National signing day couldn’t come fast enough for Elyria Catholic standout Josh Russ.

Last year, Russ verbally committed to the University of Cincinnati after a stellar junior season; where he was selected first team All-Ohio. Russ caught 35 passes for 691 yards and six touchdowns.

Russ, like many other athletes, officially signed his letter of intent on Wednesday, Feb. 3 to play football at UC.

“It’s kind of unreal to be honest,” Russ said. “I never thought I’d get to this level, but a lot of people have helped me to get where I’m at. They helped me with school and helped prepared me to be a better football player.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my family and former coaches and Elyria Catholic.”

This past season, Russ was selected again as first team All-Ohio. Offensively, he had 33 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns. Russ also played defensive end and had 40 tackles (14 for loss), three sacks, six pass break-ups and two forced fumbles.

Russ said he chose UC because they were the first team who believed in him, but things got a little complicated when Brian Kelly, the coach who recruited him, signed a five-year deal to coach at the University of Notre Dame on Dec. 10.

Russ said he was lost at that point and didn’t know what was going to happen.

“To be honest I was really nervous in the beginning when it all happened,” Russ said. “I’ve never been through this, or knew anybody that was, so I was really nervous. I didn’t know what was going to happen, if I was going to lose my scholarship, or what.”

With his future uncertain, the Bearcats new head coach Butch Jones and his coaching staff contacted Russ a couple days later to assure him that he would he would not lose his scholarship.

“They have something great to build on what coach Kelly left behind,” Russ said. “I think they’ll do good with it and I’m happy with the new coaching staff.”

Russ will join a Bearcat’s program that has catapulted themselves into one of the top programs in the nation.

The Bearcats have won back-to-back Big East championships and have participated in two consecutive Bowl Championship Series games. In 2008, the Bearcats were 11-3 and earned a birth in the FedEx Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech. Last season, they won 12 straight games and earned a berth in the All State Sugar Bowl, before losing to Florida.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Russ said the team wants him to play outside linebacker, but he will more than likely red-shirt his freshman year.

Elyria Catholic coach Ben Malbasa said he was honored to have coached Russ for three years.

“I’ve been very fortunate to coach someone as committed as he is,” Malbasa said. “He was always committed when he first stepped on to the field, but he continued to work at becoming a better all-around football player.”

Malbasa added that he knew Russ had the potential to be an elite player early in his career.

“I remember his second game of his sophomore season against Southview,” Malbasa said. “After that game I went back and watched the film and he made some plays where he caught guys from behind that impressed me. At that point I realized we had a special player.”

One thing that stood out for Malbasa about Russ was the fact he never got overwhelmed with the whole recruiting process. Malbasa said he was very impressed the way Russ made a decision very early and stuck with it.

“I didn’t really have to give him any advice,” Malbasa said. “I was there for him if needed some, but he’s a very privileged kid. He has a great family structure around him and his parents are very involved with him, which helped him a lot.”

Russ was not the only Panther to sign on Wednesday, as teammate Jared Schuster signed a letter of intent to play at Notre Dame College in South Euclid.

Schuster was first team All-Ohio as a junior, and second team All-Ohio this past season. He was also Lorain County offensive lineman of the year.

“I want to thank everyone for getting me here, because without them I wouldn’t be where I’m at,” Schuster said. “The experience is unreal, but it feels good.”

Courtesy of Anthony Rios