had a chance at it. But it’s just unbelievable that he’s accomplished this.”

Believe it. Josh Ringer, Mr. Football. He enjoyed a donut, then grabbed another, before heading back to English class Thursday morning.

“It’s amazing,” Samuel Ringer said. “Being the younger brother he probably doesn’t know it but I look up to him. I think the future is pretty bright.”

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.